The Accord Coalition, which links both religious and non-religious groups concerned about the impact of faith schools, has welcomed a new report by Ofsted, Transforming religious education, but is appalled at the poor standards it has highlighted.
The report found that there was ‘very significant variability in the quantity and quality of support for RE provided to schools by local authorities’, and that since 2007 the standards of RE provision in secondary schools had fallen. It calls on the Department for Education to review the current local arrangements for Religious Education in England.
The Chair of the Accord Coalition, Rabbi Dr Jonathan Romain, said ‘now that Britain is a multi-faith society, Religious Education is a vital part of getting to know your neighbour and essential preparation for good citizenship’.
‘The problem exposed by Ofsted is that at present we have the ludicrous situation whereby Religious Education is a statutory subject – and therefore must be taught in all maintained schools in England – but it is not part of the National Curriculum, so there is no obligatory syllabus. Instead most schools have to follow a syllabus produced by their local authority, while voluntary-aided faith schools can follow their own RE syllabus and ignore every faith but their own.
‘Ofsted’s report shows the important role that good quality Religious Education can play in pupil’s own personal development and in improving community cohesion by enabling pupils to understand the beliefs of people from different backgrounds.’
‘Religious Education should be treated like a National Curriculum subject to help ensure that it is broad, balanced and accurate and that there is a uniformity it the quality of provision. Ofsted’s report shows how unsatisfactory the current local authority arrangements are.’
‘It is also noticeably how RE has grown in popularity since the publication of the 2004 National Framework has taken effect. The framework recommended that RE should have a more educational and inclusive approach and it is apparent that Religious Education has everything to gain as a subject from becoming more relevant and comprehensive’.
Notes
The National Framework for Religious Education, published in 2004, offered non-statutory guidance on the provision of RE in England. It was produced by the Qualifications and Curriculum Development for the then Department for Education and Skills, with support of most RE professional organisations and most of the country’s main religion and belief groups, including the Church of England, Catholic Education Service and Muslim Council of Britain.
To view information about the implications and unpopularity of discriminatory and exclusive practices employed in state education system, including in faith schools, please see our databank of independent evidence.
For further comment, contact Rabbi Dr Jonathan Romain on 07770 722 893.
For further information, contact Paul Pettinger on 020 7462 4990.
