On Monday The Accord Coalition met with Stephen Twigg MP, the Shadow Secretary of State for Education.
Accord set out its fear of how schools that segregate on religious grounds and provide a narrow education about the range of religious and non religious beliefs in society undermine community cohesion and narrow children’s horizons.
Accord also set out its worry about homophobic bullying in schools and a range of concerns about the curriculum. These included that many schools did not provide Personal, Social, Health, Economic education (PSHE), and that at those schools that did that it was not always provided it to a high standard. Accord also emphasized that the Government’s curriculum review had recommend down grading Citizenship education at the secondary level to the ‘Basic Curriculum’, while the place of Religious Education and Collective Worship remained untouched.
Mr Twigg made it clear that he welcomed the meeting and shared many concerns. He was particularly concerned that it seemed Citizenship teaching was to be down graded and keen that it should be an important part of the curriculum. He also expressed regret that the Government had relieved Ofsted of its duty to inspect upon the promotion of community cohesion in schools.
Chair of the Accord Coalition, Rabbi Dr Jonathan Romain said: ‘Our meeting was constructive, and we are very grateful to Stephen Twigg, both for meeting with us and his warm reception, but also for taking on board our wide range of concerns’.
I am fully supportive of the initiative by Accord Coalition to make education available to young people in this country which is inclusive rather than divisive.
Not fully supportive.