A new study into the provision of Religious Education (RE) in schools has recommended that it becomes a nationally determined subject that covers the range of beliefs in society. The report ‘RE for REal‘, by the Faiths and Civil Society Unit at Goldsmith, University of London, also found widespread support for RE being added to the National Curriculum. It asked 331 students, teachers, parents and employers about their views on RE in schools, finding that 86% of teachers and 94% of parents supported the change.
Chair of the Accord Coalition, Rabbi Dr Jonathan Romain, said ‘RE is vital to engendering tolerance and social cohesion, but it is being held back by antiquated structures, and neglected by the absence of meaningful changes. We urge the Government to listen to the growing chorus calling for reform by ensuring that all children learn about all major belief-systems in the UK, so that mutual knowledge leads to mutual understanding and respect.’
Ofsted’s triennial reviews into RE of 2007, 2010 and 2013 recommended that the Department for Education should review RE’s legal framework. A report in June by Professor of sociology of religion, Linda Woodhead, and former Secretary of State for Education, Charles Clarke in June, titled ‘A New Settlement: Religion and Belief in Schools‘, also urged for RE to become a nationally determined subject for all state maintained schools, covering the broad range of religious and non-religious beliefs in Britain.
A national consensus around what RE should include was found in 2013 when the Religious Education Council (REC) of England and Wales published a subject framework for the teaching of RE in schools, with the support of England and Wale’s main RE professional organisations and religion and belief groups. A 2009 poll YouGov poll commissioned by Accord found that 75% of people agreed with the statement that ‘all state funded schools should teach an objective and balanced syllabus for education about a wide range of religious and non-religious beliefs’, compared to only 8% disagreeing.
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The ‘RE for REal’ report by the Faiths and Civil Society Unit at Goldsmith, University of London, can be found at http://www.gold.ac.uk/faithsunit/reforreal/.
