Government Plans to Include Religious Education in National Curriculum

Religious Education to Join National Curriculum Amid Broad Agreement

For the first time, Religious Education (RE) is set to become part of the national curriculum following a significant agreement among major stakeholders. This shift aims to standardize the subject across schools nationwide.

Historically, RE course content has been determined at a local level. However, under the newly proposed framework, schools will be required to adhere to a national curriculum while retaining the liberty to enhance it according to their unique approaches.

The primary goal of this initiative is twofold: to foster greater social unity and to eliminate the disparities in RE education that vary by region, often described as a “postcode lottery.”

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson emphasized the importance of RE, stating, “With so much focus on what divides us – and race and religion so often at the heart of that division – equipping young people with the knowledge, understanding and values that religious education teaches could hardly be more important.”

Despite its popularity at the GCSE level, there is a notable shortage of specialized RE teachers. Many educators currently teaching the subject have expertise in other fields and handle RE as an additional responsibility.

This situation has sparked concerns about inconsistent quality in RE instruction, with some regions treating it merely as a formal requirement rather than a substantive educational subject.

The inclusion of RE in the national curriculum has been positively received by organizations such as the National Association of Teachers of Religious Education (NATRE) and the RE Council.

Katie Freeman, Chair of NATRE, expressed approval for the inclusive process, stating, “We welcome this historic consensus and most importantly the collaboration and dialogue that has taken place amongst all involved in the process.”

She added, “Placing RE in the National Curriculum will put it on an equal footing with other subjects, end the ‘postcode lottery’ of provision and ensure all students receive access to high-quality RE.”

Similarly, Sarah Lane Cawte, Chair of the RE Council of England and Wales, praised the effort, noting, “the Secretary of State’s recognition of the unprecedented consensus across religious and non-religious communities, educators and professional bodies.”

Lane Cawte further explained, “A National Curriculum for RE will ensure every child, in every school, receives their entitlement to high quality religious education – in both religious and non-religious traditions – that is academically rigorous and personally inspiring.”