The government has confirmed that religious education is to become part of the national curriculum and will launch a public consultation on its content in the autumn.
Although RE is compulsory in state schools for children from 5 to 18, it has never enjoyed the status of a national curriculum subject.
Up to now, syllabi have been determined at local authority level but the subject’s inclusion in the national curriculum will enable consistency across the country.
Welcoming its forthcoming inclusion, Board of Deputies vice-president Jeremy Michaelson said, “Widespread religious literacy is important for social cohesion in the UK and good quality RE in schools plays a vital role in achieving this. We want to see every child taught to understand and respect difference, rather than let it divide us.”
The Association of Jewish Religious Education Professionals offered a “cautious” welcome but added “our support remains conditional”.
The framework for the subject “lacks sufficient detail to guarantee good practice,” the AJREP said. “We are also concerned by the limited emphasis on cultural literacy, the risk of politicisation, and the possibility of a rushed consensus during the Jewish High Holy Days, when Jewish RE specialists may be unable to engage fully.”
The AJREP has previously voiced concern over problems it has found in some local curricula, including omission of any mention of Israel in the Judaism content.
According to law, RE must reflect the status of Christianity as the main religion in the UK, while taking into account the country’s other “principal” religions.
But state-aided faith schools will remain free to determine the content of their own religious studies lessons.
The move to incorporate RE into the national curriculum follows the recommendations of an official review last year.
A task force charged with pursuing the possibility has since drawn up a draft RE national curriculum – but this will not be published until the government’s consultation.
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