Possible green light for RE after all

There is a campaign among the RE community, to alert MPs to concerns about Religious Education. As the previous blog illustrates, there are well founded concerns that this government may be the administration that removes RE from the statutory curriculum.

However, there are chinks of light; it may be as a result of the many questions that MPs have been asking. Charlie Elphicke (Con, Dover) is one of the several Kent MPs who feel strongly about this issue. He has not only written to the Secretary of State, but has also spoken to him personally.

Whatever the reasons, two positive signs have recently manifested. The first is an acknowledgement by Michael Gove that RE will now be included as one of the subjects in the new English Baccalaureate, the second is the remit for the National Curriculum Review. The DfE paper says, " it is essential to distinguish between the National Curriculum and the wider school curriculum.  There are a number of important components of a broad and balanced school curriculum for which, as is currently the case, it would be inappropriate to prescribe national Programmes of Study.  This applies, for example, in the case of religious education (RE), where what is taught needs to reflect local circumstances.  Religious education will not, therefore, be considered as part of the review of the National Curriculum.  The Government does not intend to make any changes to the statutory basis for religious education.


This is very positive. There are still concerns about the regulation and monitoring of RE in Academies anmd Free Schools but it seems that, for the moment, RE is safe.