Religious Education is outdated, unpopular and opens the door to proselytising.
There are many more subjects children and young people need to learn.
It's time to replace RE with something more appropriate for 21st century students.
It is important for children and young people to learn about different religions and beliefs. But we don't think our schools need a dedicated subject to do this – especially a subject as out-of-date and as irrelevant as Religious Education (RE).
Surveys consistently show RE is one of the least popular school subjects, an indication of its increasing irrelevance.
58% of British adults think religious studies is unimportant at secondary schools. And a quarter of England's secondary schools do not offer RE.
Unlike any other compulsory subject, RE is determined at a local level in England. In each local authority the agreed syllabus for RE is determined by committees representing the Church of England and other religion and belief groups, as well as the local authority and teacher's groups.
As a result, schools not only face a local lottery regarding what their RE syllabus will contain; they will have to teach a subject under significant control from religious interest groups. These groups are strongly motivated to ensure their religion is represented in an overwhelmingly positive light. The current arrangements mean the subject lacks objectivity.
Many faith schools don't even need to follow the locally agreed syllabus and can instead teach religion from their own exclusive viewpoint.
A new nationally-determined civics and citizenship subject could encompass teaching about religious and nonreligious worldviews and allow students to consider moral and ethical issues. Religion and belief could also be explored in other relevant areas of the curriculum.
In Wales, RE has recently been replaced with Religions, Values and Ethics (RVE). While we welcome this broader and more inclusive subject, problems remain regarding the influence of religious groups and exceptions allowing faith schools to teach confessional RE.
We need a reformed subject to ensure education about religion and belief is broad, balanced and proportionate.
We've created a series of resources – Exploring Secularism – for anyone wishing to explore issues of religion, belief, ethics, and worldviews in schools. The resources aim to provide teachers with the material they need to engage with secularism in an informed way.
As British society considers how to respond to greater religious diversity and growing irreligiosity, it is become increasingly important for children and young people to develop their understanding of the interaction between religion, society, and politics. The study of secularism explores this interaction, together with questions about how we balance freedom of, and from, religion with other rights.
Take action!
1. Write to your MP
Support our campaign to ensure every pupil has the same entitlement to high quality, non-partisan education about religious and non-religious worldviews.
2. Share your story
Tell us why you support this campaign, and how you are personally affected by the issue. You can also let us know if you would like assistance with a particular issue.
3. Join us
Become a member of the National Secular Society today! Together, we can separate religion and state for greater freedom and fairness.
Latest updates
Catholic school heads oppose pluralistic religious education plans
Posted: Wed, 24 Jun 2020 15:27
The heads of all 84 state funded Catholic schools in Wales have written to the Welsh government to oppose plans to make education about religion and belief more pluralistic and balanced.
In a letter to the first minister Mark Drakeford the heads have said government plans for reform "strike at the very identity of Catholic schools".
The letter has the support of the Catholic Education Service, which represents Catholic schools in Wales.
The National Secular Society has said the letter "betrays a strong sense of entitlement" and is planning to write to ministers in response.
Proposed changes
The Welsh government plans to replace religious education with religion, values and ethics (RVE) as it introduces a new curriculum.
Faith schools will still be allowed to teach RVE from a faith-based perspective, although they will be required to offer a non-denominational RVE syllabus where parents request it.
Ministers considered requiring all schools to teach this syllabus, but decided not to do so because of the "implications for schools of religious character".
The plans would also retain SACREs – bodies which determine RE syllabuses locally. The NSS campaigns to abolish SACREs.
NSS response
NSS head of education Alastair Lichten said: "The Welsh government's proposals for reform are very qualified. The perceived need to appease faith groups has created substantial, needless complexity and left the subject area in the hands of special interests.
"The solution should be to introduce an impartial and critically informed religion and belief curriculum for all.
"But those who run faith schools appear determined to defend their own control over this subject area. Their response betrays a strong sense of entitlement and shows how strongly they're attached to an outdated confessional approach to religious education."
You can find out more about the Welsh government's plans, how they should be improved and how you can help us make the case on our dedicated campaign page.
Welsh faith schools will have to offer reformed syllabus on religion
Posted: Tue, 5 May 2020 16:06
Faith schools in Wales will be required to offer a non-denominational religion, values and ethics (RVE) syllabus where parents request it under proposals outlined today.
Under Welsh government plans faith schools will be allowed to continue to teach RVE from a religious perspective but will also be required to offer a more impartial alternative.
The proposals would amend ministers' plans to remove the parental right to withdraw children from religious education, which were outlined in January.
Parents will be able to opt for the non-denominational syllabus but will not be allowed to withdraw their children.
Meanwhile non-faith schools will no longer have to offer a faith-based syllabus when parents request it.
The National Secular Society has lobbied the Welsh government throughout the process of drawing up the new syllabus.
The NSS has urged ministers, including education minister Kirsty Williams, not to remove the right to withdraw from education about religion until it is suitably reformed.
Ministers considered more fundamental reform
In a consultation document outlining its plans, the Welsh government has made clear that it considered imposing a new obligation on all schools to teach RE in a pluralistic manner.
But it added that it was "not proposing to pursue this option because it would have significant implications for schools of religious character".
NSS reaction
NSS chief executive Stephen Evans said the latest plans represented a welcome acknowledgement of human rights concerns but created significant and needless complexity.
"The Welsh government has rightly recognised that removing the right of withdrawal from religious education will have human rights implications unless the subject is substantially reformed, particularly in faith schools.
"But its solution raises serious questions about the practicality of faith schools running two different syllabuses. It leaves the subject area in the hands of special interest groups and falls short of ensuring all pupils have equal access to an objective and pluralistic education about religion and belief.
"This is also a reminder that state sponsorship of faith schools obstructs efforts to introduce suitable reforms to RE and make education about religion and belief credible."
Reiteration of previous plans
The document also reiterates plans which had previously been outlined, including:
- A decision to change the name of religious education to religion, values and ethics.
- A plan to retain SACREs – bodies which determine RE syllabuses locally – but attempt to make them more inclusive by including Humanist representatives. The NSS campaigns for the abolition of SACREs so all children are entitled to an impartial religion and belief curriculum.
- A requirement that RVE syllabuses include non-religious worldviews.
The NSS is encouraging supporters in Wales to respond to the consultation, which closes on 28 July.
