by Obianuju Mbah, Christian Today
An independent review into the national curriculum for schools has highlighted the urgent need for standardised religious education (RE) across the country and greater subject specialism to ensure “mastery in the subject”.
The National Association of Teachers of Religious Education (NATRE) and the Religious Education Council of England and Wales (REC) have expressed their support for the findings, viewing them as a step towards ensuring high-quality RE for all students.
In particular, NATRE, which represents RE teachers at primary, secondary and tertiary levels across the country, was pleased to see that evidence presented in their own submission was acknowledged in the review.
Their evidence highlighted significant gaps in both the “quality and availability of RE across the country”.
Accordingly, these irregularities are negatively affecting students’ ability to “navigate an increasingly diverse society” around them, the educational bodies argued.
Both NATRE and REC were encouraged by the report’s recognition of high-quality RE as essential to social cohesion, civic development, and helping students to “broaden their horizons” by understanding different perspectives.