New research published today reflects
public endorsement for high quality Religious Education (RE) in our
schools. Good quality RE is widely
understood to be at risk of being squeezed out of the curriculum despite it
being highly valued. This new research
shows over half (53%) of all adults in England and Wales who gave an opinion
say RE should remain a compulsory subject. 58% agreed it is beneficial for all
pupils to participate in RE lessons. This rose to a majority (63%) among 18-24
year olds.
Today's research on attitudes to RE was conducted
by YouGov on behalf of the Religious Education Council of England and Wales
(REC) and results are announced as MPs prepare to attend the first meeting of
the All Party Parliamentary Group on RE.
The views of all those who expressed an opinion on RE are:
- Over half (53%) of all adults in England and Wales
think that RE should remain a compulsory subject in state funded schools
- 58% think it is beneficial for pupils to study RE
- The above two percentages rise to 63% in each case
among 18-24 year olds
- 1 in 2 adults think RE provides a valuable space in the
school day where young people can learn about all religious and
non-religious beliefs
With religious and non-religious
diversity increasing, these figures reflect the value adults attach to young
people being able to articulate their own beliefs, as well as engaging with,
respecting and understanding others. 50%
of those who gave an opinion said RE was an essential component of a
multi-faith society, as it promotes mutual respect, tolerance and
understanding. This rose to over half
among 18-24 year olds (52%) and 25-34 year olds (56%). In contrast, only 9% said they thought it was
‘harmful' for pupils to study RE and only 13% thought it should not be taught
in schools at all.
Higher
support among younger adults
RE has been on the curriculum since 1944 and in that time has changed
from Biblical study to include world religions and non-religious
worldviews. For children and young
people, RE is an important opportunity in the school day when they are taught
to recognise and respond to the challenges of growing up in a diverse,
multi-cultural society. The research uncovered especially positive views of RE
from those with most recent experience of school:
- Of those with an opinion, 60% of full
time students agree RE is essential to a multi-faith society (a rise on
50% of all adults)
- 65% of full time students agree that it
is beneficial for pupils to study RE (a rise on 58%
of all adults)
In response to the survey and its findings John Keast, chair of the REC said:
"RE is a core part of the education system and we and our member
bodies are committed to offering all the support we can muster to help schools
deliver high value RE. Our ambition is to promote widespread
understanding of how academically rigorous and personally inspiring good RE can
be and how it equips young
people to appreciate a range of religious and non-religious beliefs in our
world. It's positive to see such a
strong belief in the importance of the subject among the public.
"As part of the REC's on-going commitment to
ensure RE teaching keeps up with proposed changes to the National Curriculum,
we are working on a revised subject framework for RE. We
look forward to now working with MPs in the newly-formed All Party
Parliamentary Group on RE, informed by this new and encouraging research."
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ends -
For further media information:
Colin Hallmark / Harriet Johnson,
3:nine Communications
Tel: 0207 736
1888; 07745 914170; email:
Notes to Editors
- Established
in 1973, the Religious Education Council of England and Wales (REC) brings
together some fifty national organisations. These comprise academic and
professional associations specialising in religions and religious
education, as well as the individual religion and belief organisations
inclusive of the range of faith communities found nationally, including
the British Humanist Association.
The REC's shared priority is to strengthen the quality of provision
for the subject throughout the educational system.
- The REC is
a national organisation that represents a wide range of faiths and beliefs
and members include the Church of
England, the Catholic Church, the Free Churches, the Buddhist, Hindu,
Jewish, Muslim, Sikh, Jain, Zoroastrian and Bahá'í faiths, the British
Humanist Association and professional teaching associations.
- All
figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total
sample size was 1825 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 9th - 12th March 2012. The
survey was carried out online. The
figures have been weighted and are representative of all English and Welsh
adults (aged 18+).
- The All Party
Parliamentary Group on Religious Education is chaired by Eastbourne and
Willingdon MP Stephen Lloyd with its secretariat provided by the REC. The group will be formalised at an AGM
and reception on 11 June 2012. For a media pass to this event please
contact
or call 0207 736
1888.
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