Do we need a new focus on a curriculum for community cohesion?

NATRE have published the latest set of DfE data today that demonstrates the level of provision for RE in secondary schools England.

This data is provided by schools to the DfE each November as part of the school census. In this census, 82% schools provided curriculum information.

It will come as no surprise to RE teachers that this evidence suggests that a significant number of schools are failing to provide pupils with their statutory entitlement to RE, especially in year 11.

Scenes of so many young people involved in riots on our streets in recent weeks are prompting some difficult questions in government, communities, schools and families. Many of us are asking whether, the neglect of our subject and of community cohesion initiatives over the last 14 years, has limited the resilience of young people to messages of faith hate that have been so prominent in these events.

Obviously, high quality RE is one of the areas of the taught curriculum and the work of schools more broadly, that can contribute to the statutory duty to promote community cohesion. However, we know how important knowledge and understanding of religion and belief is to combating bigotry. We know that subject specific professional development for those delivering RE, is key to RE realising its potential. We also know that the face to face encounters between people with different religious and non religious worldviews, provided through classroom visitors and visits to places of interest in RE, can change attitudes to difference.

This being the case, schools in this sample who are either not providing RE or providing tokenistic provision that lacks the breadth and depth characteristic of high quality RE, need to rethink their approach and the government needs to take the steps needed to help them do so.

Access NATRE School Workforce Report 2024 here.