Research report cover
"Today is significant for all who care about the matter of beliefs and values in the nation's life. Religious Education, the designated curriculum area with this focus in primary and secondary schools, is being strongly affirmed in three complementary ways: new government guidance on RE, research on teaching related resources, and a statement by the schools minister.
There is much here that warrants welcome across the entire RE community:
- from across the Christian churches
- from the range of other faith communities, and the traditions behind them, that enrich this country
- from those who affirm a common humanity, but not religious beliefs
- from those who teach and learn in schools, advisers and inspectors, teacher educators and trainers, and their specialist associations.
The challenge is highlighted of how to guarantee that the classroom experience of RE is of high quality for each child and young person in every school and academy."
Brian Gates
Chair, Religious Education Council of England and Wales
http://www.religiouseducationcouncil.org/
New Guidance for Religious Education
The final version of government guidance on RE in schools and academies is now available and can be downloaded from teachernet. It has been developed in partnership between the DCSF and member organisations of the RE Council.
http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/teachingandlearning/subjects/re/guidance
New Religious Education Primary programme of Learning
RE is expressly identied as a distinct area of learning with the new primary curriculum programme as published by the QCDA
http://curriculum.qcda.gov.uk/new-primary-curriculum/areas-of-learning/religious-education/index.aspx
Research Report on Resources for Teaching RE
This research by the Warwick Religions and Education Research Unit was commissioned by the DCSF as a key component of the RE Council's RE Action Plan
http://publications.dcsf.gov.uk/default.aspx?PageFunction=productdetails%26PageMode=publications%26ProductId=DCSF-RR197%26
Letter from Schools Minister
Diana Johnson has set out her public appreciation of the important of Religious Education as a fundamental component in the primary and secondary curriculum and her encouragement that the partnership between the DCSF and the RE Council should continue to pursue its strategic efforts to strengthen the quality of RE
http://www.religiouseducationcouncil.org/images/stories/pdf/letterschoolsminister.pdf
RE-Net has a whole page devoted to the research project based at Warwick - see below