Almost seven in ten parents believe Religious Education is an important part of their child’s education, a survey has revealed.
Parents who value the role of RE reported that beliefs taught in school were subsequently discussed at home and helped to shape their child’s values.
The survey of 2,000 parents with school age children was conducted by Savanta ComRes for Culham St Gabriel’s Trust.
Beliefs and behaviour
According to the survey, two thirds (67 per cent) of UK parents say “what their child learns in RE lessons is important”, with just 15 per cent saying “they didn’t see any value in teaching religious education”.
The survey also found that “religious and philosophical themes are a major talking point at home between parents and their children”.
Around 8 in 10 reported discussing beliefs about the origins of life and the universe at home, with a similar ratio discussing beliefs affecting behaviour and decision making.
Based on qualitative responses, the report said that parents who saw RE as important “praised its ability to teach values of respect and acceptance” and “positively impact the morality and values of children”.
Inadequate
In November, MPs backed a move to ensure state schools in England uphold the legal requirement to teach Religious Education (RE), which, in most cases, must be Christian-focused.
Leading a Westminster Hall debate on the issue, MP Martin Vickers highlighted a briefing from The Christian Institute, and drew attention to the National Association of Teachers of RE’s report on the Department for Education’s 2021 school workforce census.
The census revealed that one in five schools did not teach the subject of RE at all in year eleven, despite being required by law to do so. An average of ten per cent of schools gave no time to RE in years seven, eight and nine.
In response, a Government minister stated: “I should be clear that all mainstream, state-funded schools are required to teach RE. Schools that are not teaching RE are acting unlawfully or are in breach of their funding agreement.”
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