the RE directory - Overview of Religious Education

An overview of Religious Education (2011)

These pages are designed to provide an overview of the legislation and guidance affecting RE provision for schools in the UK.

There are variations between the requirements for England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales and these need to be noted carefully. It is also important to distinguish between what are the statutory requirements for RE and what forms the non-statutory guidance.

The links below provide more information on all aspects of these:

Statutory Requirements for RE in England

Statutory Requirements for RE in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales

Non-statutory guidance on RE

In January 2010 the DCSF published new Guidance on Religious Education in English schools. This replaced the last major governmental guidance for RE (within Circular 1/94) and is an important document in the interpretation of current legislation and its application for all concerned with Religious Education.

The 2004 Non-Statutory National Framework for Religious Education continues to be influential in England and Wales. This document received a broad consensus of approval across the RE communities and has been used in the design of most subsequent agreed syllabuses.

The introduction by the UK government of the English Baccalaureate (EBacc) in 2010 has been seen as a serious challenge to the position of Religious Studies at GCSE and A/AS level.

The following documents provide further important background information on RE in the UK:

Key Reference Sources

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