Specific curriculum and inspection arrangements for RE in different types of school

Type of school

RE Curriculum provision

Inspection of RE
Community, foundation and voluntary-aided or voluntary-controlled schools without a religious character Local agreed syllabus adopted by the local authority by which the school is maintained; for all pupils (including 6th form) except for those withdrawn by parents / themselves if aged over 18 Ofsted
Foundation and voluntary-controlled schools (VC) with a religious foundation Usually the local agreed syllabus (as above) Arranged by governors / foundation governors
Voluntary-aided schools with a religious character Usually determined by governors in accordance with the trust deed or the religion / denomination in the designating order of the school (e.g. a Church of England VA school will follow the 'diocesan syllabus') As above

Academies and Free Schools:

  • without a religious character
  • denominational (e.g. Church of England, Roman Catholic, Muslim, Jewish)
  • non-denominational, faith (e.g. Christian)

According to the DfE Model Funding Agreements for academies and free schools,

Either:
RE is to be provided in accordance with the requirements for agreed syllabuses;


or:
Where the Academy or Free School is designated as a school with a religious character provision shall be made for all pupils to be taught RE in accordance with the tenets of the specified religion or religious denomination

 Academies / Free Schools without a religious character: Ofsted.

Academies / Free Schools with a religious character: arranged by the Academy Trust/ controlling body as if it were a foundation or voluntary school which has been designated as having a religious character
Special Schools Provide RE for all pupils as far as practicable, according to the status of the school Ofsted
Nursery Schools The curriculum for a maintained nursery school does not have to include RE, but should 'promote the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of pupils' (EA 2002). The nursery school curriculum is part of the Foundation Stage, currently under review n/a
City Technology Colleges Independent, but as a condition of their grant, provision for RE is expected to be broadly in line with the local agreed syllabus Ofsted
Independent / Private Schools Determine their own RE provision Arranged by governors / controlling body