An Eccleston Theologist
As a Church of England Aided School, Religious Education is a very important part of our curriculum and it is highly valued by staff and pupils. Our curriculum is based upon the Diocese of Blackburn's resource of Questful RE.
The Legal Framework for Religious Education
Since 1944, all maintained schools have been required to teach Religious Education (RE) to all registered pupils. The National Curriculum (2013) reiterates that all state schools must teach Religious Education and publish their curriculum by subject and academic year online.
(National Curriculum Framework Sept.2013 Pg. 4)
Religious Education must ‘reflect the fact that the religious traditions in Great Britain are, in the main, Christian while taking account of the teaching and practices of the other principal religions represented in Great Britain’.
RE and the Right of Withdrawal
Parents may withdraw their children from RE lessons with the exception pupils of 18 years of age can withdraw themselves. Schools have a duty of care to supervise withdrawn pupils, but the law does say alternative arrangements can be made for RE based on the kind of Religious Education the parents want the pupil to receive. All schools should have an approach to provision and withdrawal stated in the school’s RE policy.
Additional useful guidance on the Right of Withdrawal can be found at https://www.natre.org.uk/uploads/Free%20Resources/18-15676_NAHT%20RE%20withdrawal%20document_final.pdf which has been written by NATRE and NAHT.
