Religious education (RE) is a statutory part of the basic school curriculum. Schools must teach RE according to locally agreed syllabuses or in the case of voluntary aided schools with a religious character, according to the trust deed of the school. Local Standing Advisory Councils for RE (SACREs) have the responsibility to ensure that local syllabuses develop pupils’ knowledge, understanding and awareness of Christianity and the major religions represented in the country and reflect the values and traditions of the community. RE encourages respect for those holding different beliefs and helps promote pupils’ moral, cultural and spiritual development.
In 2004, the Department with the QCA published a non-statutory framework for RE which has been supported by all the main faith groups and the British Humanist Association. It says that pupils should learn about Christianity throughout each key stage and, by the end of Key Stage 3, pupils should have encountered the other five principal religions (Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism and Sikhism) in sufficient depth. It also recommends that pupils have opportunities to study other religious traditions such as the Baha’i faith, Jainism, Zoroastrianism and secular philosophies such as humanism.