Greater focus on non-religious beliefs in schools

Non-religious beliefs are set to feature more widely in Religious Education (RE) lessons in council-run schools in Rotherham.

Humanism, atheism and agnosticism are all included in a new five-year syllabus which sees increased references to non-religious views.

The syllabus being considered by councillors says RE should help pupils understand both religious and non-religious worldviews, and develop the ability to evaluate evidence, think critically and respond to different beliefs with respect.

A report to Rotherham Council said at the last census in 2021,105,820 Rotherham residents reported having no religion, compared with 130,150 who identified as Christian and 13,470 as Muslim.

The move sees Rotherham matching the same broadened RE strategy already adopted by councils in Barnsley, Sheffield and Doncaster.

During a review of the curriculum last year, councillors in Rotherham heard that census and Office for National Statistics data suggested non-religious worldviews were growing locally.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, they agreed to expand recognition of atheism, agnosticism and humanism and increase references to non-religious worldviews throughout the syllabus.

Details of that expansion have now been formalised in a report by Rotherham's Standing Advisory Council for Religious Education (SACRE).

It is a body made up of interested groups, faith and non-faith based, and recommends what is taught in schools on the subject.

The report being considered by councillors said RE "encourages pupils to develop their own well-reasoned viewpoints while learning to disagree respectfully, evaluate evidence, think critically and respond with imagination, empathy, and respect".

Tony Griffin, a humanist who was a member of SACRE in Rotherham for 10 years until recently, said he was keen on a curriculum that helped pupils develop rational thinking and to question beliefs rather than accept them at face value.

"I joined [SACRE] because I wanted to make sure they were teaching about religion, not teaching religion - that they weren't in any way evangelising or saying that these things are necessarily true."

Humanism is explicitly included in the minimum programme of study at Key Stage 2 in Rotherham's new policy, which the borough's community and voluntary-controlled schools must follow.

Schools are expected to devote about 5% of curriculum time to RE, roughly equivalent to an hour a week.

The locally agreed syllabus must be followed by Rotherham's community and voluntary-controlled schools.

While academies and free schools must provide RE lessons, they do not have to adopt the same policy.

Parents still have the legal right to withdraw their children from RE lessons in schools.

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