Is RE compulsory

Overthemill - I have a feeling that OFSTED used to have to comment on it in the inspection reports, and then more schools used to comply with the rules. And then OFSTED no longer had to comment on it, and so schools started flouting the rules. This got worse when the English Bacc was introduced and RE was not on it.

However, I'm pulling that out of the depths of my haggled brain, and so could be quite wrong on that one .

Lecherslady that's interesting. Surely OFSTED check up on it in an inspection so schools must have it timetabled surely?

Sadly, that really does not surprise me. I'm on a number of RE teacher forums / groups and have seen a lot of RE teachers discussing this over the past few years, as schools have been trying to minimise RE teaching more and more.

Just read an article...have no idea how I link to it ....that says that in 2012 33% of schools were not adhering to their legal commitments regarding religious education provision at key stage 4

It is one of the most flouted of the education laws but as I and lecher have said it is compulsory for schools to provide RE (or whatever it is called within the school) up to and including KS4.

There is no obligation to provide GCSE RE or the short course but there must be a timetabled session for RE, whether a weekly lesson or an enrichment day per term for example.

Parents, as with SRE, are entitled to withdraw their children from these sessions and teachers can withdraw from teaching it but it must be provided.

I think masses of schools must be flouting this law...I don't believe that my children's school is the only one in the country!!

They have to offer it but you don't have to take it. It can be covered in Humanities.

Talkinpeace- sorry you are wrong. I am a RE teacher and have guided many parents on the legalities of RE provision.

Please refer to the government documents I used earlier which clearly state the provision of RE is a legal requirement.

If at KS4, students choose not to take RE as a GCSE, then the maintained school has still got an obligation to provide some form of RE, whether through a non examined course or through collapsed timetable days, or via another course. But it has still got to be done (although in reality lots of schools do flout this law).

Parents still have the right to withdraw from this too.

Talkin if schools are attaching the opt out form to their options form that is not allowed, as the link you posted confirms, parents must make the initial approach to the school re. opting out, it should not be something which is effectively suggested by the school and if RE is not a core GCSE requirement it should not only be taught in GCSE lessons as it is then not being provided to all pupils.

I thought they still had to provide it to those not taking it as an option - but only in minimal, minimal doses, and not necessarily even on the timetable: I know of some schools who do random 'off-timetable days' where they cover much of the PSCHE/RE stuff for a whole day, disguised in various ways. Sometimes external groups come in to work with different year groups or make presentations or lead activities. That seems to count for provision for those not doing a timetabled GCSE course in either of them.

That's right Talkinpeace the government doesnt say gcse RE is compulsory BUT many schools decide that if they have to teach it and the kids sit there, they might as well do a gcse.
NOBOdY on this thread has said gcse RE is compulsory . Pay attention

lecher
Please read my multiple, multiple posts on this subject.

At many, many schools RE is one of the GCSE options.
Those who want to take it, take it
Those who do not want to take it take other subjects

Long before Gove
totally legal

Talkingpeace "RE IS NOT COMPULSORY

FFS how many times in one week do I have to post the links."

Yes it is.

It is compulsory / there is a legal entitlement for schools to provide Religious Education. This is stated in the 1944 education act and reinforced in the 1988 education act. The government non stat guidance on RE from 2010 also states:

"The legal basis of RE in the curriculum of maintained schools
Every maintained school in England must provide a basic curriculum (RE, sex education and the National Curriculum). This includes provision for RE for all registered pupils at the school (including those in the sixth form), except for those withdrawn by their parents (or withdrawing themselves if they are aged 18 or over) in accordance with Schedule 19 to the School Standards and Framework Act 1998."

This covers all type of schools including academies and free schools as the 2013 Religious Education Council report states:

"RE is a statutory subject of the school curriculum of maintained schools. Academies and free schools are contractually required through the terms of their funding to make provision for the teaching of RE to all pupils on the school roll."

Now RE is part of the basic curriculum (but has never been part of the national curriculum). There is guidance given as to how much RE should be taught in schools (5% of curriculum time at KS4), but this does not have to be done on a weekly basis, and at KS4 does not have to be an examined course. Therefore, schools can opt to simply do a weekly non examined course in RE and that is legal. The school can also choose to combine RE with other subjects (such as part of a humanities course, or with PSHE) or it could do this through special off timetable days whereby students do not follow their timetable for the day, but instead follow a Religious Education programme for the day. This would all fulfil the legal obligation. The 2010 OFSTED document transforming Religious Education notes that:

"27. Non-accredited courses took a variety of forms. In some schools, for example, RE formed part of a carousel of units, together with personal, social, health, and economic education and citizenship. In other schools, the normal timetable would be suspended from time to time and a whole day devoted to considering aspects of religion and belief. These days were particularly successful when they were led by a team of teachers, who were committed to using high quality resources, a variety of media sources and outside speakers to engage students in lively discussion."

However, over the past few years, various changes (such as the non inclusion of RE in the EBACC) has meant that curriculum time given to RE has been squeezed and lots of schools are no longer fulfilling their legal obligation. There are lots of reports about this.

Of course, parents have the right to withdraw their children from RE, and this is enshrined in law and has been since 1944.

So, to get back to the OP.

If the school is not providing any form of RE at KS4, then it is breaking its legal obligation. However, before you complain I would check that it is not fulfilling that requirement through another course or through special RE days.

Collective Worship is something completely different, and cannot form the basis of RE.

Talkinpeace, this is what the government department responsible for education states in guide for parents. Please read it and internalise:

Religious education
Schools have to teach RE but parents can withdraw their children for all or part of the lessons. Pupils can choose to withdraw themselves once they’re 18.

Local councils are responsible for deciding the RE syllabus, but faith schools and academies can set their own.

I went to private school : we did it up until GCE then dropped it unless wanting to do the O level
nobody did it at A level that I remember

errol-

I certainly didn't do RE during my O levels and my eldest doesn't now, so it probably is/was ignored

Was RE ever compulsory for the 6th form?(given that at the time of the act, the majority of pupils left school at 16). Certainly didn't do any back in the 70s (come to think, I don't remember doing any during my O-level years either .... pre-Ofsted probably a lot more schools ignored what was already an old law)

It's compulsory for the school to provide it; it's not compulsory for each child to do it. In the context of the OP's query the former seems to be the issue.

It's unlikely that the school doesn't have some sort of policy on this. The OP should perhaps just ask what it is.

RE is not compulsory at my children's school from year 10

It is not covered in the PDL class

I know of other schools where it is compulsory

6th form RE is no longer compulsory in any state school

I thought pupils could withdraw themselves at 16. I refused to attend bible study in 6th form and the school changed me to social studies instead, without very much fuss from them - which at the time I was quite surprised by.

RE IS NOT COMPULSORY

FFS how many times in one week do I have to post the links.
Its nothing to do with Academies or any of that shite

Parents can opt kids out of RE at any time
but schools generally do not encourage it UNTIL GCSE
when some schools add the opt out form to the options form to make RE effectively optional

completely legal, always has been

Studying RE is compulsory at state schools but other schools eg the evil academies can opt out of the national curriculum. Some schools force those kids who don't choose RE as a humanities gcse to do a 'half' gcse in it as they feel it's a waste if teaching time to not do so. All pupils can opt out (parents for under 18s) if they do not wish to study it so fit religious/atheism reasons.

Assemblies/collective worship do not, and should not, be classed as the provision for RE. All pupils should have a timetabled session of RE that follows the locally agreed syllabus or Trust equivalent for VA/Free schools.