Does your school include non-religious world views in RE teaching?

[hamburgercheeseburger]

On the back of this other thread I'm wondering to what extent schools include teaching about Humanism, Buddhism, and other non-religious world views in RE?

My DCs aren't taught about it at their CE primary (although there are many children from non-religious family backgrounds who go there). I'm assuming most community schools include it.

Head of RE at a large secondary school here!

We do Buddhism, Greek mythology and animism as part of our ks3 curriculum.

"I don't agree with that definition ... what about agnostics"

I should have said atheist or agnostic. The definition of Humanism that I linked to includes agnostics.

"that's actually even more than I'd imagined"

So you pick a selection of the most common, including the non-religious ones. It's intended to be inclusive, not exhaustive.

Humanists are atheists- but not all atheists are humanists.

Yes Hakluyt, that's why it says non-religious world views such as Humanism - it is a prominent example, but not the only one. Buddhism is another non-religious world view that is commonly mentioned.

...right, I think we're talking at cross-purposes here then, as that us what most schools will already do (and I will concede they need to make sure non-religious views are included). You'd said some schools manage it, and I questioned whether there was time for an in-depth look at 6 religions + humanism. I still don't think there is, and you're heading into a quantity not quality situation here.

Loads of schools already teach Buddhism, I doubt the Humanist Society would be happy if they counted that instead of Humanism!

"as that us what most schools will already do"

Well it's what they're meant to do if they're following the National Framework. But apparently not in Birmingham.

"not all atheists are humanists"

Many atheists are humanists but don't realise it, because they were never taught about humanism as a child. I didn't hear the word until I was well into adulthood.

"you're heading into a quantity not quality situation here"

I think it's reasonable to give kids a high level overview of the sheer quantity of religions and world views that are out there, to put the subject into context, while choosing a representative sample to study in depth.

Yep, you can do that. I'd use the latest census results for example, and maybe also a world map of religions. So again, I think we are suggesting the same thing.
Don't know about national framework, not in England.

Well my dc attend school in Birmingham, and - I've just asked my yr10 dd - yes, they do study all those, as pictures and tiggy said on p1.

Yes, many atheists are humanists without realising it. But atheism isn't a world view. Humanism is.

But I think I am derailing. Sorry.

"But atheism isn't a world view. Humanism is"

Nobody said it was. However, it's correct to say that Humanism is an atheistic World View.

"But I think I am derailing"

No, just correcting unnecessarily :-)

"Buddhism is recognised as one of the major world religions so is definitely a religion"

There's lots of debate online about whether its a religion or a philosophy, as it's atheistic.

Hamburger you seem rather adversarial in your posts, can I offer you some ?

Adversarial? No. Hence the smiley.

Maybe slightly rattled because England just lost to Uruguay.

Well pardon me, as they say, for breathing!

Sorry Hakluyt, it was meant lightheartedly.