Watchdog calls for RE shake-up
Religious education is especially important in today's current climate
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Sunday, 17, Jun 2007 12:01
Religious education in Britain's schools needs more standardisation to tackle regional imbalances in quality, UK education watchdog Ofsted has said.
A report published today on RE in secondary schools finds that the government's 2004 guidelines are failing to raise standards or "promote greater consistency of vision" in the subject.
It says while RE teaching is widely satisfactory it is only rarely exceptional and pupils' achievements are inconsistently classed as good or better.
Pupils are encouraged to develop "mechanistic" answers to pass exams when they should be exploring the important issues at hand, Ofsted director of education Miriam Rosen argues.
"Recent world events, the rise of more fundamentalist forms of religion, the growth of faith schools and the debate about the relationship between religion and British identity have given a new impetus and urgency to RE," she said.
Although the subject has seen improved exam results in the six years to 2006 and leadership and management have improved, Ms Rosen says poor planning and assessment techniques are to blame for the current weaknesses.
"The improvements in RE over the last few years are to be welcomed but more needs to be done if the subject is to develop in students a more profound understanding of the significance of religious commitment and diversity and its impact on society," she added.
A spokesperson from the Department for Education and Skills was unavailable for comment prior to the report's publication.
RE currently stands outside the national curriculum, the centrally prescribed framework which lays down rules on the content, assessment and goals for attainment of pupils studying in England.