Statement from the RE Council on University of Oxford’s Press Release

Statement from the RE Council in relation to the University of Oxford’s press release on the teaching of Christianity in RE.

John Keast OBE, Chair of the Religious Education Council of England and Wales, says:

“The RE Council welcomes this project. For several years inspection reports have shown that the teaching of Christianity, which is a key part of the RE curriculum in our schools, is too weak. With the almost total withdrawal of government support for RE and with collapsing arrangements for local support for RE, it is good to see a major university project, sponsored by charitable trusts, providing a positive way forward in this area. Research and training are key to improving the teaching of all aspects of RE, but with opportunities for teachers of RE to access good quality training now being so cut back, this initiative is a welcome step forward.”