The RE Policy Unit Parliamentary Round round table, chaired by Father of the House, brought together pupils, parents and leading speakers in the area of religious education and interested parliamentarians to discuss the continued value that RE brings to children and young people across England, despite a chronic lack of funding or support from the Government.
Recent survey data has shown that:
- Nearly two thirds (64%) of the UK adult population think that an education in religion and worldviews (or RE) is an important part of the school curriculum today
- A further 65% agree that the subject has an impact on people’s ability to understand each other in wider society.
Despite this clear expression of value by the UK public:
- No government money has been spent on projects specifically designed to support RE in the last five years.
- The Department of Education has missed its recruitment target for secondary RE teachers in 9 of the last 10 years.
- In 2020 – 21 the Department of Education has failed to include RE in the list of subjects attracting Initial Teacher Training (ITT) Bursaries giving trainee teachers for RE no financial support