Radical reform of “Religion, Values and Ethics” in Welsh schools

In a guest post, Professor Russell Sandberg looks at the Welsh Government’s proposals for the teaching of religion in schools.

A new Consultation Paper from the Welsh Government, Legislative proposals for religion, values and ethics, proposes further changes to the teaching of religion in Welsh schools – including significant legislative changes that will explicitly include the teaching of non-religious beliefs, transform the status and importance of locally agreed syllabi and require faith schools, potentially, to provide two different forms of religious education.

Background

It was already clear that teaching about religion in Welsh schools is about to be transformed.  It has already been stated that Religious Education will be renamed Religion, Values and Ethics (RVE), that the right to parental opt-out will be removed and that it will be a mandatory part of the new Curriculum for Wales, sitting within the Humanities Area of Learning and Experience. Continue reading