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December 2022 - Education

Two-thirds of UK parents believe Religious Education  is an important part of the curriculum: A survey of the parents of school and college-aged children has revealed that the majority believe that the lessons their children learn in Religious Education classes are important, with just 15% saying they did not see the value. 

The survey which polled 2,000 parents was conducted by Savanta ComRes on behalf of the charity, Culham St Gabriel's Trust, which promotes a broad education in religion and world views. 

It found that women and parents aged between 18-34 were most likely to say that it was important to study RE. 

When those who said that RE was important were pressed for their reasons, the survey revealed that 'acceptance', 'history'  and 'understanding and empathy' were amongst the top answers given. 

Of the parents who did not see the benefit of teaching RE, concerns included that the subject should not be forced upon children and young people.

When asked about their personal religious beliefs, half of those surveyed said they teach their children a particular faith at home, with the majority of those surveyed reporting that they also engage in familial discussions about other faiths and values. 

Seven in 10 respondents said that they discuss other faiths and the practices of other religions as well as existential questions about life beyond death 'sometimes' or 'often'. 

The survey also found that more than three-quarters discuss beliefs and origins of life and the universe (78%), while 77% said they discuss beliefs that affect people's behaviour and decision making, and 72% discuss beliefs around what happens when we die. Two-thirds of the respondents polled also said they discuss issues related to religious and non-religious worldviews that appear in the media (67%). 

When asked about where their child is exposed to different worldviews and perspectives, school was the top answer (69%), with 65% agreeing with the approach taken by their child's RE teacher. 

The chief executive, Dr Kathryn Wright, said: “The research shows that a strong majority are supportive of the religion and world-views approach to RE — particularly the idea that every child has their own unique world-view. RE teachers are crucial in helping young people understand and explore these different world-views and ultimately find their place in modern Britain and the wider world.”

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