The Education Reform Act 1988 sets out as the central aim for the school curriculum that it should promote the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of pupils and of society, and prepare pupils for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of adult life. (DfEE, 1994, Page 9)
The purpose of Religious Education is to provide children with an understanding of the main World Faiths, in accordance with other religiously associated attributions such as spirituality, to be integrated into their everyday lives. The application of the required one hour per week of Religious Education should provide individuals with a broad range of experiences which allow them to develop their understanding of themselves and the world in which they live. The status of Religious Education has been confirmed as remaining unaffected by the National Literacy Strategy. Religious Education remains a part of the Basic Curriculum and has an equal standing in relation to the core and foundation subjects within a school’s curriculum. However, Religious Education is not subject to nationally prescribed attainment targets and assessment procedures – it is for an agreed syllabus to recommend the locally prescribed procedures for the Local Education Authority (LEA) on these matters.
Each LEA had to produce a syllabus for this fundamental subject area via a selection of representatives, including teachers, members of the Church of England and other denominations of Christianity and world religions that are present in the area. The basic curriculum compiled by West Sussex County Council defines the aim of RE as being to provide children with the opportunities to;
- Develop their knowledge and understanding of Christianity and other religions, the nature of religious beliefs, practices and their influence on the lives of believers.
- Explore and respond to those aspects of human experiences which give rise to spiritual awareness and fundamental issues about beliefs and values.
(West Sussex County Council, Education Department, 1998, Page 9).
One of the most prominent influences on how religion, and hence Religious Education, is viewed and understood comes from the work on the dimensions of religion by Ninian Smart. His studies promote the idea that religions consist of a variety of elements. These various dimensions should be observed when considering the different perspectives from which children should be given experiences. He defines religion as being categorised by the following seven dimensions;
- The ritual or practical dimension
- The doctrinal or philosophical dimension
- The mythic or narrative dimension
- The experimental or emotional dimension
- The ethical or legal dimension
- The organisational or social component
- The material or artistic dimension
(Taken from Smart, N. 1997, Pages 10-11).
The dimension with the most relevance to the purpose of this study is the third category discussing narrative aspects within religions. Smart states that ‘every religion has its stories’, (1997, Page 10). He extends his proposition of the dimension of myths, page and narratives as being associated with history, a relationship which provides a strong component in supporting a sense of identity as a nation. He also suggests how pride in ancestral activity is apparent within this dimension. Through a varied use of a religious syllabus, opportunities to experience pride and other beneficial narrative associated experiences through religious texts can be achieved for children of all faiths. Stories create the basis for all beliefs through the medium of holy books and myths passed through the generations. They provide opportunities to share the essence of peoples’ beliefs in an accessible manner for children to understand.
When combining this dimension with the remaining six, a broader scope for Religious Education is created. The dimensions highlight the wide range of experiences that are open to children. In relation to a social context, religion is able to develop individual’s social awareness and acceptance. Smart describes this as the ‘organisational or social component’, (1997, Page 11). To enable children to gain a deeper insight into religions which differ from their own, this dimension needs to be considered in coalition with aspects such as ethics and legalities. These legalities are not restricted to the laws of the land, but more on a basis of respect for laws within belief systems. Religious education provides opportunities to discuss and study traditions and moral guidance depicted within individual faiths. These allow children to broaden their understanding, and thus acceptance, of cultures surrounding them that may contain new concepts. It also provides the chance to develop individuals’ understanding of their own culture and faith in relation to their role in society. Religious Education is the only subject that celebrates differences rather than segregating issues in a closed manner.
The Agreed Syllabuses for the individual counties within this country contain a range of Religious Education requirements which children are entitled to be taught. Popular methods include teaching the contents of the syllabuses through story, artefacts, television, visits to places of worship, visitors from members of the faith community and drama. This diverse scope of teaching methods, in alliance with the curriculum criteria, provides children with many varied opportunities to develop their religious understanding.
The aims of the syllabuses are clear. Children are entitled to receive opportunities for a range of religious experiences in the school environment. These may include celebrations and ceremonies, communities and lifestyles, beliefs and values, sources of authority, searches for meaning and expressions of meaning (need to check West Sussex Syllabus.)
These strand titles vary across the country, but all syllabuses contain almost identical intentions for the experiences and opportunities that children should be given, based on the model syllabus guidelines. The range of strand titles represents the diversity of this subject. Each area develops understanding within different aspects of religion, and the use of teaching methods stated in the previous paragraph allow for the various concepts and beliefs to be shared in motivating environments.
These concepts and beliefs outlined within the syllabuses remain with the emphasis of Religious Education based around Christianity. The Education Reform Act of 1988 states that Religious Education should be ‘wholly or mainly of a broadly Christian character’, (HMSO, 1988, Page 84.2). However, attributions from all world faiths must be represented in the teaching of this subject. This is a vast development from the purposes of Religious Instruction where the main intention was to promote Christianity for children as the only true religion. This attitude has altered dramatically in keeping with our present society alongside social and religious attitudes. This Act is strongly related to its’ predecessor of 1944;
In general, the Education Reform Act continues the religious settlement of the 1944 Reform Act but introduces some helpful clarifications and modifications. The Education Reform Act introduces the notion of ‘basic’ curriculum which is the entitlement of all pupils and will be provided in all schools.
(Bastide, D, 1992, Page 13).
This notion represents how certain attitudes have altered in accordance with the majority opinion within our society. It reflects the history of the country as different cultures are integrated to form a new multi-cultural society.
Religious Education has progressed significantly throughout the century, with predominant influences from the Education Acts of 1944 and 1988. These alterations highlight the developing importance of this subject as a means of providing children with opportunities to gain both knowledge and understanding about the main world faiths. To merely supply children with facts is unsatisfactory. The changes in law, strongly influenced by changes in society, reflect the essence of this fundamental subject area. Religious Education is a diverse curriculum area that has the aim of broadening children’s understanding about the cultures that make up their society.
