CES statement on Religious Education being included in the National Curriculum

Paul Barber, Director of the Catholic Education Service, said: "We welcome the approach outlined in High-Quality Religious Education For Every Child to both include RE in the national curriculum while preserving long-standing arrangements for church schools which make up a third of the state sector.    

“The CES will of course participate in the forthcoming consultation in support of the inclusion of RE in the national curriculum, to help improve standards of non-denominational RE.  

“RE has long been compulsory in all schools, and in Catholic schools 10% of curriculum time is dedicated to it. This means alongside Catholic Christianity other religions like Judaism, Islam, Sikhism and non-religious world views are given more study time than in most non-denominational schools, contributing to community cohesion.”

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