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Advice For Schools
The importance of religious education (re) in a school’s curriculum, discover the new 2022/23 locally agreed syllabus for religious education in birmingham and why it is important schools make it a priority in the new academic year. .
On 8 th February 2022, the Cabinet of Birmingham City Council adopted the new Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education.
The changes reflect the CORE report and the bigger pedagogical discussion about the teaching of worldviews in general.
In this article, I provide an overview of the new locally agreed syllabus for Religious Education in Birmingham and explain why it will play a crucial role in supporting future generations.
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Why is Religious Education Important in Schools?
In a world where, for some, religion and faith have no lasting value, and the educational ground is constantly moving, it’s now an opportunity to reflect on the place and the importance of RE within the school’s curriculum.
Just recently the RE report card provided a national overview of RE from the value of the qualification, its place in society and the future of the subject in the wider curriculum.
One of the biggest talking points was the fact that 64% of the adult population view education in religion and worldviews (or RE) as an important part of the school curriculum.
With the number of students taking Religious Studies GCSE rising by nearly a third in the last ten years, society still sees great value in its role in the curriculum.
For schools, Religious Education is important because it helps pupils to:
- Respect others and gain a broader understanding of views and beliefs
- Improve their knowledge of global affairs
- Develop a stronger sense of wellbeing, ethical standards and personal happiness
- Avoid extremism and religious discrimination
- Contribute to and build a more cohesive community
Birmingham’s Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education for the 2022/23 Academic Year
A pupil’s experiences are as important as anybody else’s as a starting point. Today’s lessons are led by everyday concerns such as telling the truth, looking after the planet, treating everybody as equal or just plain listening.
These basics are about the human condition, and in Birmingham, are summed up in 24 values or dispositions.
People from faith traditions and non-religious traditions have been involved in devising, updating and voting for the new Birmingham Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education.
Although it is still centred on teaching through dispositions, it is now expanded to consider the changing landscape of belief. It has a local flavour which is owned by the communities in which you teach.
For the pupils in Birmingham to be good people, they need to be able to think about what they believe in on a deeper level. You will want them to consider what sort of person they might become and what sort of city and society they might want to live in.
Pupils are expected to think for themselves around these values. In learning to critically interpret and evaluate the content that is presented, pupils will grow in their ability to discern.
In the new Agreed RE Syllabus, pupils will be encouraged and challenged to reflect and evaluate, and think critically about what they have learned.
In doing so, they will begin to understand that the interpretation of these sources can be used both legitimately (and inaccurately) to support a particular point of view.
Pupils will learn how individual aspects may conflict with each other and acknowledge that plurality exists in religious traditions and non-religious worldviews, which leads to divergence in practice. This process will involve reflective and interpretative skills, as well as the ability of pupils to examine themselves in the light of the information encountered.
As pupils learn about the things that concern us all, they will be educated on what religions think about them, as well as people like humanists, atheists and people who do not have a firm tradition.
By sixteen, a young person will know a lot more about what drives them in their lives and realise what motivates the people they see in their day-to-day lives.
Pupils may decide whether they are religious or not. Or they may not think this particularly affects their character.
They will understand a person’s particular religion or worldview from what they have learned about their values.
Pupils will also identify that the people around them have made their own decisions about belief and character, just as they have.
With the right commitment from schools, Birmingham’s Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education can have a significant impact on the upcoming generation. It is a simple matter of recognising its value inside and outside of school and teaching the syllabus in an engaging way.
Making Religious Education a Central Point Within the Curriculum
The locally Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education in Birmingham enables pupils to understand the city’s diverse range of citizens and recognise that each person has their own principles, values and beliefs. They will see how and why people may differ sometimes and even discover that the citizens of Birmingham have much more in common than they might have otherwise thought.
But most of all, through Birmingham’s RE teaching, pupils will have thought about their qualities ready to take into their adulthood to lead a rounded and fulfilling life.
So, it’s not just about learning a comprehensive set of factual information about religious and non-religious traditions that don’t have any connection with your life. The Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education in Birmingham is an opportunity to provide pupils with the tools to connect them with the community and reflect on their lives. That’s why RE is still important and valid within the school curriculum.
For any dedicated support across the Religious Education Agreed Syllabus, take a look at our RE Audit where our RE expert will be able to give an independent and professionally challenging, yet supportive review of your RE provision
About the Author
Simone's journey in the field of education is nothing short of remarkable. Armed with a deep passion for Religious Education, she has not only excelled in her own academic pursuits but has also dedicated herself to the betterment of the education system.
From her early days as a Head of Department leading RE in schools in Birmingham to her current role as an Education Advisor at Services For Education, Simone has constantly pushed the boundaries of her knowledge and expertise. Simone has also worked as a visiting lecturer on the Birmingham University RE PGDip course. Her commitment to the field is evident in her decision to pursue a PhD, delving into the unique approach to teaching RE in Birmingham.
But Simone's impact goes beyond just Religious Education. Her extensive knowledge of ITT and the Early Career Framework has allowed her to support teachers, school leaders, and governors in their professional development journey. As an Induction Manager and facilitator for the Best Practice Network, she plays a crucial role in shaping the next generation of educators and school leaders.
Simone's dedication to her craft is unwavering, whether she's engaging with faith groups, acting as the drafting secretary for the Agreed Syllabus Conference, advising on curriculum development, or delivering nationally recognised CPD as part of the NPQ suite of qualifications. Her passion for education is truly inspiring, as she continues to push boundaries, challenge norms, and lead by example in the world of education.
Lucie Welch has worked in the field of Primary Education for the last 15 years, holding the positions of Assistant Head of School, Designated Safeguarding Lead, Attendance Lead and Designated Teacher for Looked After Children. Through working across several local authorities and within multi-academy trusts, Lucie has garnered a passion for safeguarding and supporting children and young people to enable them to thrive.
At Services For Education, Lucie is an integral part of the Safeguarding team, sharing her expertise with schools, colleges, trusts, and other educational settings across the city of Birmingham and beyond. Dedicated to improving safeguarding practices in an actionable and impactful way, Lucie works closely with settings to provide bespoke training, supports with reflection on their own practices during Safeguarding audits and always strives to contribute to a better learning environment for all children. Through delivery of statutory training for DSLs and Safer Recruitment, Lucie works with colleagues in all age ranges and is a source of expertise within these areas.
Lucie also wears other important hats within the School Support Team. Not only is she dedicated to ensuring the safety and well-being of students through her role in safeguarding, but she also plays a key part in the PSHE/RSE and Health for Life teams. Additionally, Lucie partners with the Best Practice Network to deliver the Early Career Framework, supporting new teachers in their professional development.
Jo Perrin is a seasoned Education Adviser with a strong background in safeguarding. She has held key roles as a Designated Safeguarding Lead and pastoral lead in the education sector. Facilitating training to enhance the knowledge and skills of professionals working directly with children and young people is her passion.
With a wealth of experience in teaching PSHE and expertise in childhood trauma from her time as a foster carer, Jo is dedicated to supporting organisations that work with children and vulnerable adults on safeguarding issues. She is actively involved in professional safeguarding groups in the West Midlands and is currently collaborating on a research project with colleagues from the University of Birmingham and the NHS focusing on FGM awareness within communities. Jo’s has worked as a West Midlands' Adviser for national PSHE resources, presented at the Sex Education Forum National Members' Event and authored an advertorial for PSM magazine and an article for SEND magazine.
Jo's expertise extends to training on topics such as Safer Recruitment and Mental Health at Work. She is also a facilitator for the nationally recognised NPQSL qualification, supporting senior leaders in education. Her contributions to publications and development of resources for RSE provision have been well-received by schools nationally and internationally.
With her extensive experience and dedication to professional development, Jo Perrin is a highly respected figure in the field of education. Her guidance on safeguarding, mental health awareness, personal development, and relationships education is highly valued within the industry.
Tricia Bunn - Former Adviser, Services For Education
Over a career spanning 20 years, Tricia has been involved in primary education in a variety of contexts – as a teacher; senior leader; headteacher (within an LEA and within an Academy) and teacher educator. She is an experienced, successful headteacher, having led two schools since 2010.
For three years Tricia was Senior Lecturer in Primary Education at the University of Wolverhampton. In this role she was Module leader for English and Lead Tutor for the PGCE. Tricia is part of our School improvement team and is a tutor on the SFE primary initial teacher training programme.
She is the Lead English Adviser and co-leads on our curriculum development programme. Another key part of her most recent work has been embedding an understanding of cognitive theory into CPD, and ensuring this is the basis of work going forward.
Liz Bates – Independent Consultant
After teaching for 25 years, Liz worked as an advisor with Services For Education for over 10 years leading on Mental Health, Emotional Health and Wellbeing before becoming an independent consultant. As well as working with schools Liz has presented key note talks, workshops and research findings at national conferences.
Liz has written 4 books and teaching resources that are used across the country by schools and other professionals working with children. Liz also works as a schools’ engagement trainer for the Anna Freud Centre, a Wellbeing Award advisor for Optimus Education and is a Protective Behaviours practitioner and trainer.
Charlie Laffan – Independent Integrative Counsellor
Charlie is an Integrative Counsellor who works with adults and children, delivering family support, mentoring and counselling.
She has extensive experience of providing specialist support with families and individuals in schools, and across a wide range of sectors.
Charlie’s counselling has a holistic approach and is tailored to the client’s needs. She brings this philosophy to mentoring and family support, providing therapeutic and practical interventions for young people and families.
Julia Davey – Director, Supervision in Schools
Julia brings over 20 years experience in Education and Social Care. Her roles have included school advisor, national safeguarding programme developer, strategic lead in SEND and Safeguarding and qualified systemic supervisor in multiple contexts. With understanding of the daily challenges of a DSL in a school setting and wider safeguarding considerations, Julia brings knowledgeable and sensitive insights alongside practical tools, to generate solution focused actions for individual cases and the whole school system.
Edwina Langley – Lead Attendance Officer, Birmingham City Council
Edwina Langley is the Lead Attendance Officer for Birmingham City Council. A qualified social worker with a Masters’ degree in Social Science, and experience in family support, Edwina has worked in the city for 26 years, working directly with schools. Currently, Edwina leads the Education Legal Intervention Team providing statutory support and advise to schools relating to school absence, legal processes and related early help.
Sandra Passmore – Former Adviser, Services For Education
Sandra has extensive experience in safeguarding, health and wellbeing and evidence based practice. She has worked nationally with key government departments (Departments of Health and Education) to help shape strategy and policy whilst still retaining the focus on working for the best outcomes for children and young people.
She has a PhD on the psychology of health related choices which has informed the development of award winning, evidence based programmes such as Health for Life in primary schools and Health for Life in nursery schools which have been proven to have a sustainable impact on improving the health and wellbeing of children and families.
Sandra led the development and delivery of the DSL (Designated Safeguarding Lead) training for SFE. She was pivotal in expanding the remit of the safeguarding work to also include issues such as domestic abuse and sexual violence and harassment within the education context.
Sandra’s passion for improving the lives of children has led her to develop work within Public Health and managed RCT (Randomised Control Trials) on the effectiveness of interventions such as the daily mile. Additionally, Sandra has written books for teachers and pupils as well as peer reviewed academic journal papers.
Marsha has over 18 years’ experience of teaching and senior leadership in schools within the West Midlands. She is passionate about the power of education to create knowledge, build confidence, and break down barriers to opportunity. She works with senior leaders, middle leaders, and governors to develop capacity and bring about rapid improvement through supporting them in effective self-evaluation, evaluating the impact of the curriculum and conducting quality assurance across the school.
Her particular areas of focus are Personal Development and Culture and Ethos, including Safeguarding.
Marsha works closely with SEND – the platinum thread, providing advice and guidance on the most effective ways to promote desirable outcomes. She helps to develop an understanding of best practices and processes, as well as appropriate tools and resources.
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Emma Mudge – Adviser, Services For Education
Emma Mudge has over 20 years of experience working in primary education. Throughout this time, she has become a leader in a wide variety of areas throughout the school including Assessment, Teaching and Learning, Curriculum Management and Lead DSL, to name but a few. As Deputy Head Teacher and Acting Head Teacher, she has been at the forefront of school leadership and improvement.
During her role as English leader, she successfully introduced new approaches which significantly raised attainment. This led her to be approached to support other English coordinators across Birmingham, make presentations to school leaders and become a member of a small group of specialist teachers and leaders, tasked with improving the reading attainment in a number of schools across the city.
Emma now works as the Educational Adviser for English at Services for Education, sharing her experience and knowledge of working in primary schools to continually promote and improve the standard of teaching and learning in English, and in school improvement.
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