Religious Education (Hansard, 14 June 1994)

§ Mr. Alison
To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) what is the minimum period for the teaching of a non-Christian religion at key stage 1; and if he will make a statement;
(2) what are the statutory requirements in respect of the teaching of non-Christian faiths by the age of 11 years.

§ Mr. Robin Squire
The law does not specify statutory minimum periods to be devoted to the teaching of individual religions. Section 8(3) of the Education Reform Act 1988 requires a locally agreed syllabus toreflect the fact that the religious traditions of Great Britain are in the main Christian, whilst taking account of the other principal religions represented in Great Britain".
A syllabus which contained only Christianity for a whole key stage would not fully meet this requirement, but this does not mean that each of the principal religions must be taught in equal depth or at each key stage. In the syllabus as a whole and at each key stage, the relative content devoted to Christianity should predominate. The precise balance between Christianity and other religions in an individual syllabus is for the local agreed syllabus conference to decide in the light of the legal requirements, and taking into account both the local and national position.

§ Mr. Alison
To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps he has taken to ensure that the School Curriculum and Assessment Authority consults parents on their proposals for national model syllabuses for religious education.

§ Mr. Robin Squire
The School Curriculum and Assessment Authority consulted the National Confederation of Parent Teacher Associations as part of its wide consultation on the draft model syllabuses, published in January. Final versions of the models will be published in July.

§ Mr. Alison
To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will publish details of the representations he has received expressing concern about proposals by the School Curriculum and Assessment Authority in relation to compulsory religious education, in respect of the teaching of non-Christian faiths to primary age school children.

§ Mr. Robin Squire
My right hon. Friend has received about 200 letters on that subject. The number of religions in addition to Christianity that should be covered during the primary phase was one of the issues on which the486W School Curriculum and Assessment Authority specifically sought comments during consultation on its model syllabuses for religious education. The authority is considering the results of that consultation and will publish final versions of the models in July.