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All schools are required to promote fundamental British values including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect for and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs and for those without faith, and this is inspected by Ofsted. The Department has issued guidance on how schools can promote fundamental British values as part of their requirement to teach spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. This guidance sets out that schools should enable students to acquire an appreciation of and respect for their own and other cultures. For many schools, religious education is likely to form part of their approach to promoting these values.

Religious education (RE) is compulsory at all key stages in all state-funded schools to age 18. Therefore schools should already be providing an age-appropriate RE curriculum.

Although the Department does not routinely monitor schools to ensure that they meet their statutory duties, my right Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State has a range of powers to ensure that schools comply where he investigates complaints and finds that they have not done so.

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