15: Religious Education is Broken So Let’s Fix it

You’ve probably been there; you’ve arrived at your school placement or have been asked to teach a lesson for interview and you’ve been told it’s on Religious Education (RE). Your likely first thoughts are: I don’t know anything about RE, I haven’t observed it, what subject knowledge is needed? Do I have to pray? All of these responses are relatively common and you are not alone. For the vast majority of teachers and initial teacher education students, RE can seem like a blank spot in your university education possibly alongside your own lack of interest in or exposure to ‘religion’. Society in England in the last 60 years has undergone dramatic change and this is reflected in the place and prominence of religion in everyday life for the majority of the population. Not only is this the case but RE (as it is currently designed and delivered) is largely a reflection of a Britain which is firmly in the past and is not currently reflective of contemporary society. This chapter will examine why this is, what the solutions might be and where you can play a positive role in delivering quality ‘RE’.