Agenda and minutes

No declarations of interest were made.

https://gov.wales/sites/default/files/consultations/2021-05/consultation-document-curriculum-for-wales-religion-values-and-ethics-guidance.pdf

It was agreed that the attendees would form a Working Party to provide comments on the consultation document with a view to formulating a formal response by the closing date of 16^th July 2021.

Question 1 – How well does the guidance explain the scope of RVE and its context within the Humanities Area?

Comments included:

·         Could be improved, the earlier version was more user-friendly and less legalistic. Disagreed that the legal element should be confined to a footnote.

·         Must be clear on legal requirements particularly that religious traditions are mainly Christian and the other principal religions. Using the phrase “Range of religions” is incorrect as it only covers Christianity and principal religions in Wales.

·         Need to make clear to SACREs/SACs that inspection of faith schools is still undertaken by faith schools themselves and is not the role of SACREs.

·         Any additional RVE required is determined by the Bishop.

·         Support was given for p.6 para 4 “understanding the concept of religion will enable learners to build a well-grounded understanding of religion and the significance of the different ways it is defined” but an addition suggested “within Christianity and the principal religions found in Wales”.

·         More emphasis needed to reflect that the main tradition in Wales is Christianity and how it can be looked at from different perspectives.

·         Would like WASACRE to give guidance to SACREs and schools on other principle faiths. All the faiths on SACREs must be represented to promote a better understanding of different faiths around the world.  Faith representatives can add expertise for professional learning.

·         No one religion is more important than another.  Right for children to have insight into many religions.

·         Definition of principal religions is best left to the discretion of schools – there is flexibility in the curriculum to allow this.  With teaching of non- religious, philosophical beliefs, there is concern religion is going to be squeezed out of the curriculum

·         The guidance doesn’t place the relationship of RVE to Humanities in general. There is insufficient reference e.g. the “what matters” statements. RVE’s place within Humanities needs to be strengthened.

·         Surprise that the guidance will be within the Curriculum for Wales guidance.  This changes the nature of the document. It becomes statutory at this level rather than when adopted as an agreed syllabus.

·         Some of the guidance doesn’t fit well with the Humanities guidance. It is much more prescriptive than the rest of the humanities guidance.  Moved from local to national.  The relationship between RVE to Humanities has changed.  It doesn’t fit with the guidance for all the other subjects’ examples.  The document is statutory so schools will think that the examples (journeys) is the only approach. No other subjects have examples. Don’t want to limit creativity and innovation.  The Journeys were liked but could be misunderstood as the only approach.

·         The material provided is subjective rather than objective. The assumption of spiritual development cuts across the renaming to RVE, as some may deny there is a spirit to develop. Learners would not  ...  view the full minutes text for item 2.