The UK Government Department for Education (DfE) has deleted references to non-religious beliefs such as atheism or humanism in November 2014 advice about ‘improving spiritual, moral, social and cultural (SMSC) development of pupils’. The DfE has also excluded non-religious belief studies of Religious Education (RE) at GCSE and ‘A’ level in their draft syllabus documents.
The September 2014 amendment to the Independent School Standards encourages schools:
“to actively promote the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect, and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs.“
‘But what is belief if not religious faith?’, I hear you murmur. Well actually in law, belief – in the phrase ‘religion and belief’ – refers to non-religious belief i.e. belief about atheism and humanism.
In November 2013, the Department for Education (DfE) published a standard with advice about improving SMSC in children at Independent schools (including academies and free schools). These schools should:
“encourage pupils to respect the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect, and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs“.
The November 2013 advice also stated that:
“There are many different actions that schools can take to meet this part of the standard, such as …”
“Use teaching resources from a wide variety of sources to help pupils understand a range of faiths, and beliefs such as atheism and humanism.”
A year later in November 2014 (in DfE documents about SMSC for independent and maintained schools) to meet this same standard, the advice was changed to:
“Use teaching resources from a wide variety of sources to help pupils understand a range of faiths”.
So in just one year the Government advice has done a ‘U’ turn so that teaching resources need not include non-religious beliefs such as atheism and humanism.
Also in November 2014, the DfE launched a consultation on new GCSE and A level religious studies subject content. This does not allow for the systematic study of non-religious worldviews such as Humanism or atheism, a fact that has led to strong opposition to the content. In its briefing on why Humanism and Atheism is typically studied in RE, the BHA has pointed to the recommended study of Atheism and Humanism in the 2013 guidance and the resultant inconsistency of excluding such study at GCSE and A level.
The Religious Education Council (REC) has also objected to the exclusion of non-religious beliefs in the GCSE RE syllabus saying that:
“in our most recent [October 2013] curriculum document, Religious education: a national curriculum framework, we made clear our policy that religious education in schools and colleges should include the study of non-religious worldviews alongside religious traditions.”
Dr Joyce Miller, Chair of the Religious Education Council
Dr Joyce Miller, Chair of the REC, said:
“The Religious Education Council Board has agreed unanimously that the optional systematic study of a non-religious worldview should be introduced at GCSE level. We want to promote a rigorous and inclusive study of religions and beliefs that is relevant and challenging for young people of all faiths and none.”
As the BHA points out, the November 2014 updated guidance is uninclusive. For example the statement:
“Pupils must be encouraged to regard people of all faiths, races and cultures with respect and tolerance”
makes no reference to respect and toleration for those with no religious beliefs.
The DfE says a school will meet SMSC development standards if it (inter alia):
“actively promotes the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs.”
In equalities legislation law the term ‘belief’ typically means non-religious beliefs such as atheism or humanism.
Specifically, the Equalities Act 2010, defines the ‘protected characteristic’ of ‘Religion or belief’:
“Religion means any religion and a reference to religion includes a reference to a lack of religion. Belief means any religious or philosophical belief and a reference to belief includes a reference to a lack of belief”
An example of a ‘lack of belief’ is atheism or agnosticism. Other non-religious beliefs or worldviews include humanism or naturalism.
Chris Street, President of Atheism UK
Chris Street (Atheism UK President) commented:
“It’s vitally important that young people in all schools should learn about religious faiths and non-religious beliefs and worldviews. According to the 2011 Census approximately 40% to 50% of young people have no religion – a massive increase in non-religious belief in just a decade. This compares to 15% to 25% non-religious belief in young people in 2001. However in the November 2014 Department for Education advice, in comparison to its 2013 advice, the Government seems to be slamming the door on young peoples understanding about non-religious beliefs such as atheism and non-religious worldviews such as humanism. Instead, the Government is promoting religion, fabricated by humans millennia ago, as the only way to introduce young people to the answers to the ‘Big Questions” to life in 2014. To answer these big questions, non-religious beliefs and worldviews, developed over centuries right up to the present day (by philosophers, scientists and others) must be included in RE. Young people have the right to decide for themselves. They should be allowed to compare the answers to the big questions given by non-religious modern science and philosophy – with the answers given by ancient religions and religious faith”
Atheism UK RE policy for maintained schools is that it should not be compulsory for maintained schools to give RE as a discrete subject. Atheism UK RE policy for non-faith academies is that RE is not essential to SMSC development of pupils therefore academies should renegotiate funding agreements to remove any requirement that RE be given to its pupils. Atheism UK policy is that the word ‘spiritual’ should be removed from education legislation.
Atheism UK principles state:
“Humans have fabricated religion, God or gods do not exist, morality develops independently of religion and religion inhibits rational thought.”
For further information contact Chris Street, Atheism UK President.
