Educators and community leaders welcomed a new Religious Education (RE) syllabus which will be taught in Derby’s schools. Around 100 professionals from Derby City Council, schools and other partner organisations attended the launch event.
The development of the new syllabus follows the government's requirement for a review of the RE curriculum every five years. Local authorities are required to have a Standing Advisory Council for Religious Education (SACRE) to oversee RE and collective worship.
Derby City Council collaborated with its SACRE, comprising faith representatives from across the city, along with schools and advisors, to create an inclusive and wide-ranging syllabus.
The syllabus provides children and young people with the opportunity to study various faiths and beliefs, fostering mutual respect in relation to both religious and non-religious worldviews. It also incorporates new elements addressing significant contemporary issues, including anti-racism and climate change awareness.
Delegates gathered in the Council Chamber at the launch event
Councillor Paul Hezelgrave, Derby City Council Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Skills, said:
RE is such an important subject - it explores big questions about life, what people believe and what difference this makes to how they live, so that pupils can make sense of religion and world views, and reflect on their own ideas and ways of living.
The ambition for RE in the city of Derby is to provide the opportunity for children and young people to acquire knowledge in relation to the lives of people within the local area and the wider world.
Professor Cecile Wright, chair of SACRE, said:
The new Religious Education syllabus produced by the city council provides a framework for schools in accordance with its statutory duties. It offers a balanced and sensible approach to the curriculum content, with the aim of fostering social and community cohesion.
It also offers the scope for children and young people to develop key transferable skills such as critical thinking.
The new syllabus will be introduced in September 2025. Further information can be found on the National Association of SACREs website.