SACRE

Legal requirements

(Welsh Government RVE Guidance)

The summary of legislation (opens in a new tab)

The Pembrokeshire Agreed Syllabus has been developed in line with the legislation from the Curriculum and Assessment (Wales) Act (2021) together with the Education Act (1996).

The Pembrokeshire Agreed Syllabus for Religion, Values and Ethics (RVE) reflects both religious beliefs and also non-religious beliefs which are philosophical convictions within the meaning of Article 2 Protocol 1 of the European Convention on Human Rights (A2P1). These include beliefs such as humanism, atheism and secularism. That is not an exhaustive list but just examples of the sort of beliefs that are within scope of RVE. These changes make explicit what the law already requires in respect of pluralistic RVE.

Community schools, foundation and voluntary schools without a religious character

The Act requires the provision in the curriculum for teaching and learning encompassing RVE to have been designed having regard to the agreed syllabus. (The “agreed syllabus” in the context of the Schedule is the RVE syllabus adopted by the local authority under section 375A of the 1996 Act for use in schools maintained by the authority). The Act requires this RVE provision to be implemented for all learners.

Foundation and voluntary controlled schools that have a religious character

For these schools, the Act requires the provision in the curriculum for teaching and learning encompassing RVE to have been designed having regard to the agreed syllabus.

However, in the case of these schools, there is an additional requirement which applies only if the provision that has been designed having regard to the agreed syllabus does not accord with the school’s trust deed, or the tenets of its religion or religious denomination.

Voluntary aided schools that have a religious character

For these schools the Act requires the curriculum to make provision for teaching and learning in respect of RVE that accords with the school’s trust deed or the tenets of its religion or denomination.

Again, there is an additional requirement. For schools of this type, the additional requirement applies only if the provision that has been designed (that is, which accords with the trust deed or tenets of the school’s religion or denomination) does not accord with the agreed syllabus. In this case, the school’s curriculum must also include provision for RVE that has been designed having regard to the agreed syllabus.

RVE Post 16

From 2027, RVE post 16 will no longer be mandatory in schools, by virtue of the Act provisions. In accordance with section 61 of the Act, all learners over the age of 16 will now be able to opt into RVE, where previously there was a requirement for all learners in sixth form to study religious education. If a learner chooses to opt into RVE, then the school or college must provide RVE which is objective, critical and pluralistic. This approach is consistent with the principle that learners of sufficient maturity should be able to make decisions that relate to their own learning.

Where a learner requests RVE pursuant to section 61 of the Act, the RVE must be designed so that it:

• reflects the fact that the religious traditions in Wales are in the main Christian while taking account of the teaching and practices of the other principal religions represented in Wales
• also reflects the fact that a range of non-religious philosophical convictions are held in Wales.

Section 61 of the Act does not prevent a school from imposing a requirement that all learners in its sixth form undertake compulsory RVE classes; nor does it prevent a school that adopts this approach from providing compulsory sixth form RVE that accords with the school’s trust deeds, or the tenets of its religion, or religious denomination (“denominational RVE”). The content of such denominational RVE remains a matter for the school with the curriculum design being in accordance with the school’s trust deeds or tenets of its religion.

This syllabus refers to RVE for 3-16 learners. If post 16 learners request RVE provision and support is required, please contact Pembrokeshire SACRVE and they can advise, if needed.

The right to withdraw in the Curriculum for Wales

From September 2022, there will be no parental right to withdraw from RVE in respect of all learners up to and including year 6, as the Curriculum for Wales will be implemented by all primary schools and settings from this date. This will also apply to learners in year 7 whose schools have adopted the Curriculum from Wales. It will then be implemented as the Curriculum for Wales is delivered to subsequent year groups.

Please contact Pembrokeshire SACRVE for clarification or support if needed.