Atheism to be taught in RE lessons

Atheism should be taught alongside Christianity and other religions in schools, the Government will say this week.

New guidelines say the views of religious and non-religious pupils deserve equal respect. While Christianity should take centre-stage in religious education lessons between the ages of five and 16, pupils should learn about minority faiths such as Baha'i and Zoroastrianism.

The framework is clearly designed to appease critics who fear Christianity has been relegated to just one of several competing religions. It is also intended to be "inclusive", turning RE into a forum for teaching children about right and wrong.

Education Secretary Charles Clarke will launch the guidelines - developed by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority exam watchdog - on Thursday.

They are backed by the Church of England, the Catholic Church, the Muslim Council of Britain and the Board of Deputies of British Jews, among others. The framework has no legal force but the Government hopes local education authority committees will use it as a template for their RE policies.

Children have to study RE up to the age of 16, unless their parents opt to withdraw them from lessons. Although pupils do not have to take exams in the subject, it is increasingly popular as both a oneand two-year GCSE option.

Mr Clarke said RE played an important role in children's " spiritual, moral, social and cultural development".

The new guidelines say Christianity should be studied from the first year of primary school until

the end of GCSEs, plus at least one other major faith from age five to seven, two others from seven to 11 and from 11 to 14, and a further one at 14 and above.

Pupils will "encounter" all the other major British religions, including Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism and Sikhism as part of their learning process - and schools will be encouraged to teach "secular philosophies" to help answer "ultimate questions".

Those with humanist and atheist views say morality should be based on the best in human behaviour, not on notions of a God-like supreme being. Secular philosophies should be taught from the age of seven if "appropriate".

From the age of three to five pupils will receive an introduction to the world of religion, its special people, books and places.

The next age group will be encouraged to develop a "sense of wonder about the world" while guidelines recommend seven to 11-year-olds will explore the similarities and differences between Christianity and two other religions and the importance of dialogue between them.

Schools where most of the governors are local education authority-appointed have to follow the locally-agreed RE syllabus. Faith schools where most governors are appointed by the local diocese or mosque will still have the power to design their own RE lessons.