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The right of withdrawal from RE

July 2003: Three principles received from HMCI concerning parents' right of withdrawal of their children from religious education in school.

The general principles listed below are from HMCI, David Bell, established as a result of school inspections, particularly after inspection of a school actively encouraging parents to withdraw their children from Religious Education in school.

The following is a direct quote from HMCI's letter of 9 July 2003 to John G.:

'It is important though that all concerned with religious education understand that these principles are the result of Ofsted's judgement. In any situation of this kind, only the courts can decide whether a school's actions comply with legal requirements.

The broad principles that emerged from the inspection were:

  1. Schools have a responsibility to inform parents of their right to withdraw their children from religious education (RE), collective worship and sex education.
  2. Once parents have been informed of their rights, schools may assume that those who do not apply for withdrawal are content that their children take these subjects.
  3. Schools should not in any way put further pressure on parents to make a decision, for example by asking them to make a choice between withdrawal, RE or any other subjects. To do so would make RE an optional subject.'

These principles are very helpful and will be very useful for discouraging opportunist heads from trying to asset strip RE's curriculum time.

John G., July 2003

John G. is the Church of England's spokesman on RE and Director of the Culham Institute in Oxford.

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