Report No. 52/2018 was received from the Director for People.

Mr D. Wilby, Portfolio Holder for Lifelong Learning, Early Years, Special Educational Needs & Disabilities and Inclusion, introduced the report the purpose of which was for the Council to formally adopt the Rutland Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education which set out the statutory requirements for schools. The syllabus provided teachers with a framework from which to plan and deliver lessons that were informative and challenging and which allowed pupils to gain a developing understanding of the range of religious and non-religious world views studied.

During discussion the following points were raised:

i.      This was an important subject area for children growing up in Rutland and members commended the work of the Standing Advisory Council Council on Religious Education, Chaired by Miss G Waller.

DECISION

1.    Cabinet RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL to adopt the Rutland Agreed Syllabus as the locally agreed framework for the teaching of Religious Education in Rutland schools.

Reasons for decision.

1.    Religious education gives Rutland pupils and ideal opportunity to explore matters of religion and non-religious beliefs, to find out what matters most to people in a wide range of traditions represented in our County and beyond, and to discern what is of value for themselves as they develop their own ideas and ways of living.

2.    This new agreed syllabus has been developed as a resource to support pupils in this endeavor. It sets out what should be studied in RE and offers clear advice and guidance on how this can be done so that pupils can develop their own ideas and ways of living.