大象传媒

This September as part of the new Curriculum for Wales, students across the country will be studying a new Religious Education syllabus. The rebranded 'Religion, Values and Ethics' curriculum is being rolled out on a gradual basis, and the first pupils will take a GCESE in the subject in 2025. Rebranding one of the oldest curriculum subjects is a significant step, and to discuss the issues Delyth Liddell is joined by four guests; Mary Stallard, lead bishop for Education in the Church in Wales, Kathy Riddick, Wales Humanists Coordinator, Jennifer Harding-Richards, RE Hub leader for Wales and Libby Jones from the St. Giles Centre in Wrexham. Together they discuss what is new and distinctive about this course, and how it marks a departure from the past.

In Wales there's been a significant fall in students taking A-Level RE (748 entrants in 2023 compared to 1276 in 2019) and short courses GCSE entrants have decreased by 85% since 2010. Only 6 students have enrolled on a PGCE to teach Secondary RE this year. Can the new curriculum turn this rather gloomy picture around?