Exam focus jeopardises RE, warns archbishop

THE Archbishop of York has warned against an over-reliance on exam success in UK schools which he claimed is jeopardising the future of religious education in classrooms.

Dr John Sentamu made an impassioned plea yesterday to 50 headteachers from schools and academies across the North of England to ensure religious studies are not sidelined.

Education Secretary Michael Gove has caused consternation among the Church of England’s leaders after unveiling a radical shake-up which would exclude religious education from an English Baccalaureate.

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Dr Sentamu claimed “religious knowledge forms and creates a culture” during the meeting at his official residence, Bishopthorpe Palace on the edge of York.

The Archbishop, who also highlighted his Youth Trust’s work to empower young leaders, added: “Whatever we might think of Michael Gove, in this country, religion and practice will never be on the sidelines. It is a surely a mistake, to turn education into a box-ticking exercise focused on exam success and the supply of skilled workers to industry and commerce. Education is good for its own sake.”

The Church of England has warned pupils’ moral and spiritual development risked being “pushed to the side” due to education reforms which put more focus on reading, writing and arithmetic at the expense of many other subjects.

A Church of England study criticised a decision to exclude religious education from the English Baccalaureate – a new school leaving certificate that promotes learning in five core subjects, including maths, English and science.

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The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, used his final Easter sermon as the leader of the Church of England to stress the need to preserve the importance of religious education. Dr Williams will stand down at the end of the year, and the Archbishop of York is widely tipped as a favourite to succeed him.