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Religion and Education in Wales Today

Religion and Education in Wales Today. Dr Tania ap Siôn Executive Director, St Mary’s Centre, Wales. Overview. Overview. Wales: demography Government in Wales Education in Wales Wales and England Wales and Europe Role of Church in education in Wales. Demography. Language. History

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Religion and Education in Wales Today

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  1. Religion and Education in Wales Today Dr Tania ap Siôn Executive Director, St Mary’s Centre, Wales

  2. Overview

  3. Overview • Wales: demography • Government in Wales • Education in Wales • Wales and England • Wales and Europe • Role of Church in education in Wales

  4. Demography

  5. Language History • The 1536 and 1542 Acts of Union – English language used in Government. Status of Welsh diminishes. • Translation of the Bible in 1588 by Bishop William Morgan. Important role in strengthening the Welsh language. • 18th and 19th century Industrial Revolution – fall in Welsh speakers to 50% • Decline in Welsh speakers continued in 20th century

  6. Language • 1942 Welsh Courts Act • 1967 Welsh Language Act • 1988 Education Act - Welsh language becomes part of the National Curriculum in schools • 1993 Welsh Language Act: - Welsh and English equal in public life e.g.public sector services; right to use Welsh in court - Welsh Language Board established

  7. Language • 2010 proposed Welsh language measure: - confirm the official status of the Welsh language - give additional rights for Welsh speakers • Bilingual education provision: - First language / bilingual / second language - schools and higher education

  8. Language 2001 National Census results For all of Wales: • Welsh speakers (age 3 years and over) 2001 = 20.8% 1991 = 18.7% 1981 = 19% 582, 400 • No knowledge of Welsh 2001 = 71.6% • 40.8% speakers are aged 5-15 years

  9. Language Individual Local Authorities: • Gwynedd highest % of Welsh speakers 69% • Monmouthshire lowest of Welsh speakers 9% • west / east Wales divisions • Slight decrease in Welsh speaking heartlands / increase in other areas of Wales

  10. Language • Strengthening of the Welsh language in Wales - success of Government policies - success of non-government pressure groups for the Welsh language (Cymdeithas yr Iaith)

  11. National identity 2001 National Census results 67% national identity is Welsh (7% Welsh and other national identity) 33% not Welsh - Welsh identity related to country of birth, Welsh speaking, qualifications, socio-economic class, and age

  12. Religion 2001 National Census results Wales England Christian 72% Non-Christian 2% 6% religions

  13. Religion Non-Christian religions Wales: • Muslims under 1% (22,000). • Cardiff largest number of Muslims - 4% of population • Regional distribution: - cities in south Wales (e.g. Cardiff and Swansea) - North East Wales, town of Wrexham - west / east differences

  14. Religion • Christianity in Wales: - Church in Wales (Disestablished from Church of England in 1920) - Roman Catholicism - strong non-conformist traditions (e.g. Baptists) - Orthodox Christianity (growing – Eastern Europe)

  15. Religion • Interfaith networks - few in Wales compared with England - Interfaith Council for Wales - Interfaith Council for England and Wales - signs of growth in interfaith networks in Wales - The first Interfaith Eisteddfod in Wales (November 2009)

  16. Government

  17. Government in Wales • Wales 1997 referendum on devolution • 1999 established Welsh Assembly Government • Power to make laws on 20 subject areas, including education, health, environment and local government, with restrictions • Defence , taxation, and welfare benefits controlled by UK Parliament • Spring 2011, Wales referendum for additional law-making powers in the 20 subject areas

  18. Government in Wales Some links with demographics: • Welsh language • First Minister’s Faith Forum - consultative body of faith representatives

  19. Government in Wales ‘One Wales’ commitment to achieve a fair and just society. Welsh Assembly Government policy documents include: • Communities’ First • Refugee Inclusion Strategy • Unity and Diversity – promoting equality and diversity in the school curriculum • Getting on Together: a community cohesion strategy, 2009 - mapping communities - community cohesion strategies created at local level

  20. Government in Wales • Policy documents, where relevant, recognise the importance of religion

  21. Senate in Wales

  22. Education

  23. Education in Wales • Since devolution education systems in England and Wales have become increasingly diverse. • Education Review in Wales - creation of new curriculum - supported by extensive Government publications both at subject level and also cross-cutting level - supported by Government sponsorship of bilingual classroom materials - whole process supported by Government subject officers for each area of the curriculum

  24. Religious Education in Wales • Religious Education • Same legal status in Wales and England • 1944 Education Act (reflects the historic role of churches in education provision and the partnership between church and state) – state maintained schools - Religious education made compulsory - daily collective worship made compulsory

  25. Religious Education in Wales • 1988 Education Reform Act - determined the broad content (Christianity and the other major religions present in Great Britain) - determined approach of religious education (non-confessional, not taught from any particular denominational position - unless Voluntary Aided school of a religious character e.g. Church in Wales) - Unlike the new National Curriculum subjects, religious education remains locally determined • parental right of withdrawal

  26. Religious Education in Wales Religious education and local control • The role of SACRE (Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education) - each local authority has to establish a SACRE by law to advise on religious education and collective worship - in Wales made up of three Committees (four in England): local government councillors, teachers, and religious representatives - religious education is informed by the local area

  27. Religious Education in Wales Religious education post-devolution • Position of religious education in the Wales Education Review: - equal treatment with other subjects - equal provision on every level

  28. Religious Education in Wales • National Exemplar Framework for Religious Education for 3 to 19-year-olds in Wales and support guidance documents, 2008 (non-statutory) - adopted or adapted by all 22 Local Authorities in Wales How was this achieved? • Process of consultation / key individuals / size of Wales • Nature of the content of the Framework (relevance and allows local input)

  29. Religious Education in Wales Exemplar Framework focuses on three inter-related core skills for 8 to 19-year-olds (3 to 7 year olds within Foundation Phase curriculum): • Engaging with fundamental questions • Exploring religious beliefs and practices • Expressing personal responses Approached through a given ‘Range’ e.g. The world, human experience, and search for meaning

  30. Religious Education in Wales • Schools of a Religious Character syllabus responsibility of the group concerned • E.g. Church in Wales syllabus for religious education

  31. Wales Association of SACREs • Wales Association of SACREs established in 1995 • Forum for 22 SACREs in Wales and represents SACREs at national level • Since devolution, emerged as an influential non-government organisation for religious education • Annual meetings with Minister of Education – raising issues of concern and areas for development • Engages in some collaborative working with WAG • Increasingly consulted by the Welsh Assembly Government

  32. Wales Association of SACREs • Works closely with other non-government organisations such as NAPfRE, REMW, and the Centres for Religion and Education.

  33. Centres for Religion and Education Centres for religion and education • the Mary’s Centre (2008) • the St Giles’ Centre (2009) Core funded by Anglican charities: - trust deeds are religion and education related - involved in religious education both in school and church - work collaboratively with higher education and other bodies in Wales and England

  34. Centres for Religion and Education • St Mary’s Centre and St Giles’ Centre share expertise and work collaboratively • Both Centres provide a significant resource for non-government organisations in Wales: WASACRE; NAPfRE; REMW

  35. Wales and England

  36. Wales and England • Since devolution, the two education systems have become increasingly divergent • Raises question: What can we do together?

  37. RE Council for England and Wales • RE Council for England and Wales • Wales representation (two positions) Strengthening of links : learning about differences and similarities in shared projects

  38. REsilience REsilience is a project which is: • UK Government funded: Home Office • Managed by Education Council for England and Wales (REC) under contracts with DCSF (for England) and DCELLS (for Wales).

  39. REsilience • What is REsilience? • REsilience is a project for teachers of religious education in state-maintained secondary schools. Its purpose is to help increase teacher confidence in addressing contentious issues, particularly when such issues are sometimes used to justify violent extremism.

  40. REsilience • Welsh provision: - WASACRE and Welsh Assembly Government representative s on the Executive Delivery Group and Advisory Group. - creation of a Welsh Advisory Group - adaptation of materials produced to reflect differing systems and issues in Wales - Welsh language document provision

  41. Religious Education Festival • Month-long celebration of religious education in England and Wales (March 2011) • www.recelebration.org • Provision for Wales: - Wales link with England Planning Committee (WASACRE link) - Wales planning group - Welsh translation and adaption of key resources and promotional materials

  42. Christian Education • Christian charity which is a major provider of resources for religious education in both church and school contexts • Historically understood its work to be in both England and Wales • Wales representative on Christian Education Board • Increasing recognition that resources need to be made relevant to Wales

  43. Interfaith Network • Interfaith Network for the UK - recent WASACRE membership (July 2010) - the Network conducted a survey (2009) of local interfaith organisations and SACREs on working together for understanding and community cohesion (England-based only) - Inspired WASACRE survey of SACREs and the Local Community

  44. WASACRE survey The survey will enable Wales Association of SACREs to map the relationships between SACREs and their local communities through collating and sharing information, experiences, and practice in relation to four specific areas: • SACRE representation on Committee A (Christian denominations and other religions and their denominations) • SACRE co-opted representation • SACRE relations with Christian denominations and other religions and their denominations • and SACRE involvement with local interfaith organisations and other local interfaith initiatives.

  45. Wales and Europe

  46. EFTRE WASACRE representation: - RE Subject Officer for Welsh Assembly Government

  47. ICCS • David Lankshear • Tania ap Siôn

  48. Role of the Church In Education

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