Religion and philosophy a hot topic between parents and children

LONDON, Dec. 5, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- A survey into parents' attitudes towards religious education has found that religious and philosophical themes are a major talking point at home between parents and their children.

• Around 8 in 10 discuss beliefs about the origins of life and the universe (78%)
• Around 7 in 10 discuss beliefs concerning what happens when we die (72%)
• Around 7 in 10 discuss issues related to religious and non-religious worldviews that appear in the media (67%)

The survey also found three in five parents teach their children a religious or non-religious worldview including agnostic, atheistic, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu Dharma, and Muslim perspectives.

Around seven in ten (67%) regarded what their child learnt in RE as important, with just 15% of parents saying they didn't see value in teaching religious education.

School emerged as the biggest source of information about different worldviews with seven in ten parents (69%) reporting their child accessed information about religious and non-religious worldviews in the classroom. 65% also agreed with the approach taken by their child's RE teacher.

Parents were also asked about the Religion and Worldviews approach to RE, which reflects the recommendations in the 2018 Commission on RE report and is being developed in some schools. 

Parents were mostly supportive of the approach. An average of seven in ten agreed with its four core principles, including teaching the historical and social context of religion and providing children with the opportunity to explore similarities and differences between worldviews.

Dr Kathryn Wright, CEO of Culham St Gabriel's Trust, said:

"The conversations between parents, carers and their children at home touch on much of what is taught in a modern religious education curriculum. Beliefs about morality, what happens after death, and the origins of the universe are at the centre of every worldview.

"It shows that when the components of a modern RE curriculum are communicated clearly to parents and carers, they broadly agree with the direction it is taking their child's learning. The research shows a strong majority are supportive of the Religion and Worldviews approach to RE - particularly the idea that every child has their own unique worldview. RE teachers are crucial in helping young people understand and explore these different worldviews and find their place in modern Britain and the wider world."

https://www.cstg.org.uk/activities/campaigns/parent-survey