Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government why Religious Education is not included in the list of subjects for English Baccalaureate qualification.

The government’s ambition is for the English Baccalaureate (EBacc) to be at the heart of each secondary school’s broader curriculum. The EBacc subjects are those considered to provide a sound basis for many degrees and a variety of careers beyond the age of 16. The EBacc was deliberately designed to be limited in size so that pupils could study other subjects, such as Religious Studies, alongside it. There are no plans to amend the composition of the EBacc.

The government recognises the importance of religious education (RE), both to pupils' wider knowledge and to society. RE offers pupils the opportunity to engage with real world issues and to develop their understanding and appreciation of the beliefs and views of others. For this reason, the teaching of RE remains compulsory throughout a pupil's schooling.