Decision details

Reason for the decision:

The Cabinet Member for Education and Skills, in giving effect to the Agreed Syllabus Conference recommendation would allow the Local Authority to fulfil its duty to review and provide a locally agreed syllabus for religious education.

Background:

The Local Authority is required to revise its Locally Agreed Syllabus for RE at least every five years. The current Kent RE syllabus was introduced in September 2017 and was therefore due to be reviewed in 2022. Further to the requirements set out in Section 375 and Schedule 31 of the Education Act 1996, the formal review was undertaken by the Kent Agreed Syllabus Conference in May 2022. The Conference unanimously agreed to recommend renewing the RE Today Model A+ syllabus licence for a further five years.

Options (other options considered but discarded):

The Agreed Syllabus Conference Members noted that the resources required to independently write a new syllabus would outweigh the costs involved with the license renewal.

As Cabinet Member for Education and Skills, I agree;

-       to adopt the proposed syllabus as Kent’s Locally Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education, as recommended by the Agreed Syllabus Conference 2022; and

-       delegate authority to the Corporate Director of Children to take relevant actions, including but not limited to entering into contracts or other legal agreements, as necessary to implement the decision.