The new Religion, Values and Ethics (RVE) sits within the Humanities Area of Learning and Experience and is mandatory for all pupils from 3 -16. It has evolved to reflect the ambitions and four purposes of the Curriculum for Wales.
The most important points about planning for and teaching RVE are:
- Planning for this new approach to RVE should follow the curriculum design requirements of the Curriculum for Wales Framework on Hwb.
- Schools must have regard to the locally agreed syllabus for RVE when designing their curriculum.
- It must be pluralistic, reflecting the fact that religious traditions in Wales are in the main Christian while taking account of the teaching and practices of the other principal religions represented in Wales
- It must also reflect that fact that a number of non-religious philosophical convictions are also held in Wales.
- It must be provided in an objective and critical way. Teachers must take an impartial approach to teaching RVE that does not require or encourage learners to be religious or non-religious, or to accept a prescribed viewpoint.
- Parents and carers cannot withdraw their child(ren) from RVE.