AQW 40314/22-27

Mr Nick Mathison
Alliance Party
Strangford

Tabled Date: 11/02/2026
Answered On Date: 18/02/2026
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Education whether the new Religious Education (RE) syllabus will provide guidance, to ensure that when schools bring in third parties to deliver RE and collective worship, that they do so in a way that is objective, critical and pluralistic.

Answer:

A syllabus is a document that outlines what will be taught in a specific subject or course. The new Religious Education (RE) Core Syllabus will set out the key learning objectives by Key Stage, as defined in the Review’s Terms of Reference. It will not provide guidance on how schools should engage with external groups, which is an operational matter for schools across all aspects of the Curriculum.