Context, complexity and contestation: Birmingham's Agreed Syllabuses for Religious Education since the 1970s

The present article offers an historical perspective on the 1975, 1995 and 2007 Birmingham Agreed Syllabuses for Religious Education. It draws upon historical evidence uncovered as part of 'The hidden history of curriculum change in religious education in English schools, 1969-1979' projec...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of beliefs and values 2011-08, Vol.32 (2), p.247-263
Main Authors: Parker, Stephen G., Freathy, Rob J.K.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Agreed Syllabus
Consciousness
Context Effect
Course Descriptions
Curricula
curriculum change
Curriculum Development
Educational Change
Educational History
England
Expectations
Foreign Countries
Historiography
Religious Education
Rhetoric
Teacher Role
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Summary:The present article offers an historical perspective on the 1975, 1995 and 2007 Birmingham Agreed Syllabuses for Religious Education. It draws upon historical evidence uncovered as part of 'The hidden history of curriculum change in religious education in English schools, 1969-1979' project, and curriculum history theories, especially David Labaree's observations about the distance between the 'rhetorical' and 'received' curricula. We argue that, contrary to the existing historiography, curriculum change in religious education (RE) has been evolutionary not revolutionary. Multiple reasons are posited to explain this, not least among which is the capacity and agency of teachers. Furthermore, we argue that ongoing debates about the nature and purpose of RE, as exemplified in the Birmingham context, reflect the multiple expectations that religious educators and other stakeholders had, and continue to have, of the curriculum subject. These debates contribute to the inertia evident in the implementation of RE curriculum reforms. A consciousness of the history of RE enables curriculum contestations to be contextualised and understood, and, thereby, provides important insights which can be applied to ongoing and future debates and developments.
ISSN:1361-7672
1469-9362
DOI:10.1080/13617672.2011.600823