Restore parental consent for Religion, Values and Ethics (RVE) lessons in the Curriculum for Wales
Completed
614 signatures
- More than 250 signatures: considered by the Petitions CommitteeReached
- More than 10,000 signatures: considered for a debate in the SeneddNot reached
Under the Curriculum and Assessment (Wales) Act 2021, parents lost the right to withdraw their children from Religion, Values and Ethics (RVE) lessons. This applies to all schools, including faith schools.
Parents deserve the right to consent to or withdraw from religious instruction that conflicts with family beliefs, and to be clearly informed in advance when external faith representatives are invited to deliver lessons in schools.
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The Curriculum and Assessment (Wales) Act 2021 removed parents’ legal right to withdraw their children from Religion, Values and Ethics (RVE) lessons.
Welsh Government guidance issued in 2021 states: “There is no right to withdraw from RVE.” This applies to all pupils, including those in Church and faith schools.
While it is important that pupils learn about different religions and beliefs, parental consent must remain central to that process. Faith is a personal matter, and families should retain the right to decide how their children engage with religious instruction or teaching that conflicts with their beliefs.
We ask the Welsh Government to review this policy, restore parental consent for RVE, and ensure schools provide clear advance notice when external faith representatives are invited to teach.
Transparency and choice are essential to maintaining trust between schools, families, and communities.