Summary <strong>of</strong> theFE Chaplaincy Initiative01
07IntroductionThe case for reviewing provision for spiritual,moral, social <strong>and</strong> cultural development in<strong>further</strong> <strong>education</strong>This introduction has been contributed by Dr Ann Limb, Chair <strong>of</strong> theNational Ecumenical Agency in Further Education (NEAFE) <strong>and</strong> DrFatma Amer, Chair <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Faiths</strong> in Further Education Forum (<strong>Faiths</strong>in FE Forum).1The NEAFE <strong>and</strong> <strong>Faiths</strong> in FE Forum initiative, as outlined by RuthSilver, has specific aims, perhaps even certain hopes. But what doeslegislation require? It would be useful here to review the issue <strong>of</strong>the definition, appropriateness <strong>and</strong> application <strong>of</strong> the statutoryterm spiritual, moral, social <strong>and</strong> cultural (SMSC) development, as ithas been referred to in legislation since the Education Act 1944 (theAct). Such a review is timely <strong>and</strong> necessary since the provisions <strong>of</strong>the original Act, itself now over 60 years old, currently function inthe very different context in which learning <strong>and</strong> skills operate in the21st century, in a society where religious pluralism <strong>and</strong> socialinclusion are key features <strong>of</strong> everyday life.2What are the principal considerations? A legal anomaly existswhereby 16–19-year-old students in school sixth forms <strong>and</strong> sixthform colleges (that is, 40 per cent <strong>of</strong> the total cohort <strong>of</strong> youngpeople who remain in full-time <strong>education</strong>) are legally entitled toSMSC development, although in practice they may or may notreceive this entitlement, either because it is not on <strong>of</strong>fer, or, whereit is <strong>of</strong>fered only in the form <strong>of</strong> religious <strong>education</strong> (RE), becausesome decline to take it up.3In contrast, 16–19-year-old students in general <strong>further</strong> <strong>education</strong>colleges <strong>and</strong> tertiary colleges covered by the Further <strong>and</strong> HigherEducation Act 1992 which created incorporated colleges (43 percent <strong>of</strong> the total cohort <strong>of</strong> young people who remain in full-time<strong>education</strong>) are not legally entitled to SMSC development, <strong>and</strong> inpractice, this is mostly not currently on <strong>of</strong>fer to them.4There are a number <strong>of</strong> significant reasons why this is an appropriatetime to revisit this area <strong>of</strong> SMSC entitlement.• We now live in a radically different, more pluralistic <strong>and</strong> inclusivesociety from the one that influenced the formulation <strong>of</strong> the 1944Act.The United Kingdom is a multi-cultural <strong>and</strong> multi-faithsociety, <strong>and</strong> for many <strong>of</strong> today’s citizens the issue <strong>of</strong> faith (<strong>and</strong>related spiritual, moral <strong>and</strong> ethical considerations) plays animportant part in personal <strong>and</strong> pr<strong>of</strong>essional life <strong>and</strong> in thecommunities in which we live <strong>and</strong> work. In a post-9/11 world,<strong>and</strong> following the recent Madrid <strong>and</strong> London bombings, this issueis made even more relevant.• Alongside the Government’s agendas for national economicgrowth, the creation <strong>of</strong> personal prosperity <strong>and</strong> the development<strong>of</strong> safe, healthy <strong>and</strong> sustainable communities, the overall<strong>education</strong>al policy framework developed by the Department forEducation <strong>and</strong> Skills (DfES) since 1997 has focused consistently(<strong>and</strong> increasingly) on putting learners’ needs at the heart <strong>of</strong>successful policy implementation <strong>and</strong> <strong>of</strong> effective, high-qualitypublic service delivery.• The issue <strong>of</strong> SMSC development is critical to this agenda. It hasfeatured in some <strong>of</strong> the DfES’s key policy documents, rangingfrom the 1998 Green Paper The Learning Age (DfEE, 1998) to the14–19 Education <strong>and</strong> Skills White Paper (DfES, 2004). SMSCdevelopment has not, however, been subject to a thoroughreview in its own right, a review which could begin to address thelegal anomaly highlighted above, together with the need torespond in the post-16 sector to the circumstances <strong>of</strong> a changed,21st century world.• LSC research was commissioned from the National Youth Agencyto research the views <strong>and</strong> aspirations <strong>of</strong> a cross-section <strong>of</strong> youngpeople on a range <strong>of</strong> topics, including the subjects they weremost interested in learning about in the post-14 curriculum.Thisresearch indicated that spiritual, moral <strong>and</strong> ethical issues comenear the top <strong>of</strong> young people’s agendas. Furthermore, it isnotable that religious <strong>education</strong> (RE) is the fastest growing <strong>and</strong>among the most popular subjects at GCSE,AS <strong>and</strong> A-level. Over60 per cent <strong>of</strong> young people take some form <strong>of</strong> externalexamination in RE.• The DfES <strong>and</strong> the Qualifications <strong>and</strong> Curriculum Authority (QCA)have produced a new National Framework for Religious Education(DfES <strong>and</strong> QCA, 2004) which contains an important section onpost-16 religious <strong>education</strong> study, setting out a curriculum to becovered by students at this level.This guidance <strong>of</strong>fers real supportto teachers <strong>and</strong> students involved in the delivery <strong>of</strong> RE. It doesnot, however, tackle the related <strong>and</strong> wider issue <strong>of</strong> SMSCdevelopment identified earlier, nor the linked issue <strong>of</strong> the legalanomaly <strong>and</strong> disparity <strong>of</strong> practice <strong>and</strong> opportunity across post-16providers.