The interface of religious education and citizenship in schools: Reflection on the contribution of a combined ‘worldviews approach¹’

Despite growing awareness of the importance of religion to civic identity, participation and belonging, in the English education system, the two related school subjects, Citizenship and Religious Education (RE) often remain siloed in terms of teacher education and curriculum development. This is despite a convergence in aims and the fact that in practice, many teachers span the subject divide. This article documents an example of curriculum innovation in a secondary (ages 11-18) school, in which a combined approach highlights the potentially generative interface between the subjects. We focus on identity, and how the interplay between personal and civic, religious and secular can be critically explored. Using the framework of ‘worldview literacy’ we explore the challenges and potential for a ‘worldviews approach’ in supporting young people as global citizens in plural democracies.