Dear Sir/Madam        Thank you for your e-mail dated 13 October, addressed to Charles Clarke about the teaching of Islam in schools. I have been asked to reply.        As you may be aware religious education (RE) is a part of the school curriculum, but not of the statutory National Curriculum (NC), therefore there are no nationally agreed programmes of study. The content of RE in schools is determined by local education authorities (LEAs) through their agreed syllabuses and advised by Standing Advisory Councils for RE (SACREs). Under the 1996 Education Act, agreed syllabuses must show the fact that the main traditions in Britain are Christian whilst taking into account the other principal religions represented in Britain. This allows different areas of the country to vary the content of RE to match the different faith groups living there. It should also encourage respect for those holding different beliefs.        In 1994, the School Curriculum and Assessment Authority (SCAA) published model syllabuses as non-statutory guidance for LEAs on what agreed syllabuses should contain. In effect, these provide for teaching on Christianity in every key stage and teaching on five other religions (Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism, Islam and Sikhism) in various combinations and to varying degrees across the key stages. This matches the guidance in DfEE circular 1/94, Religious Education and Collective Worship.         As a result, the amount of any other religion, apart from Christianity, taught in schools depends on the agreed syllabuses. You will see more emphasis on Islam in some parts of the country than others. Often syllabuses allow the schools themselves to choose which religions they study in each key stage, so you will find variations within LEAs as well, depending on the nature of the school populations.        As you may already know, RE is compulsory for all registered pupils in a maintained school; however, all parents have the right to withdraw their child from all or part of RE if they wish. Therefore, unless pupils have been withdrawn, all children receive the same RE teachings whatever their faith. As a whole and at each key stage, the relative content must reflect Christianity as the main religious tradition, whilst taking into account the teaching and practises of other principal religions. What is important to remember is that RE is about education, it is not about the inculcation into a faith or belief group. We think it is right that all children are given the opportunity to learn about how different faith and belief groups respond to issues, but ultimately it is up to schools to decide what is appropriate for their pupils learning.             I should explain that the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) is not funding the Books4Schools initiative, recently launched by the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB). The series has been designed and paid for through donations collected by the MCB, an umbrella organisation representing around 400 Muslim groups, community projects and mosques. Charles Clarke was the guest of honour at the launch, at which he stressed how important it is to make sure children grow up with a better understanding of their friends and neighbours. Further details of the launch are on the MCB website:  http://www.mcb.org.uk .        I should also like to point out that any faith group is free to produce resources if they wish. Schools make their own decision about the resources they use; we believe it is for individual schools to decide which materials to use in delivering the contents of the NC as they are best placed to recognise the learning needs of their pupils.         Yours sincerely        Judith Hulse    On behalf of the Head of the Public Communications Unit        To correspond by e-mail with the Department for Education and Skills, please contact  [email protected]