In England and Wales, as in many other countries, Religious Education (RE) occupies a rather anomalous and peculiar position in the school curriculum. Although for decades before we had a National Curriculum it was the only compulsory subject in state schools, RE exists outside the National Curriculum and its content is largely locally determined, within some fairly minimal legal requirements, and overseen by national bodies such as the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA).

The local nature of RE (with over 150 slightly different syllabuses in England) makes it difficult to generalise, though it is these days usually a study of world religions, covering a range of perspectives on the "big questions", sometimes including humanist ones and almost always atheistic arguments. It is very different from the Scripture lessons of the past, or the confessional courses overseen by religious bodies that exist elsewhere, though the picture is inevitably mixed and it is not always well taught; parents still need and have the right to withdraw their children from it.

But we do seem to be slowly moving towards a more centralised system, bringing with it something of a breakthrough for Humanism. From this autumn, RE in England will have its first ever National Framework, and, at the time of writing, I fully expect it to include the advice that all students should have the opportunity to study Humanism, alongside the six main faiths found in Britain and some minor ones. Humanists have long sought "objective, fair and balanced" RE which includes Humanism, and the new Framework looks to be a considerable step in that direction. The last draft that I saw acknowledged that a wide range of ideas about religion and morality co-exist in our society, and there was much in it to encourage inclusive and critical teaching about beliefs. The inclusion of Humanism will make the subject more personally meaningful to the many pupils in our schools with no religious beliefs or attachments. It should also be interesting and relevant to those who do not share humanist beliefs but will surely encounter them in this increasingly pluralist and secular society.

If the Framework is widely adopted, as I hope it will be, it will offer an opportunity for RE to throw off the last vestiges of confessionalism and bias, and to become a more intellectually credible subject. Not only is this good news for humanists, it is good news for RE, which has suffered for years from low status and standards, pupil indifference, lack of qualified teachers and problems with resources. Though it will only be guidance, it should be highly influential – on local syllabus makers, publishers, teacher-trainers, advisers and teachers. So humanists have reason to celebrate some progress, the result of a long process of critical but constructive engagement with RE, locally on Standing Advisory Councils for RE (SACREs) and nationally through the British Humanist Association.

The Framework could be the first step towards a National Syllabus for RE. That would ensure that every child in ordinary state schools received a broadly similar religious education, but would require legislation and might meet with resistance from religious conservatives and local interest groups. Even then, the growing numbers of faith-based schools and quasi-independent "academies" would be able to continue to teach their own versions of RE, and there is still work to do before all state-educated pupils in England get the broad and balanced RE that is surely their entitlement. The only way of guaranteeing that would be for a good RE syllabus to become part of the mandatory National Curriculum, something which remains a tantalisingly long way over the horizon.

The next few years will be interesting ones for RE. The British Humanist Association was recognised as a stakeholder and involved throughout the development of the Framework; I anticipate that we will be similarly involved in future developments. Politicians of all parties have often taken a very conservative view of religion in schools, and the current progress has certainly been helped along by a Secretary of State for Education who is not a religious believer himself but who takes a strong personal interest in RE. We have always believed RE to be capable of reform, have found much support for that view amongst RE professionals, and hope now to see significant improvements following publication of the new Framework.

More information on Religious Education can be found at www.humanism.org.uk

The National Framework for RE was published on www.qca.org.uk in October 2004