Spiritual Confusion: a critique of current educational policy in England and Wales

Abstract

Abstract This article constitutes an analytical survey of recent approaches to spiritual development and, in particular, a critique of government policy and practice in the documentation produced by OFSTED and SCAA (now QCA). It questions the consistency and adequacy with which spiritual development has been addressed and the ambiguity inherent in the SCAA approach when set alongside the pronouncements of its Chief Executive Nicholas Tate. By drawing on selected writers the claims for inclusivity, exclusivity and consensus as bases for educational practice are scrutinized and the case for a relativist approach to the subject advanced. The writer argues that teachers should engage with the process of spiritual development rather than being concerned with a pre‐determined outcome aligned to either moral ends or faith commitment.