Every Welsh local authority has a humanist on its education council

For the first time, every local authority in Wales has a humanist as a full member of its council responsible for overseeing Religion, Values and Ethics (RVE). Meanwhile, Understanding Humanism educational resources developed specifically to support the RVE curriculum in Wales are now officially published on the Welsh Government’s Hwb website.

Wales Humanists thanks the Welsh Government for this inclusion, making these high-quality, teacher-friendly materials freely accessible to educators across Wales, ensuring that learners gain a full and accurate understanding of humanism as a life stance alongside religious perspectives.

Bilingual classroom resources on humanism

The new resources include bilingual activities and guidance tailored for different progression steps. They were developed in alignment with the Curriculum for Wales. They offer students the opportunity to explore humanist values such as reason, empathy, and human welfare, placing them on equal footing with teaching about religions in line with statutory requirements.

This recognition by the Welsh Government signals a strong commitment to ensuring that RVE reflects the full diversity of belief systems in Wales.

Children across Wales learning about humanism

In another historic step forward, all 22 Welsh local authority Standing Advisory Councils for Religion, Values, and Ethics (SACs) have now officially welcomed humanist representatives. Humanists are now represented in local RVE policy-making in every corner of Wales.

Humanists have long advocated for parity of participation in these statutory bodies, which help shape the provision of RVE in schools. This full inclusion follows sustained engagement by Wales Humanists and a growing national consensus on the importance of fair and balanced representation.

This achievement mirrors growing success across England, where, following the landmark Bowen v Kent County Council case, over 90% of English Standing Advisory Councils on Religious Education (SACREs) now include humanist members. The Bowen judgment affirmed that non-religious belief groups are entitled to full membership on SACREs, helping to end decades of exclusion.

Wales Humanists will continue working with educators, local authorities, and communities to support the delivery of balanced and enriching RVE education for all.

Wales Humanists Coordinator Kathy Riddick commented:

‘These developments represent major victories for inclusive education. They will make sure that thousands of pupils across Wales and England can learn about humanism as a meaningful worldview – helping to build greater understanding and respect in increasingly diverse societies.

‘We hope the progress of humanist representation in England continues with more SACRE members, and humanism becomes an equal part of the curriculum currently under review. We also look forward to England and Wales finally addressing the long-standing issue of Collective Worship in all state schools.’