Ministers have accepted the Francis review call to bring religious education (RE) into the national curriculum 鈥 but have said the sector has to 鈥渞each consensus on whether this is achievable鈥. Professor Becky Francis鈥 review has called for government to set up a taskforce to develop a national curriculum for RE. Currently, all state schools must teach pupils the subject up to the age of 18, but the syllabus is determined at a local authority level. Sector leaders said it was a 鈥渓andmark moment鈥, and the government confirmed it will accept the 鈥 but only if the 鈥渟ector reaches a consensus on whether this is achievable鈥. Sector must reach RE ‘consensus’ Francis called for the government to implement a staged approach to the introduction of RE to the national curriculum. The sector would be invited to form a task and finish group, led by Dr Vanessa Ogden, CEO of the Mulberry Schools Trust, and panellists on Francis鈥 review. Vanessa Ogden Ogden has since been appointed as a regional director for the DfE. The sector work would be completed by March ahead of Ogden beginning the director role, a DfE spokesperson said. The expert group would then draft changes to the curriculum, and consider whether to remove requirements for sixth form pupils to study RE. This would be consulted on. The DfE said it 鈥渨ill be shaped and guided by the sector on this important issue鈥. 鈥淚f the sector reaches a consensus on whether this is achievable, we will consult on the content of a draft RE curriculum and on proposed changes to the legislative framework within which RE sits.鈥 ‘Landmark moment’ Richard Kueh, former RE teacher and Ofsted inspector for the subject, said the proposal was a 鈥渓andmark moment鈥 which teachers have been 鈥渉oping for and wanting鈥. Kueh said comparing 鈥渃omplex, local arrangements鈥 is like 鈥渢rying to match pairs of socks, blindfolded, in a dark room鈥. Richard Kueh 鈥淚 think this actually simplifies RE and makes it more attractive as a subject to teach,鈥 he added. But Kueh suggested government 鈥渘eeds to put the money where its mouth is鈥 and reinstate the 拢10,000 bursary for trainee RE teachers. Andrew Copson, CEO of Humanists UK added a 鈥渒ey challenge will be guarding against any suggestion of opt-outs for faith schools that might arise throughout the implementation process, and to make sure this recommendation is applied across all schools鈥.