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The proposed changes to the national curriculum in England are moving towards skills-based learning, broader subject inclusion, and an education that prepares pupils for digital and media realities. The emphasises the need to develop critical thinking, media awareness and digital competence. Amid this shift, spiritual development remains in the framework but is often misinterpreted or quietly ignored. In many schools, it is reduced to religious assemblies or occasional moral reminders. This narrow treatment misses a key opportunity, especially at a time when pupils need space to explore who they are, how they relate to others, and what gives life meaning.

Reframing spirituality in education

Spiritual development can be understood in secular terms as a human capacity. It involves wonder, empathy, moral awareness and the search for meaning. These qualities sit at the heart of reflective learning and thoughtful citizenship while giving depth to academic skills such as analysis, reasoning and dialogue. Handlarski (2024) defines spirituality as a relational awareness, a sensitivity to self, others and the wider world. Alexander (2017) argues that spiritual growth enriches learning by encouraging pupils to connect knowledge with lived experience and ethical reflection. Teachers don’t need to deliver spiritual content. They can support it through simple, deliberate practices: a quiet moment after a poem, a class discussion that welcomes uncertainty, or a question that invites perspective rather than conclusion. We can see these ideas in action in other systems. , an Irish network of schools, embeds ethical education across the curriculum.

Making it work across the curriculum

Teachers already create conditions for spiritual development, often without naming them as such. In a science lesson, a pupil might feel awe at a natural phenomenon. In English, they might wrestle with a moral dilemma in a novel. In ICT, a discussion about online identity can open deep personal questions. These are more than teachable moments. They are signs that pupils are trying to make sense of the world and their place in it. These moments of engagement, when pupils ask questions that stretch beyond the task, or feel something shift inside, are the ground of spiritual learning. These experiences matter just as much in secondary education as they do in early years. Older pupils often begin to explore values, injustice, mortality and transcendence. They may not speak the language of spirituality, but they are thinking about what kind of people they want to become. Project-based learning (PBL) can support this work. When pupils plan a sustainability campaign or cocurate an exhibition, they reflect on outcomes, values and responsibility.

A recent meta-analysis found that PBL boosts engagement and motivation across subjects, which links closely to the kind of spiritual investment that helps pupils care about what they learn (see Wijnia et al., 2024). None of this requires new curriculum time. It asks for attention. Teachers, heads and curriculum leads can look for what is already happening and build on it. That might mean creating space for reflection or simply recognising when a question goes deeper than expected. Schools that nurture these moments help pupils develop resilience, purpose and integrity.

Looking ahead

‘If we continue to treat spiritual development as a vague add-on, we risk producing learners who are technically able but morally unprepared.’

Curriculum reform often focuses on what pupils need to know. But we must also ask who pupils are becoming. Education is more than the transfer of knowledge. It is a space where values are shaped, choices are rehearsed and identities are formed. If we continue to treat spiritual development as a vague add-on, we risk producing learners who are technically able but morally unprepared. The alternative is to bring meaning, reflection and connection back into the centre of schooling. As this national conversation continues, we might pause to ask:

• How do different subjects already create space for ethical or reflective thinking?
• What practical steps could make these moments more intentional?
• What risks do we take when we ignore pupils’ deeper questions?

There are no simple templates for spiritual development. But there is a strong case for making it visible again, and for treating it as part of what makes education worth doing.

References

Alexander, H. (2017). Spirituality and education: Reflective practice in a global context. Routledge.

Handlarski, D. (2024). Secular spirituality in schools. Holistic Education Review, 4(2).

Wijnia, L., Noordzij, G., Arends, L. R., Rikers, R. M. J. P., & Loyens, S. M. M. (2024). The effects of problem-based, project-based, and case-based learning on students’ motivation: A meta-analysis. Educational Psychology Review, 36, Article 29.