North Yorkshire County Council

North Yorkshire Standing Advisory Council

on Religious Education (SACRE) –

1^st February 2022

Update from Professional RE Adviser

1.0	Purpose of the Report
	To inform Members on work undertaken by the Professional RE Adviser since the last SACRE meeting. To provide members with local and national updates on RE

2.0       Training

2.1       Spring term training has not yet taken place but bookings have increased for Primary RE courses.

2.2       Spring Term training and Professional Practice Groups for Primary will focus on ‘Assessment in RE’ including a focus on the Ofsted Research Review for  Religious Education.  There are two options for the network:-

- Tuesday 1^st March 2022 09.30-11.30   course code SI-0322-T039

- Monday 7^th March 2022 13.30-15.30 course code SI-0322-T040

2.3 The secondary RE professional practice network will focus on intent and implementation of an effective RE curriculum (with a particular focus on curriculum progression, deep dives and Ofsted expectations)

- Monday 28^th March 2022 16.00-18.00 course code SI-0322-T041

We are also offering the Primary Religious Education Subject Leadership Course again in the Spring term. This practical course is suitable for new or developing Primary RE subject leads to support developing an effective RE curriculum. This course will be split over 2 sessions with a gap task in between.  The course focuses on:-

· developing an effective RE curriculum using the locally Agreed Syllabus

· developing an understanding of the role of Primary RE lead

· developing meaningful and manageable monitoring and evaluation

Day 1: Wednesday 16^th March 2022 09:30 - 11:30

The role of a curriculum leader

Curriculum intent and implementation

Supporting effective teaching and learning

Subject knowledge and supporting professional development

Day 2: Thursday 31^st March 2022 13:30 - 15:30

The role of a curriculum leader

Curriculum implementation and impact

Assessment in RE

Effective monitoring and evaluation

Deep dives in RE

3.0       SACRE Newsletter

3.1       Attached is the most recent newsletter that will go out to all schools this week. We wish to continue the feature pf a SACRE member each time, using the member profile information and anything additional that members feel would contribute to supporting engagement with our schools.  Please do contact me if you would be happy to feature in the summer term.

4.0       NATRE Secondary RE Survey

NATRE have released an analysis of the data gathered from a questionnaire on impact of government policy including accountability measures and the English Baccalaureate on Religious Education. It relates particularly to the study of Religious Studies GCSE and seeks to make the case for more attention to be paid by the Department for Education (DfE) and its ministers to the level of provision and quality of Religious Education in all schools and for there to be a National Plan for RE as recommended by the Commission on RE in 2018.

This nineth survey was conducted during the spring term of 2021 via a number of teacher networks supported by the National Association of Teachers of Religious Education (NATRE), and RE Today Services. The survey was publicised via social media networks and via the electronic networks of other RE organisations including AREIAC, AULRE, and NASACRE. Replies were received from 335 teachers. Respondents did not all respond to every question. Responses that are significantly different, according to school type of the respondent, have also been discussed.

The full report can be downloaded from the NATRE website https://www.natre.org.uk/uploads/NATRE%20EBacc%20Survey%202021%20final.pdf

5.0      Kim Leadbeater, MP for Batley and Spen, asked the following Parliamentary Question on RE

NATRE were very pleased to see that after their joint meeting with Kim Leadbeater MP, with the REC and RE Today she asked a series of questions of the DFE. The new Minister for School Standards; Robin Walker MP, gave an extremely fulsome and positive reply. We will continue to press for a meeting with him. Good to see he is clear on the value of RE and it will be interesting to teachers to note the change in focus from the current DfE Ministerial Team in relation to the value of our subject.

Question from Kim Leadbeater, MP for Batley and Spen

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment his Department has made of the societal value for young people of religious education; and if he will make a statement.

Answered by Robin Walker, MP for Worcester and Minister of State for School Standards, on 9 November 2021

The government firmly believes that religious education (RE) is important. Good quality RE is essential in developing children’s knowledge of British values and traditions, and those of other countries. RE is a vital part of fostering understanding among different faiths and beliefs, which is why it is a compulsory subject for all state-funded schools up to the age of 18.Department officials engage regularly with key RE stakeholders, including the National Association of Teachers of Religious Education as the main subject association for RE in England. When teaching RE, schools should consider how their curriculum can develop social skills and empathy, as well as equip children and young people with the skills for living and working in a diverse society. For older pupils, RE should also focus on developing skills that are useful in a wide range of careers and adult life, and in particular the skills of critical enquiry, creative problem-solving and communication in a variety of media.

In school life, RE can develop and nuance the skills required for other parts of the school curriculum such as history, citizenship, and personal, social, health and economic education.

RE is an important subject, developing an individual’s knowledge and understanding of the religions and beliefs which form part of contemporary society, as well as serving to inform their own values and behaviour. RE can also contribute to pupils’ personal development and well-being by promoting mutual respect and tolerance in a diverse society. It is an important contributor to the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils, which schools are required to facilitate as per the Education Act 2002. Studying RE can also serve to improve community cohesion, providing a key context to develop young people’s understanding and appreciation of diversity, to promote shared values and to challenge racism and discrimination.

Olivia Seymour

Professional Adviser to North Yorkshire SACRE

County Hall, Northallerton

24/01/2022

Report Author: Olivia Seymour

Background documents:  SACRE Newsletter