North Yorkshire Council

 

North Yorkshire Standing Advisory Council

on Religious Education (SACRE)

 

April 2024

Update from the Local Authority

 

1.0

 

Purpose of the Report

 

 

To inform Members on work undertaken by the Local Authority since the last SACRE meeting.

 

 

2.0  Communication and resourcing

 

2.1                Local Authority (LA) Officers submitted the SACRE Annual report to the DfE and to NASACRE on the 21st December 2023. The DfE confirmed receipt of the report on the 8th January 2024. NASACRE confirmed that they had received the annual report and uploaded it onto their website on the 29th December 2023.

 

2.2                  The SACRE spring term 2024 newsletter was distributed to schools via the Red Bag system on the 26th January 2024. The link to the latest newsletter in included in this report for information: North Yorkshire SACRE Newsletter Spring 2024.pdf.

 

2.3                  LA Officers have confirmed the venue for the launch of the new agreed syllabus. This has been confirmed for the 14th June 2024 at the Pavilions of Harrogate. The event is now ‘live’ and open to bookings. A publicity campaign is underway to promote the event with schools with the support of LA NYES colleagues. LA press team have also been informed and will support with press coverage on the day and use as an opportunity to raise awareness of the work of SACRE. The public facing sign-up page for schools is included in this report for information: The Launch of the New North Yorkshire SACRE Agreed Syllabus for RE, 2024-2029 | NYES Info

 

2.4                  LA officers have signposted SACRE members to optional training events offered by NASACRE.

 

3.0  Support for Senior Leaders and Governors

 

3.1                  A named Senior Education Adviser continues to have dedicated management time assigned to her to liaise and co-ordinate work with the Professional RE Adviser.

 

3.2                  The Local Authority is continuing to facilitate the coordination of RE subject leader networks alongside RE subject leadership courses. Data concerning uptake and feedback from any networks that have taken place since the last SACRE meeting is reported in the professional adviser report.

 

4.0  Ofsted inspections

 

4.1                  Since the last LA report to governors until the 29th February 2024, Ofsted have published a further 40 reports for schools within North Yorkshire from graded, ungraded or monitoring inspections, in the proportions outlined in the table below.

 

 

Primary

Secondary

PRS

Special

Community School

11

3

2

 

Voluntary Controlled

6

 

 

 

Voluntary Aided

3

 

 

 

Foundation

 

 

 

 

Academy Convertor

7

2

 

 

Academy Sponsor Led

4

 

 

1

Free School

1

 

 

 

 

 

4.2                  The extracts below taken from inspection reports published between the 24th November 2023 and the 29th February 2024 and reflect the inspections where inspectors have identified behaviours and/or understanding that pupils have demonstrated that are in line with the principal aims of the RE curriculum as identified within the agreed syllabus (page 7). Comments from all schools inspected within North Yorkshire have been included. SACRE members are reminded that SACRE’s remit for RE curriculum is only for maintained Community, Voluntary Controlled and Foundation schools alongside any Academies that choose to adopt the syllabus and that SACRE’s remit for collective worship extends only to maintained community schools and Academies without a religious characteristic. Where there are gaps, no comments were made within the inspection report.

 

Name

Comments relating to Collective Worship

Comments relating to RE

St Augustine's Catholic School - a Catholic voluntary academy

The school’s motto, to ‘love and serve through Christ’, is the foundation of the school’s approach. Pupils are taught important values. These are prominent in the school. For example, pupils learn about gratitude. This is supported by specific activities such as sending ‘thank you’ messages to others. The school ensures pupils debate complex issues in a safe space. This further reinforces the school’s values. For example, pupils sensitively discuss Black History Month and associated themes of oppression.

Burnsall Voluntary Aided Primary School

Pupils know and understand the core Christian values of ‘love, kindness, forgiveness, thankfulness and trust’. These values thread through every aspect of the school’s work. They contribute to the high standards of pupils’ behaviour and conduct that are consistently seen, both in lessons and at other times.

Settrington All Saints' Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

The school’s Christian values are reflected in the attitudes of the pupils. They use them to become responsible, respectful and active citizens.

Great Ouseburn Community Primary School

Pupils enjoy a range of sports, social events and clubs. Pupils know the importance of rules and how democracy helps them make decisions as a class. They learn about different faiths and cultures. Pupils visit a range of places of worship and work on multifaith projects. They enthuse about the school choir, with almost two thirds of the school being members.

All Saints Catholic Primary School, a Catholic Voluntary Academy

Pupils believe that other faiths and cultures should be respected.

 

However, they do not remember enough about other faiths and cultures. They have misconceptions about world religions. The school is aware of this. Leaders are in the process of re-designing the curriculum to help pupils to remember more.

St Robert's Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy

Everyone is valued. The Catholic values of the school are a central feature of its work. These values are reflected in the acts of kindness that pupils carry out in the school and in the community.

Assemblies, singing and prayers help to embed and promote the school’s golden rules of ‘Be ready, be safe and be respectful’. There are opportunities for pupils to develop their character and stay active during the day, during scheduled festivals and events.

Pickhill Church of England Primary School

The school’s partnership with the local church provides opportunities for pupils to contribute to the school community and beyond. Leaders provide a range of regular opportunities to promote pupils’ moral and spiritual development.

The school provides a variety of experiences to widen pupils’ understanding and respect of the different world faiths and cultures.

Thorpe Willoughby Community Primary School

Pupils are respectful and tolerant of others. They learn about different religions, such as Judaism, Islam and Hinduism.

 

However, pupils cannot recall what they have learned in depth or talk about similarities and differences. The school has not yet developed effective strategies to ensure pupils remember this aspect of the curriculum. This impacts on pupils’ readiness for life in modern Britain.

Terrington Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School

Pupils’ personal development is a strength of the school. Through the curriculum and the school values, they learn about important themes, such as consent, knowing themselves and understanding others. Pupils develop their own faiths and beliefs. They have opportunities to compare and learn about those from different religions. They are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

Whitley and Eggborough Community Primary School

The school uses carefully selected daily reading texts to enhance pupils’ learning. For example, pupils read ‘The boy at the back of the class’ and used the text as a basis to discuss values such as tolerance. Pupils know how to keep safe and healthy. In other aspects of their personal development, particularly understanding of other faiths and beliefs, pupils’ knowledge is less strong.

Caedmon College Whitby

The school’s actions to develop pupils’ understanding of fundamental British values are less secure. Despite pupils learning about equality and respect, some do not show sufficient respect for some of the protected characteristics.

Threshfield School

There are some areas of the curriculum where pupils’ knowledge is less secure. Pupils struggle to talk confidently about aspects of life in modern Britain, such as democracy and their knowledge of other faiths and cultures.

Pupils have a limited knowledge of different faiths and cultures. They are unclear about some fundamental British values, such as democracy. The school should develop its personal, social and health education curriculum further to ensure this promotes the important knowledge that it wants pupils to know and remember.

Sicklinghall Community Primary School

The curriculum for personal development is exceptional. The curriculum is explicitly planned to allow for a wide range of high-quality experiences. These strengthen pupils’ awareness of what it is to be a citizen in modern Britain. Links with a school in Keighley allow pupils the opportunity to visit, and make friends with, pupils from a diverse range of ethnicities and backgrounds. Pupils talked about these opportunities with excitement. Pupils demonstrate an exceptional understanding and appreciation of difference, equality and equity. Spiritual development, including a link with the village church, is very effective. Pupils show knowledge and understanding of different religions, faiths and cultures. A range of visitors to school and extracurricular visits strengthens this offer. For example, visitors from the Association of Harrogate Muslims and a Humanist speaker came into school as part of the religious education curriculum.

Bedale Church of England Primary School

The school nurtures pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding. Pupils develop their spiritual understanding through assemblies in which they reflect quietly

They deepen their cultural understanding through visits from a range of faith leaders and trips to places of worship.

Wheatcroft Community Primary School

Staff teach important values in assemblies. Pupils receive positive recognition when they show these values in school.

Carlton Primary School

The curriculum in the early years is well organised and connected to key stage 1. Reading is at the centre of the curriculum. The vocabulary that children are expected to know is identified. Reciting poems from the poetry basket is a class favourite. There are many different poems and rhymes that children can choose from. Children dance with excitement when their favourite poem is picked out. To celebrate Diwali, children recall lighting diva lamps. Independently and in small groups, children concentrate well on tasks.

Pupils benefit from the school’s personal development programme. This supports their well-being effectively. Pupils have some knowledge of different faiths, making comparisons between how different religions celebrate and the buildings they use.

Leavening Community Primary School

 

The school prepares pupils well for life in the wider world. Visits to museums, art galleries, theatres and places of worship help pupils to develop their knowledge.

Camblesforth Community Primary Academy

 

The school’s aspirational personal, social, health and economic education curriculum supports pupils’ personal development well. What is taught in class is also covered in a well-thought-out programme of assemblies. Because of this, pupils have an indepth understanding of the importance of the fundamental British values. They learn the importance of treating people with equality, fairness and respect. The curriculum promotes an age-appropriate awareness of life in modern Britain.

Wheatcroft Community Primary School

Staff teach important values in assemblies. Pupils receive positive recognition when they show these values in school.

 

 

Julie Pattison

Principal Adviser (Monitoring)

County Hall, Northallerton

 

12/03/24

 

Report Author: Julie Pattison

Background documents:  None

Additional sources: LA Red Bag, Ofsted inspection reports