North Yorkshire Council
North Yorkshire Standing Advisory Council
on Religious Education (SACRE)
December 2024
Update from the Local Authority
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1.0
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Purpose of the Report
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To inform Members on work undertaken by the Local Authority since the last SACRE meeting.
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2.0 Communication and resourcing
2.1 Local Authority (LA) Officers have produced a final draft of the draft Annual Report with support from the Chair, Clerk and Professional RE Adviser. The draft report is included within the enclosures for this meeting.
2.2 The SACRE autumn term newsletter was distributed to schools via the Red Bag system on the 24 October 2024. The link to the latest newsletter is included for information: North Yorkshire SACRE Newsletter Autumn 2024.pdf.
2.3 LA officers have signposted SACRE members to optional training events offered by NASACRE.
2.4 LA officers have signposted SACRE members to the DfE's Call for Evidence for the current Curriculum and Assessment Review.
2.5 LA officers have collated the RE school website audits completed by SACRE members.
3.0 Support for Senior Leaders and Governors
3.1 A named member of the School Improvement Service continues to have dedicated management time assigned to them to liaise and co-ordinate work with the Professional RE Adviser.
3.2 The LA continues to facilitate the coordination of RE subject leader networks alongside RE subject leadership courses. Data confirming uptake and feedback from any networks that have taken place since the last SACRE meeting is reported within the professional adviser report.
3.3 The LA continues to provide information and guidance for schools for their RE and collective worship provision through specialist pages on CYPS-info. Both pages have been refreshed to ensure they reflect the current academic year. The link to these pages is included for information: Collective worship | CYPSinfo and Religious Education (RE) | CYPSinfo.
4.0 Ofsted inspections
4.1 Since the last LA report to SACRE until the 31 October 2024, Ofsted have published a further 11 reports for state-funded schools within North Yorkshire from a total of 6 graded inspections (including 1 reinspection of a requiring improvement school) and 5 ungraded inspections. There have been no monitoring inspections published in this timeframe. The inspection breakdown by school type and phase is outlined in the table below.
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Infant |
Primary |
Secondary |
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Community School |
2 |
3 |
1 |
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Voluntary Controlled |
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3 |
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Voluntary Aided |
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1 |
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Academy Convertor (Community School prior to conversion) |
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1 |
4.2 The extracts on the next three pages are taken from North Yorkshire school inspection reports published between the 1 August 2024 and the 31 October 2024 and reflect 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. 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.
4.3 Following the findings outlined within the latest Ofsted inspection for Bedale High School, the LA have sought assurances that the school has made the necessary changes and are now following the agreed syllabus. The school have confirmed that they are following the agreed syllabus.
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Name |
Comments relating to Collective Worship |
Comments relating to RE |
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Bedale High School (26 and 27 June 2024 – Section 5) |
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Leaders are increasingly ambitious for pupils’ academic progress. However, pupils do not have access to a religious education (RE) curriculum that covers the scope of the local authority’s agreed syllabus.
They [pupils] talk knowledgeably about the protected characteristics and understand which actions constitute discrimination.
Governors have a strong oversight of the school and regularly hold school leaders to account. Leaders are mindful of staff workload and genuinely care about the well-being of the staff. However, leaders have not ensured that the curriculum for RE meets the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus. As a result, pupils do not have a thorough understanding of a range of different beliefs and cultures. Leaders have taken steps to address this with the appointment of a full time RE teacher and plans to timetable RE for all pupils from September 2024.
The school has not developed an RE curriculum that is in line with the local authority’s agreed syllabus. As a result, pupils do not have a thorough understanding of a range of different beliefs and cultures. The school should ensure that all pupils have access to an RE curriculum that meets the scope of the locally agreed syllabus. |
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Cawood Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School (inspected 2 to 3 July 2024 – Section 8) |
Pupils blossom in this caring, close-knit school. Guiding principles known as ‘The Five Ways to Flourish’ underpin all aspects of the school, including the curriculum. Pupils can explain how they put these values into practice. They are kind and supportive of each other, playing harmoniously at breaktimes. Many pupils also enjoy the quietness of the Peace Garden. |
The school expertly promotes pupils’ social, moral, spiritual, and cultural understanding. A well-established framework supports pupils in connecting different dimensions of spirituality. Pupils deepen their cultural and understanding through visits from a range of faith leaders. |
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Crayke Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School (25 and 26 June 2024 – Section 5) |
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Pupils have a deep understanding of fundamental British values and protected characteristics. |
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Goathland Primary School (inspected 10 July 2024 – Section 8) |
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They [pupils] learn about the world around them. For example, the whole school visit to a gurdwara has helped pupils understand more about Sikh beliefs and traditions. |
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Hackness Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School (9 and 10 July 2024 – Section 5) |
Older pupils are excellent role models to those in younger year groups. Year 6 pupils enjoy being buddies to children in Reception. They carry out these and other roles, such as worship ambassadors and librarians, responsibly.
(See also right-hand column for further reference to worship in the context of the taught curriculum). |
Pupils benefit from school visits that enable them to experience different cultures and faiths.
Acts of worship, PSHE and other curriculum lessons provide times for pupils to reflect on what they have learned and how this impacts on their own life. During the inspection, pupils shared with an inspector what they had learned about the Windrush. They reflected on the meaning of racism and its impact on society. |
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Hellifield Community Primary School (24 to 25 September 2024 – Section 5) |
Pupils know and follow the school’s values of ‘kindness, love, respect and friendship’. They care for each other. The Year 6 prefects set an excellent example for younger pupils.
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Pupils learn about British values through assemblies and the day-to-day curriculum. They relate these to the school values. They know that there are certain characteristics that are protected in law. They feel a strong sense of injustice about any form of discrimination. The school plans visitors, events and trips to enhance the curriculum. This broadens pupils’ experience of the wider world. For example, pupils enjoyed an Indian dance workshop. They created their own dance and story. However, pupils do not have secure knowledge of the faiths and cultures that make up modern Britain.
Pupils are not as well prepared for life in modern Britain as they could be. The curriculum does not provide enough opportunities for pupils to develop a depth of understanding of the faiths and cultures that make up modern Britain. The school should continue to develop the curriculum to help pupils develop a strong understanding of people who are different to themselves. |
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Kettlewell Primary School (inspected 3 to 4 July 2024 – Section 8) |
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Leaders deliberately plan the curriculum to enrich pupils’ wider experiences and enhance their cultural capital. |
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Outwood Academy Ripon (2 and 3 July 2024 – Section 5)
(Community School prior to academisation in February 2012) |
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Pupils have a detailed understanding of the school’s ‘Life’ curriculum. Pupils spoke knowledgeably with inspectors about what they had learned in these lessons. For example, when talking about democracy, some pupils explained the limitations of other systems. Other pupils were able to describe similarities and differences in the beliefs and customs of other religions. This understanding prepares pupils well to be positive members of the local community. |
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Sessay Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School (inspected 10 July 2024 – Section 8) |
The collective worship group support the spiritual life of the school. |
The opportunities for pupils’ personal, spiritual and social development are plentiful. The school works closely with the local church, just next door.
They [pupils] show a clear understanding of different faiths and cultures. |
Julie Pattison
Principal Adviser (Monitoring)
County Hall, Northallerton
18/11/24
Report Author: Julie Pattison
Background documents: None
Additional sources: LA Red Bag, Ofsted inspection reports, CYPS info web pages