SACRE OLDHAMGovernors' legal responsibility for religious education  • Governing bodies and headteachers in all state schools must ensure that

provision is made for RE for all pupils, unless they are withdrawn by their parents. Further details, in particular guidance on the RE curriculum to be taught in different types of school, may be found in two documents on the Department for Education (DfE) website:

1 Religious education in English schools: Non-statutory guidance 2010.

http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/teachingandlearning/curriculum/a0064886/religious-education-in-english-schools-non-statutory-guidance-2010

2 Religious Education (RE) in academies.

http://media.education.gov.uk/assets/files/pdf/r/re%20and%20collective%20worship%20in%20acads%20and%20fs%20qanda.pdf

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The Oldham Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education (SACRE)

is a statutory body which is set up as in each Local Authority (to oversee Religious Education and Collective Worship in Community Schools) The SACRE meets at least once each term and is made up of four different Committees:

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• SACRE must:• Advise the Local Authority on matters relating to

ensuring that good quality Religious Education is provided in all schools

• Regularly produce an Agreed Syllabus. • Advises the LA on matters relating to collective

worship• Monitor provision as far as possible and broker

support

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The importance of RE

The recent

All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) undertaking a subject survey concluded that:

Religious Education has a vital and powerful contribution to make in equipping young people, whatever their backgrounds and personal beliefs with the skills to understand and thrive in a diverse and shifting world. The ... subject is now under threat as never before, just at the moment when it is needed most.

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The staffing of primary RE •  OFSTED has found that pupils' achievement in

RE is very inconsistent. At the time of Ofsted's most recent report on RE (Ofsted 2010) primary school pupils’ achievement in RE was good or outstanding in only 4 out of 10 schools. The APPG inquiry identified four key concerns related to the deployment of teachers that contributed to these disappointing standards in RE.

Ofsted (2010) Transforming Religious Education

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To what extent are standards and the teaching of secondary RE a problem?

The most recent OFSTED report on RE found that pupils’ achievement in RE in secondary schools shows a very mixed picture. It was good or outstanding in 40 of the 89 schools visited, requiring improvement in 45 schools and inadequate in 14 schools. The APPG inquiry identified five key concerns related to the management of teachers that contributed to these disappointing standards in over half of all secondary schools.

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Key issues for Primary schools• The excessive use of teaching assistants to

teach • Teachers' lack of confidence. • RE subject leaders' lack of expertise• Insufficient teacher training in RE.

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Key issues in secondary schools• The excessive use of non-specialists. • The inappropriate use of non specialists• Schools misunderstanding the legal position

of RE. • Insufficient continuing professional

development (CPD) in RE.

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OLDHAM SACRE would welcome governors assisting in a review of RE in the school to find out - the extent of teachers' confidence in teaching RE, and

the reasons for any lack of confidence- how many teachers, if any, are not teaching RE to

their class and the reasons why- the training, expertise and enthusiasm of staff

covering other teachers' RE classes

Such an activity might form part of the school’s application for an RE Quality Mark (REQM) which SACRE will support

– http://reqm.org/

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Governors can encourage school leadership to:- make proper provision for continuing professional

development for RE subject leaders and others with responsibility for teaching RE in order to improve its quality

- ensure that the RE subject leader knows where to find training and support locally and from national organisations

- provide regular opportunities for RE subject leaders to train their colleagues in subject knowledge and planning and assessing RE.

- Encourage exploration of the Agreed Syllabus with its extensive range of support materials

0

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2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

Religious Studies GCSE number of entries 2008-2012

ShortCourse Entry

Full Course Entry

GCSE Full Course

%A*-C Oldham

Annual change

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Variance Oldham/

National Entry

2008 73.2 70.5 2.7 8952009 76.7 3.5 73 3.7 9522010 73.1 -3.6 72.1 1 9902011 70.8 -2.3 72 -1.2 8722012 72 1.2 72.5 -0.5 987

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Art work by Oldham pupilsTawheed Ahmed Chowdhury aged

11, Greenhill Primary School

CONTENTS• RE and the Law • The Aims and Purposes of RE: Why RE Matters

for Every Learner in Oldham • The Field of Enquiry in RE • RE benefits each learner • Organising RE: Curriculum Time • Which Religions and Beliefs are to be Studied? • The Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural

Development of Pupils • Religious Education and Inclusion • Religious Education, Respect for All and

Community Cohesion • RE: Connections to Citizenship, PSHE and SEAL

16• Attitudes and Skills in RE

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Oldham Agreed Syllabus 2014

Implementation target is September 2014 Curriculum changes have been taken into

account

RE Programmes of Study• RE in the Early Years • 5-7s Key Stage 1 • 7-9s Key Stage 2 • 9-11s Key Stage 2 • 11-14s Key Stage 3 • 14-19 and 16-19

Key Stages 4 and 5

SACRE OLDHAMOldham has moved beyond the 2

Attainment Targets What does this mean?New Developments in RE for this syllabus: • The previous Oldham syllabus (2008) used

the two attainment targets of ‘learning about religion and learning from religion’.

• SACRE intends to make the field of enquiry for RE clearer in the current model of learning in the 2014 syllabus. Here, the substance of learning about religion and belief builds the skills of developing knowledge and understanding. The substance of learning from religion and belief is to do with pupils’ reflection and response. The new focus on enquiry, thinking and creative & critical questioning is to be combined with these skills. Learning in RE involves creativity and enquiry.

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Bare Trees Primary SchoolGuidance on Assessment was

requested

• Assessment and Achievement

• How do we know what pupils are achieving in RE?

• Assessment for learning described for Teachers of RE

• P Levels for RE

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Teachers requested support materials

Additional material available on line

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INCLUSION• Inclusion issues and Religious Education

in OldhamGuidance from SACRE

Religious education is a compulsory, core subject of the basic curriculum, and all pupils who are not withdrawn from RE by the wishes of their parents participate in RE throughout their school life. As such, RE has a contribution for every pupil to raising standards of attainment, and increasing pupils’ opportunities to leave compulsory education with more qualifications. The new Agreed Syllabus for RE aims to contribute to a more inclusive education for all pupils, and is committed to helping teachers raise standards in RE.

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What next? Launch of Oldham Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education

2014-2018The Council Chamber,

Civic Centre,West Street, Tuesday

24 September 2013

PROGRAMME • 8.30 am Welcome • 8.45 am Alan Brine HMI Leading in RE• 10.00 am Workshops with Alan Brine,

Lat Blaylock and Oldham Colleagues• 10.45 am BREAK • 11.15 am Workshops with Alan Brine,

Lat Blaylock and Oldham Colleagues• 12.15 pm Presentation RE Champions• 12.45 pm LUNCH • 1.40 pm Workshops with Alan Brine,

Lat Blaylock and Oldham Colleagues• 2.40 pm Plenary session with Lat

Blaylock• 3.15 pm Depart

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How will professionals be supported over the next 12 months?• Oldham SACRE membership of RE Today and NASACRE• Access to First Class Platform for information and copies of support

materials• Signposting via RE Conference site• Continuing Professional development: Oldham Teachers’ network Meeting

in Spring 2014• Manchester wide Training Event Saturday 16th November 2013• Planned Summer Term Oldham Conference with help of Failsworth School • Promote membership of REToday Services

(All RE Today subscribers receive a 10% discount on RE Today products* and a £30 discount on courses run by RE Today team of advisers. A 10% discount on the cost of the subscription if you opt for a two year subscription package).

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AREIAC• Annual Conference Organiser position: AREIAC is seeking a

conference organiser - remuneration £2000 + conference attendance for more information contact joyschmack@aol.com

• Letters in the Times: Letters in the times from Bishop Pritchard (CofE Board of Education) and a response from AREIAC (NASACRE and Shap

• Briefing sheets for Governing Bodies: Two briefing sheets for governing bodies of Secondary and Primary schools on the key findings of the Truth Unmasked.

• Facilitating subjects: Important research by Deborah Weston on the "facilitating" subjects for A level to get you into a "top" university - more misrepresentation by Gove and the DfE? – link

• Conference: those reports / presentations shared by colleagues are now available Examination reforms letter from Liz Truss to Mike Coles (chair Cornwall SACRE) – download

• Summer 2013 Newsletter is now available - see the link to the left or go to the newsletters page. Gove admits RE has "suffered" at the hands of the coalition - more on the BBC and the REC or listed on the Lambeth Palace website An e-petition has been started by Susan Wainwright, to ask Mr Gove and the Department for Education to provide government support for RE.

• Israel Trip - a guided trip to Israel in 2015 - more information• True Tube abducts RE lessons with new film series - for more

details download the flyer or look at the site

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Governors and school leadership should:• require a review of RE in the school to find out

– the extent of teachers' confidence in teaching RE, and the reasons for any lack of confidence

– how many teachers, if any, are not teaching RE to their class and the reasons why– the training, expertise and enthusiasm of staff covering other teachers' RE classes

• require the school leadership to:– make proper provision for continuing professional development for RE subject

leaders and others with responsibility for teaching RE in order to improve its quality

– ensure that the RE subject leader knows where to find training and support locally and from national organisations

– provide regular opportunities for RE subject leaders to train their colleagues in subject knowledge and planning and assessing RE.

SACRE OLDHAM Other training currently available:• Culham St Gabriel’s 3 for RE

• Looking for affordable, accredited professional development?• 3forRE is a unique scheme based on a three-way partnership between you, your school and Culham St Gabriel’s

Trust. This scheme offers you an opportunity to take Masters-level professional development at a fraction of the normal cost.

• What’s the offer? Culham St Gabriel’s will pay 60% of your fees for Masters programmes that are part of the 3forRE Scheme.

• Do I have to be a qualified specialist RE teacher? No. You need to be teaching RE in a primary, secondary or special school in the UK, and you need to be a qualified, serving teacher, Teaching Assistant or HLTA.

• How could this benefit me? We want to help anyone who is teaching RE to do it better. Masters level courses that are relevant to classroom RE can provide stimulating, informed and critical interventions to help you raise standards. They can have a positive impact on the quality of teaching and learning, on the challenge for pupils and on their progress and understanding. They provide you with critical scholarly wisdom and practical help. They put you in touch with other practitioners of RE and prepare you for leadership roles.

• Am I eligible for 3forRE in 2013-14? You will be eligible for the 3forRE Scheme if you are:- Employed as a qualified teacher, teaching assistant or HLTA in a school in the UK;- Intending to take a Masters-level Certificate, Diploma or full MA programme, that relates directly to the teaching of RE in your classroom and school, in one of the universities that are members of the 3forRE Scheme;- Able to demonstrate that your accredited study will directly lead to development, innovation and improvement in RE teaching in your school or consortium;- Supported by your employing school paying at least 10% of the fees.

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CULHAM ST GABRIEL’S

Culham St Gabriel's Excellence in Religious Education

• http://www.cstg.org.uk/grants/3forre/

What do we want?• Every young person in every school should experience

good quality RE. SACRE think this can be simply achieved.

• SACRE want RE to remain a statutory part of the school curriculum in all schools, academies and free schools.

• SACRE would find it more helpful if RE could be included in all future school performance measures.

• SACRE want RE to be fully included in educational reforms, ensuring it keeps up with changes to the curriculum.

• SACRE want RE provision to be strengthened so it is always taught by suitably qualified teachers.

• SACRE wants to support the needs of schools and professionals in other areas such as Collective Worship

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• SACRE Development plan:

• SACRE development plan 2013-2014 version 23.04.2013.docx

• How would you like things to develop next?