Contact: Clive Erricker - County Inspector - RE (02392 441459)

1. Summary

1.1 Funding was provided for the validation and dissemination of good practice within the education development plan for 2003-4. This will continue in 2004-5.

1.2 Within RE, primary schools and secondary RE departments have been identified where good practice in religious education has been observed. (See Appendix 1)

1.3 This good practice is being disseminated through the RE website and newsletters and a HIAS good practice website.

1.4 It is intended that good practitioners be brought together in development groups to share their expertise, encourage mutual development and produce materials for dissemination to support the implementation of the new agreed syllabus county-wide.

Recommendation

That SACRE notes the reports and supports the proposal of development groups for the implementation of the agreed syllabus.

Background Papers

The following documents disclose facts or matters on which this report or an important part of it, is based and has been relied upon to a material extent in the preparation of this report.

NB The list excludes:

1. Published works.

2. Documents which disclose exempt or confidential information as defined in the Act.

Appendix 2

Good Practice in Hampshire RE

In 2003-4 an Education Development Plan budget was made available for the first time to identify good RE in Hampshire schools. This has resulted in me being able to go into schools, observe lessons and look at planning to see ways in which RE departments are really making RE work. At the same time, I have been able to visit RE departments because schools have bought me in to observe practice and comment on planning. Also, there are schools I have visited because I wanted to support them in the efforts they were making to improve their own practice. By means of these three avenues I have started to construct a map (not yet complete) of Secondary RE in Hampshire which it is valuable to share with you.

The delivery of RE in Hampshire has a strong reputation nationally and I have found evidence that supports that judgement. In particular the following strengths have emerged from my travels. They provide a list of criteria for what goes to make a good and improving RE department that can sustain its quality.

· The support of senior management for the subject and the desire of senior management to retain its staff and invest in their development.

· Strong leadership of the RE department that sets targets for development and improvement against a realistic budget that has been presented to senior management and been well-defended in terms of the quality of experience pupils will receive, and the beneficial outcomes for the school.

· A detailed, holistic approach to planning that details how each lesson will achieve its intended learning outcomes and not just what those outcomes are meant to be. This is especially important as far as non-specialist staff are concerned.

· An understanding of assessment and differentiation that is clearly built into the learning outcomes and is conveyed to pupils, so that they have ownership of their own learning and a desire to succeed.

· Use of ICT, PowerPoint and the internet to provide engaging presentation of images, motivating teaching materials and initiate pupil enquiry.

· Interactive group work demanding higher level thinking skills and purposeful pupil communication to make evaluative judgements and interpretations.

· Visits and visitors planned into units of work to enhance learning and result in pupils' understanding the relevance of religion to modern life.

· Acting as a partner school with one of our local PGCE providers enabling placements for their students that often result in recruitment of good NQTs

· Attendance on HIAS and other courses by RE staff to improve their practice and the quality of RE in their department

I should like to thank the following schools for the opportunity to observe their practice and share with them the new agreed syllabus for RE in Hampshire. Their feedback in discussing and planning in relation to the new agreed syllabus has been invaluable. As soon as we have completed examples of units of work and lesson plans that illustrate planning according to the new agreed syllabus we shall make them available on the RE website and in the newsletter.

Bay House

Bridgemary

Brookfield

Costello Technology College

Court Moore

Cowplain

Henry Beaufort

Mountbatten

Neville Lovett

Swanmore College of Technology

The Clere School

The Crookhorn Community School

Thornden School

Warblington School

The budget for identifying good practice in RE in secondary schools in Hampshire extends into 2004-5, but it is slim! If you think that I should come to your department to identify good practice please contact me through my support officer, Kathryn Davis, tel: 02392 441459. It may be that you have to ask your headteacher to pay 3 hours of my time, under management partnership, but I am looking for RE departments that can contribute to implementing the new agreed syllabus and raising the profile of Hampshire RE, so I welcome your involvement.

Clive Erricker

County Inspector/Adviser for RE