Hampshire County Council

SACRE Item 7

7 November 2006

Report on SACRE monitoring of school self-evaluation of RE

Report of the Director of Children's Services

1

Summary

1.1

2

2.1

2.2

2.3

2.3.1

2.3.2

2.3.3

2.3.4

2.3.5

2.3.6

2.3.7

2.4

This report presents a strategy for SACRE to monitor school self-evaluation of religious education. It relates to points 2 and 3 of the SACRE Development Plan.

This paper supports the Corporate Strategy (maximising well being) by ensuring monitoring of the quality of RE in Hampshire schools.

Background


As recommended by SACRE the County Inspector for RE contacted the Chairs of the Headteacher Executive Panels on how best to execute SACRE monitoring of subject specific self-evaluation


This resulted in a secondary working party being constituted to determine a suitable strategy for SACRE monitoring. The strategy agreed by the working party is outlined below


Agreed strategy regarding SACRE monitoring of RE Self Evaluation Forms (SEFs)


RE already has mechanisms for working with schools on a regular and systematic basis through County Regional Development Groups, Steering Groups and provision for school improvement.


In Autumn 2006 a questionnaire on provision based on the implementation of the Agreed Syllabus, Living Difference, will be sent to schools


By means of the above it is suggested that monitoring of standards and quality of provision in RE could be undertaken with this being linked to Self Evaluation Form (SEF) requirements as detailed in the relevant chapter of the Secondary Living Difference Handbook


Monitoring can be further informed by lesson observations made by the RE inspectors.


Schools can also be encouraged to attend a course on which completing Self Evaluation Forms is addressed and a Self Evaluation Form subsequently submitted.


Some schools, under management partnership are buying in the County Inspector for the purpose of scrutinising and developing departmental Self Evaluation Forms.


Through the above mechanisms the County Inspector for RE should present the SACRE monitoring sub-group, acting on behalf of SACRE, with a regular review of secondary departmental self-evaluation for RE that indicates the quality of the provision of RE. This review should not name schools but should provide a summary of the quality of provision in relation to the headings provided in the self-evaluation documentation in the handbook


SACRE and the Secondary Headteacher's Panel need to recommend whether they agree with this strategy. The Primary Headteacher's Panel need to be approached, on SACRE's behalf, to determine whether they are willing to adopt a similar strategy for primary phase schools. Letters have been constructed to send to headteachers. (Appendix 1)

Recommendations

1. SACRE endorse the strategy presented


2. The Primary Headteacher's Panel be approached, on SACRE's behalf, to determine whether they are willing to adopt a similar strategy for primary phase schools


3. The monitoring sub-group meet in the Spring Term 2007 to consider RE specific school self-evaluations submitted.

LINK(S) TO CORPORATE STRATEGY

YES

NO

Hampshire safer and more secure for all

_

Maximising well-being

_

Enhancing our quality of place

_

This proposal does not link to the Corporate Strategy but, nevertheless, requires a decision because:

Section 100 D - Local Government Act 1972 - background documents

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.