Hampshire County Council

SACRE Item 9

27 February 2007

Report on Australian reviews of Hampshire RE publications

Report of the Director of Children's Services

1

Summary

1.1

2

2.1

2.2

2.3

This report provides reviews of Living Difference, the Primary Handbook and Living Difference, the Secondary Handbook from an Australian publication. It relates to points 2 and 3 of the SACRE Development Plan (evaluating the implementation of the Agreed Syllabus and monitoring of RE provision).

This paper supports the Corporate Strategy (maximising well being) by supporting good quality RE in Hampshire schools.

Background


In September 2006 two Hampshire publications were made available for schools to purchase, Living Difference, the Primary Handbook produced by Judith Lowndes and Living Difference, the Secondary Handbook, produced by Clive Erricker. These publications include units of work which have been provided by Hampshire, Portsmouth and Southampton teachers.

The reviews in Appendix 1 illustrate that these publications have been well received and are considered to be clear and helpful to support the RE curriculum. They were published in the Journal of Religious Education Volume 54 (2006) School of Religious Education, Australian Catholic University.

A paper by Clive Erricker is presented to SACRE which was published in the same journal (see Appendix 2). It explains the philosophy of Living Difference, the Agreed Syllabus for RE in Hampshire, Portsmouth and Southampton and illustrates the methodology for teaching and learning by drawing on examples from Hampshire schools. The paper celebrates the successes of the Agreed Syllabus and it is particularly pleasing to note that Living Difference is being explored and supported on the other side of the world.

Recommendations

1. SACRE notes the report.

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.