Archived decisions

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

Report

1) Purpose of Report:

1.1. To present the Agreed Syllabus Conference with the proposed schedule and costing for a joint review of the agreed syllabus for RE, Living Difference, with Hampshire and Southampton SACREs

2) Contextual Issues:

2.1. This paper supports the Corporate Strategy (maximising well being) by ensuring children's provision in religious education is secure.

2.2. Primary legislation requires that an agreed syllabus for RE is reviewed every five years. The syllabus, Living Difference, was published and launched in schools in July 2004 and is, therefore, due for review.

3) Arrangements with local SACREs:

3.1. Meetings have taken place with representatives from Portsmouth and Southampton SACREs with a view to a joint review. Funding arrangements and schedules have been discussed but a formal response from each SACRE will be received after the SACRE meetings within each authority.

4) Surveys on the level of implementation and the quality of Living Difference:

4.1. Since its publication in 2004, two surveys have been carried out in Hampshire, Portsmouth and Southampton schools to evaluate the success of Living Difference.

4.2. A quantitative survey was carried out by the RE Team in 2005/6 with regards to the level of implementation of the syllabus within schools.

4.3. A qualitative survey/research project has been recently carried out by Katherine Wedell (an independent researcher) to investigate the impact of Living Difference on pupils' attainment in RE.

4.4. The findings from the survey and research project will inform the review of the agreed syllabus

5) The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) advice:

5.1 The QCA has provided advice about local authorities that are due to review

their agreed syllabi. In the light of the current review of the curriculum, QCA advises that local authorities delay the publication of their reviewed syllabi (Appendix 1).

6) The Proposals for the schedule and costing for the review process:

6.1. Appendix 2 provides a summary of the proposed schedule and costing of the review, as discussed with the three SACREs .

7) Recommendations:

7.1. That the agreed syllabus conference approves the costing and the start of the planned review process.

7.2. That the agreed syllabus conference decides on an implementation date in the light of curriculum review and advice from QCA.

Review of the Agreed syllabus for Hampshire, Portsmouth and Southampton.

FUNDING AND TIMESCALE

The Agreed Syllabus, Living Difference, is due for review in 2009 to be launched in schools in July 2010.

1. Prior to the review, consultations for suggested amendments will take place (2008-2009) with members of RE steering groups and RE development groups in the primary phase, secondary phase and special schools.

2. Evidence from the Questionnaire (2005) and the Qualitative survey (2008) as well as guidance from national documents will be scrutinised and collated in order to inform recommended amendments to the current syllabus.

3. Spring SACRE meetings 2009. Inform SACREs/ agreed syllabus conferences of the findings and the recommended time scale and process of the review for ratification.

4. Autumn 2009. Meet with lead professionals from each of the three authorities (Sam Jordan, Georgie Mulhall, Clive Erricker, Judith Lowndes, three advanced skills teachers from Hampshire, Elaine Bellchamber from Winchester University, one representative from FE plus one representative from each SACRE). Lead professionals work on the document to make recommended changes to the text.

3 Days

5. Spring/ Summer 2010. Hampshire inspectors communicate with Hampshire publications department and complete final editing and proof reading.

3 Days

6. Sam Jordan, Judith Lowndes, Clive Erricker and Georgie Mulhall meet to prepare for the joint SACRE Conference to ratify the final agreed syllabus document.

1 Day

7. Summer SACRE 2010.

Hampshire, Southampton and Portsmouth agreed syllabus conferences meet to ratify the document.

COSTINGS

Hampshire: 7 inspector days X2 (at £700 per HIAS inspector day)........£9,800

Portsmouth: 4 days (AST time) already allocated by Portsmouth SACRE

Southampton:4 days (Sam Jordan time)

Publication and distribution costs

Living Difference complete text including amendments

2,300 copies £12165.00

Living Difference updates (selected pages provided in shrinkwrap packs)

2,300 copies £4295.00

Appendix 2

QCA advice on the timing of agreed

syllabus revisions in 2009/10

Non-statutory guidance for local authorities, standing advisory councils on RE, and agreed syllabus conferences

The purpose of this guidance is to advise local authorities, standing advisory councils on religious education (RE) (SACREs) and agreed syllabus conferences (ASCs) in England on making key decisions about revisions to agreed syllabuses for RE during 2009. This information is for guidance only, and is intended to help SACREs, ASCs and local authorities to use their resources to support RE as effectively as possible. The guidance has been agreed with relevant national RE organisations, including the RE Council, the National Association of Teachers of Religious Education, the National Association of SACREs, and the Association of RE Inspectors, Advisers and Consultants.

The three key points in this guidance are that:

a) SACREs whose agreed syllabus for RE comes up for review in 2009 might consider timing their review, and any revision, so that it takes account of changes to the primary curriculum

b) they might also consider timing their review and revision so that it takes account of updated government guidance on RE (the successor to Circular 1/94)

c) Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) intends to work with SACREs and local authorities in 2010 to facilitate agreed syllabus revisions that take account of the above two developments.

Since 2004, SACREs and ASCs have been working with the non-statutory national framework for RE, a development that has helped to bring about wider coherence in the subject. In 2007, QCA worked with the RE community to align the framework with the new curriculum for key stages 3 and 4. This gave us programmes of study for ages 11 to 16, reflecting the framework fully in the format of the rest of the curriculum with up-to-date supporting materials. It has helped to strengthen the profile of the subject and to demonstrate its contribution to curriculum aims, community cohesion and personal wellbeing.

QCA is presently working with Sir Jim Rose to develop proposals for a new primary curriculum. While the outcomes of this review cannot be known at this stage, it is probable that any changes to the primary curriculum will have some implications for RE. It is intended that the new primary curriculum will be made public in autumn 2009, following public consultation.

QCA, together with the RE community, is also supporting the Department for Children, Schools and Families' (DCSF) work to revise government guidance on RE, and it is intended that this new advice will be launched in autumn 2009, following public consultation.

QCA commends to all SACREs the benefits of making use of the non-statutory framework in their agreed syllabuses to benchmark against national standards while retaining their individual character and relevance to their community. Local authorities whose syllabus comes up for review during 2009 are invited to consider the advantages of waiting, and revising their syllabus in the light of all the expected curriculum and RE guidance changes. This would mean waiting until December 2009 or January 2010. Alternatively, if it is not appropriate to wait, they could initiate a separate review timed to take account of the expected changes. The 1996 Education Act requires local authorities, through their SACREs, to review their syllabus at least every five years. Therefore, one option for those local authorities whose review period comes up during 2009 could be to start their review and keep their existing syllabus in use while the review process is under way. They could use this time to survey the effectiveness of their present syllabus, to consider the likely implications of the coming curriculum and RE guidance changes, and to be in discussion with their local authority, faith/belief communities and teachers about curriculum change. They could then choose to revise their agreed syllabus in the light of the expected new primary curriculum and the new RE guidance.

QCA is ready to support and advise SACREs in developing their syllabus to reflect the aims of the new curriculum, as well as taking account of updated national guidance on RE.

This guidance is non-statutory. ASCs remain the statutory body with legal responsibility for devising an agreed syllabus for RE. QCA invites all SACREs to consider the advantages of waiting for the expected new primary curriculum and for the new RE guidance, or, if they prefer, initiating a separate review. QCA considers that, all other factors being equal, this course of action will give the users of agreed syllabuses stability during a period of curriculum change, and will also offer all SACREs the opening to make new changes coherently once the new primary curriculum and the new RE guidance have been agreed and published. We believe this course of action will prove most beneficial to SACREs, teachers of RE and, therefore, to learners.

January 2009

QCA/09/4040