1. Introducing the Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education 2016
Professional Development
led by
Sue Holmes
RE Consultant
supporting ER SACRE
Marilyn Cowling
supporting Hull SACRE
Introducing the Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education 2016
Demonstrate access to RE webpages on eRiding website via
reweb.org.uk
Old syllabus link from home page – for short time!

2. The 2016 Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education
Our 2016 Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education is the result of a collaborative partnership between the Standing Advisory Councils for Religious Education (SACREs) of the four local authorities that comprise the Humberside region, following the similar joint RE syllabuses of 1999, 2005 and 2010. 
Ever since their formation in 1996, the four local authorities (East Riding of Yorkshire, Hull City, North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire) have worked together in support of Religious Education in local schools and are proud to continue this fruitful partnership in the life of the new Agreed Syllabus for
Click link to home page and introductory statements.
Explore how menu works. Quickly open each section of menu to illustrate total content on drop-down list - back buttons etc.
Especially note Statutory sections:
Statutory requirements – quick-to-refer-to overview of schools’ responsibilities
Statutory areas of understanding grid - recognise:
format
AT1 & AT2 columns
examples of contexts in faith columns are removed but assimilated into:
Statutory key content
Statutory progression & attainment
levels have gone - End of KS statements instead
progression ‘steps’ still relevant

3. Why a new syllabus? statutory requirement role of the SACRE and ASC
fourth joint syllabus of the Humberside partnership
2011 syllabus has expired and is now effectively illegal; SACRE must review every 5 years
Explain the role of the Standing Advisory Council on RE:
4 groups compose SACRE - LA, unions (teachers), CE, faiths & others
joint Agreed Syllabus Conference; working partnership of 4 local authorities, keeping best practice from historical ‘Humberside’ syllabus of 1990s
Wide consultation with local schools in 4 LAs and faith groups, North and South bank

4. What you will recognise
Contents menu – different layout
Statutory requirements – with additions
Enquiry model
Attainment targets:
Learning about…
Learning from…
Contents simplified
Statutory requirements – nationally, the legislation for RE remains unchanged and local breadth / content requirements remain same
Enquiry models highlighted as good practice in Transforming RE (OfSTED) – still relevant
Kept the 2 ATs because they work
Getting Started with World Religions = old yellow Humberside folder revamped! – on website, plus best of other ‘old’ stuff

5. What’s new? everything is online - no hard copy
Key Content and Areas of Understanding (statutory)
fewer Teaching Objectives & Learning Outcomes
End of KS Statements (statutory)
exemplar Units of Learning look different but essentially the same planning model
practical examples of activities from schools
Flexibility to change/add to what’s online
Less is More!! Depth v. shallow coverage
Includes relevant national documents or links to websites so everything is together and cross-referenced
New assessment benchmarks
Regular updates to website – sharing of schools’ planning / recording / ideas and suggestions
Includes everything a teacher might need to get started, requires no previous knowledge of RE, but does require subject leader to keep a school overview

6. Statutory requirements
Every state-funded school in England must provide the Basic Curriculum which includes provision for RE for all registered pupils at the school (including all Reception pupils and those in the sixth form) in accordance with Schedule 19 to the School Standards and Framework Act 1998.
The key document in determining the teaching of RE is the locally agreed syllabus. Academies, Free Schools and Voluntary Aided schools may choose to follow their own or a different locally agreed syllabus (with the permission of the SACRE concerned) or devise their own curriculum (which must broadly reflect the requirements of an agreed syllabus).
Maintained special schools and PRUs are required to ensure that as far as practicable, a pupil receives RE according to the locally agreed syllabus.
RE and the Law - pp. 4-5 TTG
Re-emphasise there is no change to statutory requirements
Difference between: VA (choose to follow diocesan / other syllabus) VC schools (must follow local agreed syllabus)
Majority of academies (except faith) will follow local agreed syllabus

7. Statutory areas of understanding
derived from statutory core RE curriculum
same three themes for KS1- 3
(KS4 follow accredited exam syllabus)
replace old Fields of Enquiry
form the basis for planning
link teaching objectives to both AT1 and AT2
Look at Areas of Understanding in RE
Progression obvious, as same themes run through Key Stages 1 to 3 5’

8. How to plan from the Agreed Syllabus
consider:
enquiry at the heart of learning
time allocation p.18 TTG
pedagogy
key content
exemplar planning model
progression and attainment
Look at How to Plan from the agreed Syllabus section:
exemplar planning template – follow one cycle of learning
Teachers plan to visit each stage a number of times within a unit, asking new Qs each time
Full term unit - block time, integrate with rest of curriculum?
Pedagogy section and web links
Assumption that breadth of content/learning takes account of what has gone before (including in EYFS)
Continuous progression through all key stages building on skills, knowledge and understanding

9. Exemplar units of learning
termly - three per year group
incorporate Areas of Understanding and End of KS Statements, providing ideas for challenge and development
follow a learning cycle
provide a model for schools to adapt to their own curriculum
Look at:
programme of units (KS1, KS2)
unit of learning
Emphasise that units of learning are EXEMPLAR only – Areas of Understanding, Key Content and End of Key Stage Statements are the statutory bits; remember the ‘overlays’ for Christmas and Easter!
Schools may adapt units for their own curriculum, or write their own using the statutory elements
Key Content for each faith selected for study, provides the basic essentials but do not limit any other aspects you may choose to cover – essential planning for subject leaders, once faiths are chosen

10. Progression Check out Assessing RE
How can you evidence pupils’ progress using End of Key Stage Statements?
pp TTG
School recording and reporting formats?
Moderating work?

11. RE in the EYFS updated to reflect revised EYFS Framework (2013)
non-statutory until children enter Reception class in the academic year they attain 5 years
EYFS programme provides an essential foundation for KS1 RE
pp TTG
Updated in line with national documentation re EYFS
10’

12. Inclusion Check out the SEN section (2013)
how does the ‘Burning Core / 5 Keys’ approach relate to your RE practice?
pp TTG
SEN and five keys offers good practice for all learners for all teachers to refer to; something else you will recognise!

13. Being aware! SMSC, BV and Prevent
Although British values must not just be left to RE in schools, RE is an important subject for the promotion of British values
The requirement to promote BV can be found here:
The first paragraph makes very clear that British values are not isolated from the rest of the curriculum. Their promotion is part of SMSC and a way of strengthening a school’s SMSC provision.
‘Actively promoting’ British values includes challenging pupils, parents and staff who express opinions contrary to fundamental British values
Prevent is a government counter-terrorism strategy
See refs in TTG
10’

14. What to do next raise awareness and discusses changes with colleagues
plan to fully implement in September
identify training needs
draw up an RE Action Plan
Any questions?
How may we help you?

15. Effective subject leaders
RE Action Plan
Development Plan - p.13 TTG
Staff meeting
Share with governors
Look at syllabus Guidance section for support
Review policies
Discuss in staff meeting - additional materials on to help with dissemination – sign up for updates
Introduction: Purpose & Aims section particularly useful to underpin the value of RE; see other aspects such as SMSC and British values
Use Guidance section – outlines responsibilities for all groups. Has some checklists to download/support

16. Your RE policy Check out REinHull for a model RE policy
Consider (number of) faiths chosen to study
pp TTG
RE Aims and Purposes - pp. 2-3 TTG

17. Stay in touch!  Marilyn Cowling tel: 07764 577064 Sue Holmes
Could include, as cluster training days or twilight staff meetings:
Better teaching & learning in RE
Planning units of learning
In-class coaching and lesson planning (e.g. bespoke NQTs, HLTAs)
Assessing RE
RE subject review (REQM)
Writing an RE action plan
Visits, visitors and artefacts
Things are still changing –rapidly!!
Work is not finished, more changes on the horizon and there may be things that SACRE has to do/change for RE in the next 5 years before the next full syllabus review (??)
In the next year/two:
Curriculum review, and RE will be reviewed with it – separately if necessary; REC Commission to look at the place of RE over next 2 years
E Bac will be further developed – RE may yet be included (100+ MPS and 110,000 people signed up at beginning May 2011 – worthy of debate)
Teacher Training – number of RE students still under review (April 2011)