RE Transition from KS2-KS3

1. RE Transition from KS2-KS3 TS3, TS4, TS1

2. Memories of Primary RE Discuss your memories of RE from your primary school days with the person next to you. • What do you remember? • What was good? • What was poor? • What impression has this left you of primary Religious Education?

3. Memories of Primary RE Discuss your memories of RE from your secondary school days with the person next to you. • What do you remember? • What was good? • What was poor? • What impression has this left you of secondary Religious Education?

4. What is RE like today? For either KS2 or KS3, consider: • What has been covered in terms of content. What approaches have been used? • What do schools struggle with in relation to RE? • What are pupils’ attitudes like? • What is a typical RE lesson? • What RE skills does a pupil gain? Prepare a presentation 15 minutes planning

5. Ofsted June 2007Making Sense of Religion Making Sense of Religion - Ofsted report 2007 • This report on “religious education in schools and the impact of locally agreed syllabuses” states that:- • RE teaching in primary schools had improved over the last 5 years • Primary teaching has benefited from the introduction of the National Strategy • Primary school development rarely focuses on RE • Insufficient time is often allocated to RE at ITE level • Many primary teachers have insufficient knowledge of RE • There is a lack of primary in-service training in RE

6. Weaknesses in Primary RE Transforming Religious Education – Ofsted report 2010 The report said that the insufficient knowledge of many primary teachers in RE often resulted in:- • A lack of clarity about the purpose of learning • An insecure conceptual framework in which to place learning • Unfocused questioning • Slow pace of activities • A lack of links made between RE and the pupils’ own experiences • Little continuity between the topics studied each year

7. Ofsted June 2010Transforming Religious Education - 1 • Pupil achievement in RE in primary schools has remained much the same since the 2007 Ofsted report, though at secondary level there is a very mixed picture: It was good or outstanding in 40 of the 89 schools visited but was inadequate in 14 schools. • RE has made a positive contribution to key aspects of pupils’ personal development, most notably in relation to the understanding and appreciation of the diverse nature of our society. However, the subject’s contribution to promoting pupils’ spiritual development was often limited.

8. Ofsted June 2010Transforming Religious Education - 2 • The contribution of RE to the promotion of community cohesion was a strength of the subject in most of the schools visited. However, there is scope to extend the opportunities within the curriculum to enrich pupils’ learning through greater use of fieldwork and contacts with religious and belief groups in the local community. • There is uncertainty among many teachers of RE about what they are trying to achieve in the subject resulting in a lack of well-structured and sequenced teaching and learning, substantial weaknesses in the quality of assessment and a limited use of higher order thinking skills to promote greater challenge. • There were a number of specific weaknesses in the teaching about Christianity. Many primary and secondary schools visited did not pay sufficient attention to the progressive and systematic investigation of the core beliefs of Christianity.

9. Year 6 and Year 7 – What is the difference? • Analyse the difference between KS2 and KS3 work in RE. • In what ways is RE more challenging in Year 7? • Can you identify the level of work?

10. An Agreed Syllabus • An excellent example of a KS2 Agreed Syllabus is available to download from the Waltham Forest website on the SACRE page. • http://www.walthamforest.gov.uk/index/education/schools-colleges/sacre.htm • The KS3/4 section was published in June 2009 and follows a similar structure. It is also available at the above web address.

11. TransPreparing for transition - Secondary • Familiarise yourself with the requirements for KS2 as set out in your locally agreed syllabus. • Be aware of the relevant policies/schemes of work from your main feeder schools. • Ensure that tasks chosen enable pupils to use and process information and not just record it. • Ensure that you are not simply revisiting what the students have already learnt. • Use interactive learning and teaching methods. • Use a base-line test as a starting point.

12. Preparing for transition - Primary • Formulate a list of questions to answer during your visit. Add to the following: • What is taught? Think content and skills. • Is the locally Agreed Syllabus used? If not, what is used instead? • How well is the school resourced for RE/Is there an artefacts bank, books, CDs, DVDs etc? • What approaches to RE are used? • What are the aims of RE? • What do the pupils think of their RE lessons? • Are visits to places of worship made or local faith leaders invited into the school to talk to the children?

13. Design your own bridging unit You will need to decide: What topic? The rationale for this topic What skills need to be addressed? What content needs to be covered? You will need to refer to the 8-level scale. Be clear about the aims of RE and what you hope to achieve. Key questions