CHALLENGES: THE NATIONAL SCENARIO IN PRIMARY RE

1. CHALLENGES: THE NATIONAL SCENARIO IN PRIMARY RE Shaping the Future of Primary RE John Keast, Chair of RE Council 30 November 2013

2. Outline • Preamble – What is the RE Council? • What is happening in RE? • RE in primary schools: Challenges • Conclusion

3. Preamble: What is the RE Council? • Umbrella body for all RE community • 65 organisations in membership • Faith communities • Professional and academic organisations (including NATRE, ISRSA) • Voluntary groups • National united voice of RE working with and through its member organisations • Advocacy, liaison, policy and development

4. Current context of RE • Improvement 1995-2009 • National Supportwith curriculum development, exemplification, qualifications, training parallel to the National Curriculum • Local Support, ie SACREs, LAs, local groups through NATRE • Changes since 2010 • RE not required by statute in academies/FS: funding agreements only • Academies not required to teach RE according to LAS • Abolition of QC(D)A: no national support (2011) • Removal of all national exemplars and Programmes of Study (2011) • Exclusion of RS from EBacc (2011) and DfE review of the school curriculum • Discounting of GCSE short course in school performance • Decline in GCSE entries 2013 • Reform and future of RS GCSEs unclear • Reduced targets and removal of bursaries for RE PGCE places – decline • No responses to APPG, Ofsted and REC reports • Most secondary schools now outside the remit of SACREs • Diminishing or no budgets for SACREs with loss of RE adviser posts • Some SACREs failing to meet and/or carry out duties • Virtual disappearance of local CPD

5. What is happening to RE? • Dismantling national & undermining local support/structures • Consequences • Marginalisation, decline in status, provision and quality (other subs too) • Decline in qualifications with knock on effect to HE/Training • Fewer trained teachers, and little or no opportunity for CPD • Fragmentation of RE curriculum development and support • Evidence: Ofsted Report on RE: Realising its potential, 2013 • Michael Gove “I have not done enough” for RE, Lambeth Palace Conference, 3 July 2013 • RE Review

6. RE in Primary schools – Challenges • For schools • For supporters and for the sector • For societySome apply to all schools and other subjects

7. Primary RE – challenges for schools • Appreciation of what is being done with so little training, support and status • Ofsted • Who teaches RE • Problem of confidence • Deficit in subject knowledge • Lack of adequate training in ITE • Access to CPD and/or other forms of support • Role of subject leader • All worse because of pressure of accountability and SATS

8. Primary RE – Challenges for supporters • SACREs • role • Syllabus making less prominent in future (See RE Review) • Monitoring (see RE Review) • forum • Effectiveness • Capacity • size • cooperation • Advisers/consultants, Trainers • Adjustments to new structures/ways of working (See RE Review) • Local groups • Hubs (See RE Review)

9. Primary RE – Challenges for society • Religious literacy: vocabulary, stories, institutions • Intercultural education and navigation • Community and parental links • SMSC

10. How the REC is responding RE community taking responsibility for RE in a new educational world with new working relationship with DfE • PR: RE APPG • RE: The Truth Unmasked March 2013 • Contribution of RE to community relations (2014) • RE Review (parallel to NC) launched last month • New national Curriculum Framework for RE (NSFRE) • Restated aims, core curriculum, assessment, guidance • Six other recommendations • RE Expert Subject Advisory Group • Implementation parallel to NC implementation • Qualifications reform- REC role • RE Quality Mark • Young ambassadors for RE • Links with trusts, heads and governors being made

11. Primary RE – Conclusion • New educational era • Many challenges • Primary teachers adaptable and resilient • RE community organising itself • RE is on the up?