EP talked about the national developments and said that we've just launched a service for local schools to start teaching in September which is realignment from a service we introduced five years ago as a SACRE. He also highlighted the importance of remaining aware of how RE changing in national context and whether we are in tune with these changes.

He added that a national document was published in May, which is called Developing a Religion and Worldviews Approach in Religious Education in England.

This is a toolkit for developing the CoRE vision of a religion and worldviews (RW) approach.

This is being offered as a resource for those who wish to use it and is part of an ongoing conversation, and is not the final word.

It has been written to try to help understand what the curriculum for today, tomorrow and in future should be looking like now. This document details about lived experiences, lifestyles, beliefs and practices, individual perspectives and individual worldviews rather than just seeing RE from a theological lens. EP commented that there is need that RE teachers are fully trained to deliver this new inclusive approach in schools.

DDS, JR, DCB, LC, AF and DT shared their view on this. SW added that faith speakers in PCFCD have been trained to adopt the above inclusive approach.

AP Shared the data on RE teachers training nationally and highlighted the declining figures in South West.

EP shared slide with members on “Deep and meaningful? The Religious Education subject Report” and stated that the quality of RE is not determined by the type of school or the source of its curriculum. Factors that contributed towards this included:

• strong teacher subject knowledge

• access to professional development

• regular time for RE lessons

• a well-organised curriculum containing knowledge chosen by leaders to enable pupils to deepen their understanding term by term’

EP also shared the key points on Ofsted RE report (2024) which included:

All schools

• Lack of sufficient depth of knowledge

• Lack of good quality CPD

• Pupils remember little

• Long gaps between lessons hindered recall

• Not enough opportunity for disciplinary or personal knowledge

• Concepts often over-simplified and compartmentalised

• Assessment not fit for purpose

• Misconceptions about non-religious worldviews

Secondary

• Restricted by examination content

• Examination skills taught too early

• Non-examined RE (KS4) limited and poor quality, if delivered at all

The main questions for school leaders were as follows:

• Does the school (and trust) have a designated, well-qualified RE lead?

• Do teachers have regular access to high quality RE CPD in school (across the trust)?

• Does the school allocate 5% of curriculum time for RE, at all key stages?

• Does the school have a planned, rigorous, coherent and sequential RE curriculum?

• Does the curriculum explore diverse disciplinary approaches?

• Does the curriculum develop pupils’ personal knowledge?

Regarding Young Ambassador Project 2023-5, EP stated that;

• Pupils from Okehampton College and Okehampton Primary School, both members of the Dartmoor Multi-Academy Trust, are taking part in this exciting 2-year project

• become advocates for Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB)

• talk about RWs with confidence

• develop pupil voice for RE, looking through different eyes

• be inspired to be champions of RE

He added that education partners will become more engaged with RWs conversations and deepen appreciation for value of RE to help build RE champions for the future

EP informed that the NASACRE Executive is making an application to become a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO). They would like to offer an online forum on Tuesday 9th July 7-8pm. SACREs may send a representative to discuss any questions or comments you may have about NASACRE's CIO plans, including our proposed constitution, before we submit our registration.

Regarding recruitment of Secondary RE teachers and PGCE course at Marjon, GF commented that they had no applicants who were suitable last year but this year they had recruited two and additional two are at the interview stage. He confirmed that there will be secondary RE training at Marjon next year.