Mar 06
Posted by: Rosemary, 06 March 2011
Everyone concerned about RE’s omission from the EBacc is urged to make one final push to persuade government that it is vital for the subject’‘s survival in all schools that it is added to the EBacc. We have until the end of March!
Would you please:
1. Urge your MP to sign EDM 1375 - there were 36 signatures on 6 March and we need 70+ - see this weblink.
2. If your MP has already signed the EDM or on principle will not be signing, then write to your MP to explain the urgency of the matter and ask them to write to Michael Gove asking him to add RE to the EBacc. If your MP has a surgery during March - attend the surgery and explain the situation face-to-face. Those who have done this already have found it takes up perhaps an hour of their time overall, and very helpful. Text to help you with the letter is in the document attached here- but do make it your own, add your own thoughts and experience, as this has more impact than a copied letter. Text_for_letter.doc
3. Forward this news item to anyone you know who would be able to take any of the actions listed here - they don’t have to be secondary teachers or MPs - just someone in the community who is concerned about the place of RE in our schools.
4. Be aware that RE teachers in many…
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Mar 03
Posted by: Rosemary, 03 March 2011
David Hampshire, RE Adviser for Hampshire, is carrying out some research to see to what extent RE is influenced by the academic backgrounds of teachers. As part of the research he has devised an online survey for anyone teaching RE as part of a quantitative study. There will be a qualitative study to follow in the summer. The research focuses on secondary teachers.
The survey will be live during March and April and can be accessed on this link - https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/NK36SMT
If you are a secondary teacher, David invites you to complete the survey. It will only take a few minutes. All the data will be anonymised and will not be traceable.
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Feb 25
Posted by: Rosemary, 25 February 2011
On 9 February the Education Committee announced a new inquiry and call for evidence into the English Baccalaureate. The inquiry invited written evidence to be submitted by 8 March 2011. This new inquiry was prompted by the large number of emails and letters received by the Government about the EBacc, including RE.
NATRE has prepared a statement of evidence, drawing on all information it has received from teachers, in emails and phone calls, and the outcomes of NATRE’s survey of 790 schools.
It’s not clear when the outcomes of the inquiry will be published but NATRE will circulate details when this is known.
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Feb 20
Posted by: Rosemary, 20 February 2011
NATRE’s eighth Art in Heaven Competition is underway - with some entries already received! As the deadline is 31 July 2011, there is plenty of time to get your pupils working on one of the competition themes.
This year’s themes are:
1. Spiritual words
2. Stories of Truth?
3. Journeys
4. Festive Visions
5. God: Who? Where? How? If?
Why not use the PowerPoint provided below to introduce the competition to pupils and show them examples of some of the previous years’ winners to fire their enthusiasm?
1_Enter_Art_in_Heaven_2011.ppt
Further details of the competition, the entry form and more examples of winning entries are available on NATRE’s website.
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Feb 18
Posted by: Rosemary, 18 February 2011
NATRE has discovered that the Young People’s Learning Agency (YPLA) might be of help to RE Teachers in Academies who are worried about the subject being marginalised e.g. by the introduction of the EBacc. NATRE’s survey of almost 800 teachers in January 2011 found that around 30% of subject leaders reported a negative impact on timetable time and/or staffing.
NATRE contacted the Department for Education for advice and their guidance is reproduced (verbatim) below:
‘Academies must provide religious education in accordance with their Funding Agreements. The policy intention is for the model Funding Agreements to broadly reflect the provisions that apply to local authorities and schools in the maintained sector. The Funding Agreement requires that Academies with a religious designation provide religious education in accordance with the tenets of their faith and Academies that do not have a religious designation must arrange for religious education to be given to all pupils in accordance with the requirements for agreed syllabuses. In other words, a curriculum which reflects that the religious traditions in Great Britain are, in the main Christian, while taking account of the teaching and practices of the other principal religions represented in Great Britain.
‘For foundation or voluntary controlled schools with a religious designation that convert to Academies, the intention is that they will arrange for religious education in accordance with the requirements for agreed syllabuses, as set out above, unless any parents request that their children receive religious education in accordance with any provisions of the…
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