Setting

Ofsted survey inspection programme – Religious Education

Thank you for your hospitality and co-operation, and that of your staff, during my visit on 24 September 2008 to look at work in religious education (RE).

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Ofsted survey inspection programme – Religious Education

As outlined in my initial letter, as well as looking at key areas of RE the visit had a particular focus on creative thinking in the subject.

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Ofsted survey inspection programme – Religious Education

The visit provided valuable information which will contribute to our national evaluation and reporting. Published reports are likely to list the names of the contributing institutions, but individual institutions will not be identified in the main text. All feedback letters will be published on the Ofsted website at the end of each half-term.

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Ofsted survey inspection programme – Religious Education

The evidence used to inform the judgements made included: interviews with staff and pupils, scrutiny of relevant documentation, analysis of pupils’ work and observation of lessons.

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Ofsted survey inspection programme – Religious Education

The overall effectiveness of RE was judged to be satisfactory.

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Achievement and standards

The standards reached by pupils in RE are in line with the expectations in the agreed syllabus and reflect satisfactory achievement overall.

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Achievement and standards

• By the end of Key Stage 1 pupils are able to listen and respond to stories from religious texts and talk about what the stories mean. For example, Year 2 pupils are able to compare the experiences of people in Biblical stories with their own experiences and feelings. • In Year 6 pupils develop a clear understanding of the significance which religion plays in some people’s lives. They are able to identify key similarities and differences between different religious traditions. However, while they acquire a reasonable basic knowledge and understanding of key features of religions, their ability to use higher order skills of enquiry, interpretation and evaluation in RE is more limited. • There is some variability in the progress pupils make in RE across the school. On occasions, where planning does not make clear the connection between Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE T 08456 404040 F 020 7421 6855

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Achievement and standards

www.ofsted.gov.uk enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk

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Achievement and standards

Mr S Thompson Headteacher John Clifford Primary School Nether Street Beeston Nottingham NG9 2AT ‘learning about’ and ‘learning from’ religion, pupils do not link these aspects of their learning together appropriately. • RE makes a satisfactory and growing contribution to pupils’ wider personal development. In particular, they demonstrate an increasing ability to reflect on values and have a developing a sense of tolerance and respect for others. Pupils have positive attitudes towards the subject and have increasing awareness of how people’s beliefs and values are sometimes underpinned by religious teachings.

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Quality of teaching and learning

The quality of teaching and learning in RE is satisfactory.

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Quality of teaching and learning

• Lessons in RE are appropriately organised; classes are well managed and relationships with pupils are good. However, on occasions, the structure of the learning prevents some pupils from attaining at the highest levels. • Pupils in Year 6 have suitable opportunities for discussion in RE and, as a result, develop the skills of listening and expressing their points of view in a safe and secure environment. • At its best, teaching is imaginative and sensitive. On occasions effective use is made of discussion, exposition and questioning. For example, Year 6 pupils were used as experts and led discussion groups investigating the significance of Ramadan to those of the Muslim faith. The group leaders reported that they felt their contribution and knowledge were respected and valued. The pupils were able to deepen their learning through using a thinking wall and in planning a more extended piece of writing. There is scope to develop more

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Quality of teaching and learning

opportunities to build extended writing into RE. • The school is in the process of developing assessment arrangements in the subject. Marking is regular and pupils are often given feedback on their work.

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Quality of curriculum

The quality of the curriculum in RE is satisfactory.

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Quality of curriculum

• The schemes of work for RE take appropriate account of the current Nottinghamshire agreed syllabus. There are detailed long and medium term plans in place. While careful attention is paid to matching the curriculum to the needs and interests of the pupils, insufficient attention is paid in the planning to the progressive development of the skills of the subject. • The subject has some effective links with the personal, social and health education programme in the school. Occasionally, however, the planning does not ensure that a focus on RE objectives is secured. The use and integration of the two attainment targets is not always made clear. • There is good enrichment of the RE curriculum with visits to, and visitors from, the local religious communities.

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Leadership and management

The leadership and management of RE is satisfactory.

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Leadership and management

• The school has a commitment to improving its provision for RE within its wider drive to promote the pupils’ well-being. • The school has recognised the need to extend the arrangements for assessment in the subject in line with the levels of attainment identified in the locally agreed syllabus. • While the current arrangements for monitoring the subject are satisfactory, there is scope to ensure a clearer focus on pupils’ progress and the consistency of assessment across the school.

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Creative thinking in RE

There has been some creative thinking in the school about ways of linking RE with other areas of the curriculum in order to extend the level of challenge and help pupils integrate their learning more effectively. There are also some creative links made with other areas of the curriculum – including some imaginative work on teaching thinking skills and reflection. Lessons and other activities are delivered in a wide range of ways using Information and Communication Technology, art, drama and discussion. At present, however, the opportunities for pupils to use higher order skills of thinking are not developed consistently across all aspects of the learning in RE.

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Areas for improvement, which we discussed, included:

• using the opportunity provided by the locally agreed syllabus to develop an RE curriculum which secures greater progression and challenge in pupils’ learning • providing more opportunities for extended writing in RE.

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Areas for improvement, which we discussed, included:

I hope these observations are useful as you continue to develop RE in the school.

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Areas for improvement, which we discussed, included:

As I explained in my previous letter, a copy of this letter will be sent to your local authority and SACRE and will be published on Ofsted’s website. It will also be available to the team for your next institutional inspection.

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