Monitoring Standards in RE: Ofsted reports September 2021- March 2022

Report of the local authority adviser to SACRE

Summary

This report provides members of SACRE with information about the outcomes of Ofsted inspections of York Schools during the current academic year, 2021-22.

Background

There have been 5 inspections of York Schools between September 2021 and March 2022. Four primary schools have been inspected and one secondary school.

The outcomes of the inspections were as follows:

School	Inspection outcome
Archbishop Holgate’s Church of England School (Academy)	Outstanding
Clifton with Rawcliffe Primary (Academy)	Good
New Earswick Primary (Academy)	Good
Naburn Church of England Primary (Maintained)	Inadequate
Woodthorpe	Report not yet published

The Ofsted reports for 4 out of the 5 schools make no direct reference to Religious Education.

There are references in the reports to the quality of the curriculum overall. Inspectors noted the following:

· Archbishop Holgate’s: ‘The curriculum at this school is exemplary’.

· Clifton with Rawcliffe: ‘Leaders have curriculum plans in all subjects’.

· New Earswick:’Leaders have worked together with teachers to develop a curriculum

                           that helps pupils to learn more, over time, in most subjects’.

· Naburn: ‘Leaders have concentrated on securing the Christian ethos of the school.

                  They are rooting this in the vision of the Parable of the Sower. However

                  Pupils knowledge of other religions is limited’.

Recommendations:

· SACRE members are asked to consider the role of Ofsted reports in monitoring the quality of religious education in York.

· Members are asked to discuss what additional sources of information York SACRE will need to effectively discharge their duty to monitor standards in Religious Education.

Author: Maxine Squire (Assistant Director, Education and Skills)

              Local Authority Adviser to SACRE