RE Council

The RE coordinator is keen to develop the teaching of RE and to set up a network (national or global) with different faith communities.

We used the RE mark as a tool for our department development plan. In a time where departments are largely judged by outcomes our ‘department development meetings’ have now been re-named ‘department attainment meetings.’ While we recognise the importance of attainment – indeed the RE department at the Ifracombe Academy boasted the best GCSE results in the school and significantly above the national average – we recognise that there are limitations to examination and results cannot tell the whole story. There are always areas for development. The structure of the RE quality mark proved to be a useful tool for development. We worked through it together as a team. For the most part it was an encouragement. Lots of ‘oh yes…we do that…’ as well as suggested areas for development. This document continues to be a point of reference and is useful for setting targets for staff appraisals.

Pupils told me they liked it in RE when there was time to think about and then discuss their BIG questions – they brought up lots they are thinking of at the moment: Why was Jesus born when he was,  why not earlier or later? Are heaven and hell real? When will Jesus come back again? How can heaven never end? Key Stage 2 children really liked that they got to write questions down when they think of them, and at certain time discuss them. Key Stage 1 would really like to do this as well!

RE helps us not to be stereotypical.

We get many opportunities to do activities about Religious Studies, like I went on Hope FM radio to have a debate ‘If there was a God why is there suffering in the world?’ We also talked about what we like in RS and do we like it.

I like acting things out. It makes it more interactive. I get to do it. I like talking and seeing other points of view.