National Adviser - Religious Education
 
 
The current programmes produced and distributed nationally are Here I am for Key stages 1 and 2, and Icons for Key Stage 3.
 
 
Key Stage 4   
 
We recently completed an enquiry into the effectiveness of the GCSE Specifications for Religious Studies produced by AQA, OCR and Edexcel. Information was been sent out to all schools containing the results of the enquiry, an expectation of what the students might have achieved by the end of KS3, KS4 and Post-16; what we expect from the specifications, a detailed analysis of the specifications, our reflection of the specifications and a questionnaire to elicit information to help us to the next stage of our work.

The next stage will be a negotiation with exam boards to make further improvements when the current specifications come up for renewal. It is important to have catholic teachers on the exam boards as advisers or examiners so that our interests are represented within the organisations.

     
  Link to KS4 Document (MS Word document - 22kb)  
 
Post-16 General Religious Education
 
In September 2003, schools and colleges may apply for funding for General Religious Education post-16. Religious Education must be separate from General Studies and other topics as the funding is granted for additionality (catholic schools have to teach religious education in accordance with their trust deed, so money is allocated specifically for this).

In order to attract full funding, schools and colleges will need to follow a course accredited on the National Framework of Qualifications by the QCA. There will be two courses available – The National Framework course called The Way of Faith - Horizons and The Maryvale Certificate - Certificate and Diploma in Catholic Studies for Sixth Forms

Schools and colleges who do not wish to take an accredited course may be eligible for funding. Their course will need to meet the national criteria for General Religious Education. They will need to present their course to their Diocesan Religious Education adviser who will endorses the course and send it to the National Accrediting Board of Studies for approval.

Below you can find an outline of the proposed Framework in its present stage of development, set out for accreditation. Please remember it is only a Framework and the actual content of the course has to be supplied by the schools and colleges. The guidance is illustrative of good practice and not necessarily to be slavishly copied. The Framework can be offered either systematically, thematically of in topic form. Any comments would be welcome and can be sent or e-mailed to the National Adviser at the CES.

For a look at the criteria click here
 
 
  Link to Framework Consultation Document (MS Word document - 89kb)  
 
 
For details of these programmes please look at the National Project pages.
 
Worship in Catholic Schools Canon Peter Humfrey
 
Click on the title to download a copy of the article
 
Religious Education Curriculum Directory
for Catholic Schools
 Published for the Bishops’ Conference
by the Catholic Education Service
Click on the title to open the document. It is in a PDF document
 
 
  Profession and Vocation - Cardinal Hume's speech to the TTA in March 1999   
 
Mission Statements for Schools
   
Some work is in progress to develop guidance for Mission Statements to include references not only to education and formation but also to worship and to mission. Please see the article on the religious education page of this site. Please send me any ideas or information you think might contribute to this area.
 
The Catholic School: Its Mission in the Life of the Church Today
Canon Peter Humfrey 4 October 2001
Click on the title to download a copy of the article