Agenda item

In October 2015 ‘A curriculum for Wales – a curriculum for life’ document was released which outlines plans for taking forward Professors Donaldson’s recommendations which he made in his report ‘Successful Futures’.  One of the recommendations made in that report was that religious education should form part of the Humanities area of learning and experience, and should remain a statutory curriculum requirement from reception stage.

Pioneer schools and stakeholders will have a say in the shape of the curriculum.  The first stage for Curriculum Pioneers would be a high level definition of an Area of Learning and Experience (AOLE) Framework.

New Deal Pioneers would focus on the pedagogy and leadership needed to deliver the requirements of the new curriculum.

A meeting took place on 13 September 2016 between Welsh Government (WG) and WASACRE officers.

Manon Jones (WG) is responsible for the pioneer schools and 2 areas of AOLE, Humanities and Language and Literacry.  There are three strands.

Strand 1: Pioneer school representatives have already attended a few induction events.

Strand 2: Between October and Christmas 2016 pioneer school representatives will work within areas of AOLE in order to consider the role of AOLE in the curriculum development.  They will investigate the scope and connections of each subject within the Humanities AOLE.

Strand 3: Representatives from pioneer schools will consider the strands within each AOLE.  This is where in depth subject specific knowledge will be needed.

WASACRE have been asked to support WG by:

·             Reading material

·             Attending meetings in both North and South of Wales

·             Identifying schools exemplifying good practice in RE

VT was concerned that schools on the Pioneer schools lists had volunteered their services and their interest could be numeracy and literacy and not necessarily RE so it was important that WG seek advice from WASACRE to identify schools exemplifying  good practice in RE .

She was also aware that the Church in Wales were looking to compile a list of their schools exemplifying good practice in RE which they would submit to the pioneer schools. 

A seminar on the New Curriculum for Wales took place in October.  It was organised independently from WG and the Chair of WASACRE, Phil Lord, had been invited to attend.  Unfortunately, due to other commitments he was unable to attend but had hoped to send a substitute. V Thomas hoped that there would be feedback from this seminar at the WASACRE meeting in Carmarthen.

NAPfRE have begun drawing up a guidance document ‘What makes good RE’ for submission to the pioneer network for consideration when developing the shape of the RE curriculum.

H Stephens raised the following questions with the teachers present:

Q:      Whether they were concerned that RE would now become part of Humanities.

A:      L Picton agreed that there was concern for specialist subject teachers.

Q:      Had they made any change to their RE courses.

A:      L Picton and N Huggleston confirmed that it was ‘business as usual’ with the teaching of RE as they had not received any advice regarding changes impacting on the curriculum at secondary level.

S Hunt confirmed this was also the case with the infant school as it was part of the foundation Phase curriculum

Agreed:

The report was discussed and noted