Wrexham SACRE Annual Report 2015-16 PDF Version 786Kb
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Achieving Quality Learning for Children and Young People in Wrexham Cyflawni Dysgu o Ansawdd ar gyfer Plant a Phobl Ifanc yn Wrecsam WREXHAM STANDING ADVISORY COUNCIL FOR RELIGIOUS EDUCATION ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE ACADEMIC YEAR 2015-2016 WREXHAM SACRE -CHAIRMAN’S INTRODUCTION 2016 The task of the SACREs continue on limited resources in tight times for local government. However, we continue the solid work of promoting, advancing and monitoring the work of religious and moral education in our schools and it’s place in the wider society. We are indebted to the staff in the subject within our schools and as a link governor in Humanities in one of our high schools I know that staff with a subject speciality can make a real difference. As I said in last year’s report true praise goes to our subject advisor Libby Jones . Quite frankly without her zest and input the subject results and standards in Wrexham would be immeasurably poorer. It is probably no coincidence that her input is Wales wide. As to links with other faith we recently welcomed The Jewish Living Experience to Wrexham and many SACRE members accepted the invitation to visit our town’s mosque earlier in the year and found it a welcoming and enlightening visit. Ironically flu prevented myself as chair to undertake either visit so it is to be hoped it does not strike again in February 2017 when our next meeting is scheduled there. Councillor Andrew Bailey – Chairman of Wrexham SACRE. CONTENTS Section 1 Summary of Advice to the Local Authority on Religious Education 1.1 The Locally Agreed Syllabus 1.2 Standards in Religious Education 1.3 Examination results 1.4 Actions arising from examination results 1.5 Methods of teaching and classroom materials 1.6 Teacher training Section 2 Summary of advice to the Local Authority on Collective Worship 2.1 Collective Worship guidelines 2.2 Collective worship support Section 3 Summary of advice to the Local Authority on Local and National Issues 3.1 Welsh Government Issues 3.2 St Giles’ Centre events 3.3 Complaints 3.5 WASACRE Appendices Appendix 1. Membership of Wrexham SACRE 2015 -2016 Appendix 2. Examination Data 2015 Appendix 3. Development Plan 2015 – 2016 Appendix 4. Summary of Inspection findings 2015-2016 Appendix 5. Training and advice given to SACRE members Section 1. Summary of Advice to the Local Authority on Religious Education 1.1 The Agreed Syllabus Wrexham SACRE adopted the National Exemplar Framework for Religious Education for 3 to 19 year olds in Wales as the Wrexham agreed syllabus in 2010. Along with some locally determined prescriptions around the number of religions at each key stage and curriculum time allocation, this still stands as the Wrexham Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education. There are two sections to the Wrexham Agreed Syllabus– the introductory guidance notes, and the National Exemplar Framework document. Support continued to be available from the RE Advisor, Libby Jones, for schools at their request during 2015 – 2016 in implementing the agreed syllabus and for reviewing and improving current RE schemes of work. As in previous years for all secondary RE departments this process was offered through Termly Meetings with the Advisor. The partnership arrangement between Wrexham LA and the Wrexham Parochial Educational Foundation remains and the advisory support offered to Wrexham schools has continued throughout 2015-2016 academic year, as follows: RE Advisor 3-19 (4 days). There is also a designated member of the Foundation Phase Team who attends SACRE meetings. The RE Advisor has continued to work with primary and secondary schools to support them in continuing to raise standards in Religious Education during 2015 – 2016. INSET has been provided on an individual school basis where appropriate. Regular monitoring of the implementation of the Agreed Syllabus has continued to be reported to SACRE through SACRE meetings as a result of school visits, analysis of Estyn Inspection reports, analysis of examination data and termly meetings with secondary Heads of RE. 1.2 Standards in Religious Education (i) Monitoring and Evaluation. Wrexham SACRE continues to receive an analysis of Estyn reports, highlighting any comments on religious education, spirituality and collective worship. Subjects are no longer specifically highlighted in the Estyn reports, so it is felt that RE cannot be monitored separately. The RE Advisor offers support, advice, training and the opportunity to see model lessons and observe staff teach. Feedback and advice is given to each school as required. Schools are encouraged to share their report with Governing Bodies. (ii) Analysis of Inspection reports: Autumn term meeting 2015: Min y Ddol March 2015 Black Lane CP April 2015 Hafod-Y-Wern May 2015 Maes-Y-Mynydd June 2015 Alexandra CP June 2015 Outcome of Monitoring Visit: Johnstown Junior May 2015 Minera Aided Primary School June 2015 Report Following monitoring: Ysgol-y-Waun July 2015 Spring Term meeting 2015 Park Community Primary, Llay October 2015 Madras Primary School, Penley November 2015 Outcome of Monitoring Visit: Ysgol Plas Coch January 2016 Summer Term meeting 2015 Cefn Mawr Primary School December 2015 Ysgol Cynddelw February 2016 Outcome of Monitoring Visit: Ysgol Rhiwabon January 2016 The following sections of each report were presented for review: School name Name of Inspection team Report on SMSC development Report on Religious Education and Collective Worship where mentioned in the report As a result of the Estyn Inspection Framework analysis of the report is dependent on whether it is a line of enquiry and commented upon by the Estyn team. Therefore the analysis report no longer follows the previous pattern. SACRE members were pleased to note the positive comments received by schools in relation to their Collective Worship provision and the standards achieved in RE where specified. Good practice identified is shared as a result of this analysis. Where schools have areas for development identified, follow up support is offered to individual school and agreed with the RE Adviser. The nature of the support is fed back to SACRE. All schools inspected met the statutory requirements for provision this year and letters congratulating each school on their success were sent as recommended by members. 1.3 Examination Results at KS4 and KS5 Summary of Wrexham’s performance at GCSE, A Level and Entry Level RS 2015. Full Course GCSE: In Wrexham 66% of Yr 11 pupils gained A* - C, which is 9% below All Wales and 3% below Wrexham’s results for 2014. 639 Yr 11 pupils from Wrexham sat the exam this year, which is an increase of 169 pupils from 2014. 98% of pupils gained A* - G which is the same as the All Wales figure and just 1% below last year’s result for Wrexham. A* and A grades are 19% for Wrexham this year, which is 11% lower than All Wales and 10% lower than Wrexham’s 2014 figures. Short Course GCSE: In Wrexham 46% of Yr 11 pupils gained A* - C, which is 3% lower than 2014. The All Wales figure is 52% which has also dropped from last year. 514 Yr 11 pupils from Wrexham sat an RS Short Course qualification this year which is a rise of 7 pupils from Last year. 95% of those pupils gained A* - G, which is 2% higher than All Wales for this year and just 1% lower than the Wrexham figure for 2014. A* and A Grades for Wrexham are at 9.5%. Early Entries: There are still some schools in Wrexham who enter year 10 pupils for the GCSE RS qualification, with some very good results. Entry Level: 23 pupils from St Christopher’s school were entered for the AQA Entry Level RS exam with excellent results. All 23 pupils gained an entry level qualification. 12 pupils achieved a level 3 which is equivalent to a GCSE pass and could now go on to study RS GCSE if they choose to. A Level: CENTRE ENTRY A* A B C D E A*-C A*-E Wales 1,444 4% 19% 31% 27% 14% 5% 81% 100% Ysgol Maelor Penley 0 - - - - - - - - Ysgol Morgan Llwyd 2 0 0 0 100% 0 0 100% 100% Ysgol Rhiwabon 3 0 0 0 33.3% 33.3% 33.3% 33.3% 100% Coleg Cambria 6 16.6% 0 16.6% 50% 0 16.6% 83% 100% As Level: CENTRE ENTRY A* A B C D E A*-C A*-E Wales Ysgol Maelor Penley 11 0 0 0 9% 55% 36% 9% 100% Ysgol Morgan Llwyd 6 0 0 33.3% 16.6% 33.3% 16.6% 50% 100% Ysgol Rhiwabon 3 0 0 0 0 0 33.3% 0 33% Coleg Cambria 15 0 0 6.6% 33.3% 26.6% 26.6% 40% 93% Cohort Entry RS Full and Short Course In 2015, 1153 pupils 89% of the cohort In 2014, 1081 pupils 88% of the cohort In 2013, 1211 pupils 81% of the cohort In 2012, 1272 pupils 76%*of the cohort (These figures do not include the PRUs or In 2011, 1304 pupils 96% of the cohort St Christopher’s) 1.4 Actions arising from examination results SACRE members were pleased to note that the entry figures for pupils taking an RS GCSE qualification in Wrexham are still on the rise, peaking this year at 89%. Members were also heartened to hear that the Level 1 achievement figure for Full Course RS in Wrexham was the same as the All Wales Level 1 figure for 2015, and that the Short Course RS Level 1 figure in Wrexham was actually higher than the All Wales figure for 2015. They were particularly pleased to see that 23 pupils from St Christopher’s Special School in Wrexham achieved an Entry level qualification in RS that year and that those pupils could now go on to study RS at GCSE level.