Shropshire’s new outline for Religious Education will be officially launched by the council today (Wednesday 10 June 2009) after more than a year’s work and consultation across the county.
The Shropshire Religious Education (RE) Agreed Syllabus, which supports the teaching of the subject, will be presented to schools and other organisations at the Shirehall this evening.
Each local authority in England and Wales is required to review its RE every five years as set out in its agreed syllabus. They are supported in doing this through the work of the Standing Advisory Council for Religious Education (SACRE) which is made up of representatives from the local authority, teaching unions, the Church of England, other Christian denominations and world faiths.
Liz Nicholson, Shropshire Council’s Director of Children and Young People’s Services, said: “Today’s launch is the culmination of more than a year’s work involving extensive initial consultation with all Shropshire schools, the SACRE, teachers from primary and secondary schools in Shropshire and members of the council’s Advisory Service.”
The launch will take place from 7.30pm in the Council Chamber at the Shirehall and will be attended by John Rowley, Assistant Director for Raising Achievement and Inclusion; Heather Farr and Alun Morgan from the Shropshire Advisory Team for RE; members of Shropshire SACRE; Diocesan representatives; teacher members of the writing teams that produced the syllabus materials and teachers from Shropshire schools.
As part of the evening there will be opportunities to view RE work by children from Shropshire schools and music will be provided by Shropshire Council’s Schools Music Service.
Copies of the syllabus materials will be distributed to Shropshire schools after the launch, for a teaching start in September 2009.
Issued: 10 June 2009