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RE and Inspection
Provision and Inspection
The law requires school inspections and these are carried out under Section 5 of the Education Act 2005 by the Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted). Further information on Ofsted can be found at: www.ofsted.gov.uk
The current inspection framework was introduced in September 2009.
In addition to the Framework this reference contains guidance for the assistance of inspectors and copies of the main inspection documents.
The emphasis in current inspection procedures is on the effectiveness of a school and self-evaluation.
Guidance on preparing for an inspection can be found at betterre.reonline.org.uk/lead_manage/inspect.php.
A free self-evaluation toolkit that matches the Ofsted framework
This tool allows subject leaders to print off the basis of an RE Improvement Plan for their school based on their answers to the online questions. SACREs can also request an annual report on the data provided by the schools within their local authority. No school is named in this report though data will refer to types of schools within the LA.
There are different and specific curriculum and inspection arrangements for RE in different types of school.
There are also particular requirements for the inspection of schools with a religious foundation:
- DfE information about the inspection of voluntary or foundation schools
- Information on the inspection of Anglican Schools
- Information on the inspection of Roman Catholic Schools
- Information on the inspection of Muslim schools
- Information on the inspection of Jewish schools
- Inspection of Sikh schools is organised through the Network of Sikh Organisations
- Inspection of Seventh Day Adventist schools is organised through the Education Department of the British Union Conference of the Seventh-day Adventists
- General information about Methodist schools
Ofsted also conducts subject inspections of English schools as part of a three-year rolling programme. Each of the National Curriculum subjects, RE, personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE) and business studies are inspected in general terms and in relation to issues specific to that particular subject, such as 'assessment', 'contribution to literacy' or 'differences in attainment between boys and girls'.
In the case of RE, Ofsted inspects a sample of 30 primary and 30 secondary schools. A small number of additional visits can be made to schools identified as having particularly good practice in the subject. The outcomes of this work feed into Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector's (HMCI) annual report but also, once every three years, result in a substantial report on the subject (see links to latest reports below). Subject visits are made to a cross-section of primary and secondary schools. Each visit involves an evaluation of achievement and standards, the quality of provision, and the leadership and management of the subject.
In addition, the inspection programme focuses on specific issues relating to the subject to track the impact of recent initiatives and to investigate the need for future developments. The visits are followed by a brief letter to the school summarising the points made in the feedback and discussion at the end of the visit. The feedback letter is copied by Ofsted to the local authority (LA) and the SACRE, where appropriate, and is available to the next institutional inspection team. It is also published on the Ofsted website.
Further information about the Ofsted programme of subject inspections
Ofsted's reports of their findings about RE in English schools are published on their website: