Wokingham

Some 71 teachers from 59 schools in the Wokingham district will come together tomorrow (July 7) when Wokingham Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education (SACRE) unveils its new look Religious Education (RE) syllabus.

Teachers from Wokingham district schools will be joining their colleagues from Bracknell Forest for a one-day course, led by RE consultant Jo Fageant, lead author of the syllabus. This will provide them with the opportunity to familiarise themselves with the new syllabus and prepare for implementing it in September 2006.

Every five years, SACREs have to review the agreed syllabus. Coming to fruition, the new syllabus will be unveiled on Friday and is the result of a nine-month project involving SACRE and teachers across the district who helped to write and also gave comments on the draft document. The syllabus has been developed in partnership with neighbouring authorities: Bracknell Forest, Reading, Slough, Windsor and Maidenhead, and West Berkshire.

The new syllabus aims to allow children and young people to explore some of the big questions in life and help prepare them for life in a diverse society.

Wokingham Teachers will be joined by Cllr Frank Browne, executive member for children’s services; David Hawthorne, corporate head of children’s services (schools) and the chairman of Wokingham SACRE, Reverend Colin James.

Cllr Frank Browne, executive member for Wokingham children’s services, said: “Many people have been involved in the development of this syllabus from officers and elected members of the council as well as representatives from all the main faiths in the Wokingham district. It has been a collaboration that has involved the thinking and writing skills of people from all local authorities in Berkshire.”

Helen Currie, adviser for minority ethnic achievement, said: “The hard work has paid off and as a result we have an exciting new-look syllabus, which we hope will inspire teachers to put Religious Education and spiritual development at the heart of their thinking and planning for the personal development of every child.”

The Oxford Diocese will be recommending that all C of E schools in the Wokingham district use this new syllabus when planning their RE work for the new school term. A copy of the syllabus can be found on the council’s website at www.wokingham.gov.uk/re

Wokingham District Council