A standards supplement to the Suffolk Agreed Syllabus

The Suffolk Standing Advisory Council on RE (SACRE) recognises that, for the foreseeable future, the development of RE will continue to be a partnership between the local and national bodies responsible for the subject i.e. SACREs, LEAs and the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA). I am delighted to say that, in Suffolk, this partnership has proved fruitful in various ways, but not least in the development of this standards supplement to the Suffolk agreed syllabus. I am sure that heads of department and subject leaders will find it a useful addition to their professional library. It will help teachers using the Suffolk agreed syllabus to have a clearer understanding of their pupils' attainment levels in relation to national expectations.

This is very important, for Ofsted and QCA have identified nationally a lack of consistency in the agreed syllabus expectations for pupil attainment. As a result QCA issued non-statutory guidance to LEA's and SACRE's to address this problem and to provide clear national expectations in RE. They have done this by producing a national assessment scale that sets out how pupil attainment should progress within the RE curriculum. Using this guidance, the Suffolk Agreed Syllabus Conference developed this supplement, which is now authorised for use in all Suffolk maintained and voluntary controlled schools.

I am very grateful to the Suffolk teachers and the members of the RE advisory team for their expertise and hard work in producing this standards supplement. I hope that you will find it both reassuring and helpful in the development of the RE curriculum in your school.

David Underwood      (Chairman of the Suffolk Agreed Syllabus Conference)