Please visit the RE pages on the Devon County Council website for information, advice and guidance.

Opening up the new RE syllabus for primary and secondary schools

In June 2024 a new RE syllabus was launched for schools in Devon, Torbay and Plymouth. This syllabus has been developed in close consultation with teachers and school leaders. It is a development of the last syllabus, with significant extensions in line with current thinking and practice. Crucial changes include:

• adapting to a new Religion and Worldviews approach to RE
• integrating Ofsted’s 3 forms of knowledge (substantive, ‘ways of knowing’ and personal knowledge)
• more systematic coverage of non-religious worldviews (especially Humanism)
• offering additional alternative primary units on anti-racism, caring for the earth and multi-disciplinary RE and using more local examples
• including more detail on assessment techniques
• providing more materials to support teachers with developing subject knowledge

Who is this syllabus for?

This syllabus has been put in place for all schools. It will be a statutory requirement for all maintained schools without a religious character and it is recommended for all academies. The Diocese of Exeter recommends it for Church schools, being fully compatible with Understanding Christianity and the RE Statement of Entitlement for CofE schools.

It comes with a full curriculum plan, guidance on assessment and detailed medium-term planning. Additional support materials for primary schools can be purchased from RE Today.

Training

A full day training for primary and secondary teachers will explore the way the new RE syllabus works and demonstrate how to use it as a planning document. Click here to find out more.