Assessment in RE: a practical guide

For many years, assessment in RE was fairly settled. As with other foundation and core curriculum subjects, we used levels to assess pupils’ progress. We reflected the developments of these subjects within our agreed syllabuses and other resources,
using the same terms from ‘assessment gurus’ such as Paul Black and Dylan Wiliam.1

We tried not to stand outside the crowd, so that we did not cause problems for teachers. When levels were removed by the government, RE held onto them longer than other subjects in some places and school types. Now, for most schools, the time to find alternatives to assessment using the eight-level scale is long overdue. Schools have spent the last few years trying out different systems for core and foundation subjects, a search for clarity that has been paralleled in RE.

This book is designed to support head teachers, senior leaders, heads of RE, subject leaders and classroom teachers in reflecting on the different practices that are being used around the country in the search for assessment solutions in RE. It starts with a brief look at the general issues around assessment in RE before
focusing on assessing RE in primary and then secondary schools. The book presents examples of legitimate and viable practice, written in the main by classroom practitioners, supplemented with a few chapters by those who work closely with schools or have trialled ideas in schools. It is not presenting one of these as the correct model. Instead, it offers you some different teacher experiences so you can consider whether aspects of these would work in your school, or perhaps provide some alternative options. Everyone who has contributed to this book has suggested their ideas or practices for perusal – without claiming they are perfect – in the hope that they might be helpful.

Assessment in general, and certainly in RE, is not ‘settled’ yet. There will undoubtedly be more changes in both RE and assessment, but we think the examples represented here will offer much to the teacher now and in the future.