Casterton College Rutland deputy headteacher defends school’s religious curriculum

Casterton College has insisted it is meeting its statutory religious education requirements after Rutland’s RE advisor raised concerns.

Amanda Fritton made a point at last week’s Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education (SACRE) meeting of saying she had concerns about the Great Casterton secondary school as one GCSE year group did not have any students studying RE. She also said there was no reference on the school’s website to how the subject was being studied across Key Stage 4 and that she would be writing to the school, which is led by headteacher Carl Smith.

All schools under the 1988 Education Reform Act have to provide a religious and physical education to all students. Parents can however opt their child out.

Now Casterton College’s deputy head Neil Rawes has responded to the claims saying he is surprised by the ‘accusatory manner’ taken by Rutland’s RE adviser and ‘it would have been helpful for Ms Fritton to have contacted Casterton in advance with her concerns so we could have clarified matters’. He said she was not in possession of the appropriate information

He said: “Ms Fritton is correct that Casterton does not have a current Year 11 group, but this is because RE is an option choice and we only had six students in that cohort which opted for the subject.

“As a public institution which is expected to offer value for money, and is scrutinised accordingly, we reluctantly decided that the commitment of staffing resource for such a small number was not appropriate given timetable constraints. However, such is our commitment to offering the GCSE that we have made staffing adjustments which has allowed a current Year 10 GCSE RE group to run, even though the number of students remain modest.

"With regard to the non-GCSE Core offer at Key Stage 4 we have not been asked about our approach by Rutland SACRE.

"As the SACRE report states that while the recent Quality of Education Report and Ofsted have commented on the concerning state of RE teaching in some educational providers that ‘this is not the case with Rutland schools’.

"The Rutland SACRE report also notes that in recent Ofsted inspections of Rutland schools there were ‘no negative comments’. It is noted that Casterton was one of the school’s which had a Section 5 Ofsted within the report timeframe and our curriculum was judged as good. The whole curriculum, including provision of RE was looked at during the inspection and the report has no negative comments or suggested improvements in the curriculum area.”

The senior teacher said the school regularly had themed weeks of activities which looked at issues involving religion. He said the regular Friday debate also focused on faith issues.

He said: “We mark and celebrate the different religious festivals through tutor time and displays within the college and online quizzes to support developing knowledge in an engaging way. Most of all we embrace, what we believe, to be the spirit of RE education which is practical compassion through student led charity events and our annual support of the Samaritan’s Purse Shoe Box Appeal in conjunction with Oakham Baptist Church.

"We also have Key Stage 4 assemblies to mark Christmas and Easter that celebrate the Christian faith and are led by local church figures, recently from Saint George’s in Stamford and Great Casterton. While we acknowledge that we can always improve and are always happy to collaborate and share practice with others, this is not a school that is failing to meet its statutory duty but one that takes the themes of the SACRE syllabus seriously.”

He said the school website was being updated.