Assessment is a core mechanism for ensuring that curriculum is effective; as such, it can help us identify whether teaching and learning is impactful and whether all pupils are flourishing academically in RE.

The Ofsted RE Research Review (2021) outlines three key types of knowledge developed through the RE curriculum: substantive (the content we teach), disciplinary (the 'ways of knowing'; the questions asked of and methods used to engage with the content) and personal (a pupils' growing awareness of their own worldview and the ways in which it impacts on their learning). Substantive knowledge and disciplinary knowledge do not equate to a ‘knowledge and skills’ dichotomy. We need a clear understanding of the different types of knowledge if we are going to be able to support pupils to know how to ‘get better in RE’ (i.e. make progress).

Pupils can be said to be ‘getting better at RE’ (i.e. making progress) if they are knowing, understanding, remembering and being able to do more as a result of the curriculum that has been planned and delivered.

Assessment processes help us understand whether pupils know, understand, remember and can do more based on the curriculum that has been planned and delivered

Below is some guidance for assessing pupil progress in RE. This guidance reflects more general developments in thinking about assessment, as well as taking account of the Ofsted RE Research Review (May 2021). This is accompanied by a second guidance document that focuses on what it might look like to 'get better' at the ways of knowing (disciplinary knowledge). 

For further support in relation to assessing pupil progress in RE, please contact Gillian Georgiou at gillian.georgiou@lincoln.anglican.org.