This is a personal view by the author Stephen B Fauguel Ph.D.
The objective of this report is to reveal roles that communities and teachers play when planning and working with very young children who take their first tentative steps into formal education.
The aims of this report are to explore and analyse the components of primary education and the teaching skill utilised.
The initial first steps into education are evidently crucial for a child’s development into a wholesome person.
In this report various components of education are explored and analysed.
For example; the geographical location, the individuals’ demographics, government legislation, the national frame work of the QCA, and the SACREs connected to the, early years, foundation.
Despite the complex challenges that the child has to cope with in the initial educational experience the teachers input in the child’s overall development is also a critical factor.
Therefore the exploration and analysis are contained to Foundation and Key stage 1 of the pupil’s educational development.
The exploration within this report acknowledges that agencies of society engage in power and influence, for resources and ideas.
Also it is evident that teacher's in this report work towards navigating through the competing mêlée of guidelines within the frame work for education.
Foundation and Key stage 1 Education are formed from the links and chains of education legislation, and local autonomy bodies, (The Standing Advisory Councils on Religious Education (SACREs)).
The pedagogy in which the parents must trust is the crucial bulwark for their children’s first crucial step into education.
The teacher's input of the child’s early education will inevitably challenge the child’s concepts of growth and world view as the child develops their faith, spirituality, citizenship and ultimately their adulthood, all of which are necessary for a cohesive society.
The research location is a school in England. The name of the school will remain confidential in the interests of the people and the pupils involved in the research.
I will therefore refer to the school as Merry Meadows Primary school. I have linked legislation to the National Framework, the QCA and the SACREs in order to demonstrate evidence of citizenship and social cohesion as elements promoted within the early learning of religious studies.
I have conducted my research around the Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 pupils. I interviewed teachers at the school and examined the relevant Ofsted Inspection reports and the schools grades in order to measure the success of the teaching techniques that connects religious studies to citizenship.
I have indicated several points that might assist in the measurement of social cohesion by using Bellah’s ideas on social religion. I will summarise, throughout the research.
The research explores Foundational Key Stage 1 (KS1) teaching practice and the theory of a religious studies curriculum at a state funded community primary school.
The research evaluates the teaching of 50% Christianity within a school where 98% of the pupils are Muslim, while 99% of the teaching personnel are white-British of Christian faith.
The research also examines citizenship and social cohesion within the promotion of religious studies. My methodology for the research includes the legal requirements, taken from the National Framework, the locally agreed syllabus i.e. the Standing Advisory Council for Religious Education (SACRE).
Included in the research are the independent descriptive accounts from a teacher’s observations of school lessons.
Also included is my personal account extracted from the research and reported in a series of articles after interviewing members of the teaching staff at the school.
Principally, all the children participate at Merry Meadows mixed Primary School. This is because their parents have not withdrawn their children from receiving a level of religious education as part of the curriculum.
This is their right to do so, should they chose to. All children in Great Britain have the same entitlement to learn religion, as cited in the Religions Education Reform Act (Education Reform Act 1996 Section 389 (1a) 1-94 paras, 44-49).
Young children from the age of 3 to 5 years (Foundation Stage) are accepted into the single form entry school system at Merry Meadows Primary School. Acts of Parliament relevant to the teaching of Religious Education in Great Britain British beliefs, values and rituals have shaped the indigenous population of Great Britain towards Christianity the statement is supported through Acts of Parliament for example; (The Education Reform Act 1996, 375).
The provision of 1996 Act is reflected in The Town’s Local Agreed Syllabus for religious studies, which also takes account of the principles of worldwide religions including Judaism; Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, and Islam. (Religious Education Reform Act 1996, Section 375/3 as detailed in DfE circular 1/94 para 31), Religious studies must reflect the fact that religious tradition in Great Britain is Christianity.
The school’s head teacher shares the responsibility with the Local Education Authority (LEA), “the head teacher must ensure the provision of religious education,” (Education Reform Act, 1996, Section 384).
For this research the National Framework is useful because it demonstrates how religious education contributes to the pupils’ learning goals in the Foundation Stages.
It also sets out learning expectations for early learning and emphasises the spiritual, moral and social development of the child.
The Framework promotes respect for others beliefs and values, (QCA/04/1371). Therefore, it provides the opportunity to develop citizenship.
The aims of the National Framework for Religious Education and the operational design are to improve the quality of religious teaching and learning.
The Framework contributes to a wider learning and to provide a clear rationale for the subjects. It has a programme of study in Key Stages 1, 2 and 3.
It has two assessment targets: 1 - to learn about religion and 2 - learning from religion. (QCA/04/1371 October 2004). The Department of Education and Skills (DfES) instructs the Local Education Authority (LEA) on religious studies using, (The Education Act of 1996 and 1998 Section 8).
It then becomes the joint responsibility of the LEA and major faith groups together with religious educated professionals which include teachers.
The SACRE advises the LEA on the religious studies. The local agreed syllabus is made up from a Working Party from within The Town’s Local area.
The working party includes one Imam and ten white British members (See Appendix I).
In summary I have outlined; the reasons for the links between the National Framework, the QCA and the SACREs, Explores Foundational Key Stage 1 (KS1).
Include methodology for the research, and Acts of Parliament relevant to the teaching of Religious Education in Great Britain.
I have included a brief overview of the school and where it is placed within the Education system. I have also stated the direction of the intended research. Here is an overview of the School and the changes to the local population through their social transition.
Merry Meadows Primary School lies close to available roads and railway links.
The founding ancestors of the school community recognised the geological significance of a damp climate and had the vision of mass textile production during the Industrial Revolution.
The school was built circa1970 for the children of the local population who were predominantly white working class Christians and employed in the textile industry.
However, the local mono-culture was in transition because of global economic change.
The world’s production of cotton had reached a critical mass.
Cheaper imported cotton and the demand for synthetic material put many firms out of business.
In the early 1980’s, as the mills closed down in the area of Merry Meadows, the white population sought employment in other parts of the town.
This coincided with the influx of Asian immigrants, who sought unskilled employment and opportunities to educate their children.
In the 1980’s, several blocks of flats were demolished further accelerating the area’s decline.
The changing nature of the neighbourhood
Asian families moved into the relatively affordable, small terraced houses that made comfortable although potentially crowded homes.
Families also filled the vacancies at Merry Meadows Primary School with their children.
Over time, Mosques were built in the area to accommodate the religious worship of Islam.
Also, Asian shops opened up selling traditional Asian foods and goods.
Due to regeneration in the mid 1990’s the view observed from Merry Meadows Primary School transformed out of all recognition as it became surrounded by large retail warehouses, a cinema, gym, bowling alley, and fast-food takeaways.
The school has changed little over the following decades. Within the school grounds there are several small sitting areas and one large play area.
The school accommodates a large assembly hall, and seven classrooms, that will accommodate in total approximately 225 pupils.
There is also a cook house, a small reception area at the front of the building, one teacher staff room, one library and two office administration rooms.
Demography
Although the town’s population has a large majority of traditional working class Christians Merry Meadows and its surrounding area has a predominantly Asian Muslim community.
The school’s teaching staff does not reflect the local demography.
There are nine female teachers; this includes the head teacher and the deputy head teacher. One teacher is of Pakistani ethnicity, the remaining eight are white-British.
The pupil:teacher ratio is 30:1.
This information was sourced from the school administrator.
The school can be identified through a typical curriculum of religious studies as something that is sponsored and accepted by the Merry Meadows Primary, as supported by Wragg’s comments, “sponsored or condoned by the school and its teachers”.
Here, I agree with Wragg because whether it is labelled or not, it remains part of the teaching timetable, (Wragg, 1997, p, 1).
Worthy of note is Stenhouse’s comments and his definition of the curriculum; he asks “What educational purposes should the school seek to attain and what educational experience could be provided?” (Stenhouse, 1978, p.3)
The above statement is appropriate because it fits the idea of a curriculum, also the purpose of a curriculum needs to be defined and the results require transparency in order to evaluate the learning experience of the pupil.
However, Stenhouse states it is difficult to apply because we are a fluid culture with many alternatives, (Stenhouse, 1978, p, 7).
In a pluralistic society there appears to be a need for alternative methods to create social cohesion for democratic citizenships.
This is evidently borne out through the application of the Local Agreed Syllabus, it is identified through the social cohesion which became part of the educational elements at Merry Meadows Primary School, which is also part of the agenda within the Local Agreed Syllabus.
Also it may be consider that the Ofsted Inspection Report is crucial in order that the curriculum is transparent and open to scrutiny, (Appendix III, p.5).
At Merry Meadows Primary School the pupils do not clearly understand what they have to achieve.
It is a criticism in the Ofsted Inspection Report that the pupils do not know their targets.
Therefore, they cannot draw on their learning skills to achieve those targets.
An inspection of the curriculum reveals that one aim is to manage behaviour, (The Locally Agreed Syllabus, Section C/3b).
My perception is that this is in context with social cohesion as I draw attention to point 4 of Section C/3b regarding values and respect the contribution of other people which can be interpreted as citizenship by modelling for the future.
In addition modelling for the future fits with the SACRE, which endorses the entitlement for religious education for all pupils irrespective of race and culture.
The key pointer in the SACRE is the difference in cultures.
This establishes the motivation to continue with 50% Christianity teaching in religious studies.
It sets out national expectations for teaching and learning religious education, and provides guidance for teachers, (teachernet, [online]).
Developing positive attitude towards other people that reflect on different beliefs from their own is potentially positive growth orientated, (Locally Agreed Syllabus, p.2).
Also included is the idea of fostering the spiritual, social, moral and cultural development.
Therefore there is a developed theme throughout The Locally Agreed Syllabus, (Personal Social Health Education - PSHE).
The subject content within PSHE would in itself help to promote the inclusion of attainment targets to identify the living experiences, (DfES/QCA, 1999, p.13).
This offers the opportunity for a way forward by acknowledging and establishing a monitoring system for the social cohesion agenda.
In summary, included within the research are the explanations of the overview of Merry Meadows Primary School and the resulting changes in the local population through their social transition.
Within the research is a description of the changing nature of the neighbourhood and the local demography and included in the research is explanation of why there is a need for the curriculum.
Also noted is the Local agreed Syllabus, and the logic which underpins the inclusion of the Ofsted report.
Thank you for reading this article.
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