Lancashire SACRE Religious Education Support Assessing RE: What does level 4 look like? This presentation provides materials, examples and ideas for gathering evidence of pupils’ achievements at level four of the Lancashire Agreed Syllabus 8 level scale

What skills are characteristic of level 4? Level four is characterised by these skills:  Showing understanding of religions and beliefs for myself, applying ideas for myself. Pupils:  use their developing religious vocabulary to show understanding of religious traditions, sources, practices, ideas, feelings and experiences and a range of forms of religious expression.  show understanding of beliefs and values, including some similar and different ideas within and between religions and the impact of religion on people’s lives.  apply ideas for themselves to religious materials studied and to their own and other people’s lives simply;  raise and suggest answers to questions of identity, belonging, meaning, purpose, for themselves. (AT 2 in italics)

Remember…  A single piece of work doesn’t show all of the achievements that are characteristic of the level. The examples that follow are most helpful if they are taken together.  Evidence may come from written work, or many other sources. Here we show what can be shared.  Judging levels is a criterion-referenced ‘art’ rather than a science. Teachers’ judgements are the most important because teachers know pupils best.  Many teachers will find the syllabus guidance on ‘I can…’ statements on CD2 of the Lancashire Syllabus very helpful.  Work may relate to any aspect of the field of enquiry: some work here connects to shared human experience, or beliefs and values, or living religious traditions or the search for personal meaning. Some examples connect more than one element of the field of enquiry.

Archie, 11, uses his religious vocabulary to show that he understands a range of ways the Bible has an impact on Christian life today.  Concepts like being close to God, incarnation and Jesus’ nature are used to demonstrate a good understanding of the impact of stories of Jesus from sacred text on the Christian community today.  Archie’s use of examples, which he applies to general ideas, is effective in showing alertness to the different ways the source of authority is used in the community.  This AT 1 work also shows signs of applying belief to behaviour, for example using text for understanding, ‘spreading the word’ or for a moral purpose. His conceptual understanding is a good example of learning about living religious traditions at level 4.

In this piece of work, Joe, 10, shows that he can apply ideas about commitment  Joe played a ‘commitment’ game, ranking and sorting different commitments in a group conversation.  This writing frame gave him the chance to reflect on his own commitments and show his understanding of the impact they have on his life.  The range of reasons and impacts he identifies is a strength of his work. This has been enabled in just a few words by a a well structured RE task.  The pupils who can apply ideas for themselves is often showing evidence of achievement at level 4 AT2.

In this piece of work Lauren, 12, expresses her own beliefs about the significance of Easter, applying her understanding of new life to the festival  Lauren uses the key concept of new life from the living belief system of Christianity. She applies this idea to understanding Easter for herself.  She shows understanding, as a faith community insider in this case, of why the eggshells in her creative work are related to the ‘treasure’ of divine love and new life.  The work sums up a symbolic and theological response to the festival: lower level work might merely describe the festival, but Lauren uses concepts to show her own understanding.  Sometimes pupils’ work in RE is focused by personal faith. This is an interesting example of such work at level 4.

In this work, George, 12, shows that he can apply his understanding of Jesus’ teaching and example to a contemporary issue, showing understanding of the impact of religious teachings.  George was asked to take an example of one of Jesus’ teachings and show how it might make a difference in today’s world.  He has applied Jesus’ reputation for associating with the disreputable for himself.  He needs to think next about whether the elderly are excluded sometimes too!  Sometimes one focused use of a clearly understood concept can show a level 4. Great detailor long texts are not always needed.

David, 12, shows in this piece of work that he can understand two views of the Buddha’s enlightenment  David was asked: Did Siddhartha Gautama lose more than he gained when he left the palace? This is an excellent key question.  His reply shows a clear judgement, applying ideas for himself and describing experiences using the right words at level 4.  He shows that he understands the story, and by giving an alternative view he takes a step towards the next level. The chance to redraft this work might have enabled a higher achievement.

Emma, 10, expresses her ideas about the origins and destiny of human life in her ‘before life / after life’ imagery  Emma has been studying the theme of life as a journey. After thinking about the start and end of the journey, she made this picture applying ideas from the religions she studied for herself and expressing her own ideas and views.  She shows that she can apply ideas from religion such as ‘soul’, ‘heaven’ or ‘forgiveness’ to the complex metaphor of life as a journey.  She uses religious vocabulary to show her understanding of links between beliefs, values and her own personal search at level 4.

Adele, 12, shows in this work that she can apply the idea of a human right for herself.  Adele was working on human rights as part of a citizenship and RE assignment. She articulates the right she thinks is most important, and responds to the question: Should people have complete freedom?  She identifies her own ideas about the right to freedom, beginning to balance rights with responsibilities, and applying her understanding clearly at level 4.  It is a short piece of work, but the conceptual level is clear evidence of understanding and application.

Dan, 13, shows in this piece of work that he can understand diverse views of the link between belief about the self and behaviour.  Dan was working on ideas about the self. After examining his own ideas about the ‘self’ he looked at varied ideas from different belief systems to decision making.  He applies what he has learned about 4 views to his description of how decisions are made by Humanists, Christians, Buddhists and Muslims.  The range and accuracy of his ideas, shows good understanding of different approaches to beliefs and values from the different faiths and beliefs.  The task models the ways RE needs to enable learners to handle diversity at level 4 and above

Sam, 12, shows his understanding of the key ideas of the Sikh Mool Mantar.  Learning about Sikh dharam, after reading the text of the Mool Mantar, Sam’s class discussed its meanings and what it teaches about belief in God.  Sam was asked to put the text into a form that 7 year olds could understand.  He chooses to do this by simplifying the language, and by expressing what he thinks are the key points in graphics around the main text.  Taken as a whole, the work shows that he understands some key ideas from Sikh teachings and sources about the nature of God at level 4.

Thanks to teachers and pupils  Lancashire SACRE would like to thank all the teachers and pupils who have contributed to this project and Lat Blaylock of RE today.  Comments on the project and the examples are welcome: send them to SACRE via the Lancashire RE consultant Helen Harrison.  These materials are © Lancashire SACRE and RE Today, Lancashire schools may use them freely, but other use is by written permission only.