Is Your RE Curriculum Helping Pupils Flourish?

“Flourishing” is fast becoming a popular term in education – but what does it really mean in the context of Religious Education (RE)? And more importantly, are we creating the conditions for children and young people to truly flourish through RE in our schools?

The word flourish comes from the Latin florere – to bloom, blossom, or flower. And just like a garden, flourishing doesn’t happen by accident. It requires the right soil, sunlight, water, nutrients, and care.

So, is your school’s RE a well-tended RHS-quality garden, or a dry, neglected patch of ground?

In some schools, RE is thriving-rich, vibrant, and deeply rooted in the life of the community. In others, it’s struggling for attention, under-resourced and undervalued. This disparity raises serious questions about equity and justice – questions we hope the Curriculum and Assessment Review will address. But beyond policy, there’s a practical question for school leaders:

What does flourishing in RE look like, and how can I nurture it in my school?

To support this, Culham St Gabriel’s has partnered with the National Society for Education to develop a new guidance document based on Flourishing Together–a collective vision for education. It explores how the ten “seeds” of flourishing can grow through high-quality religion and worldviews education, and offers self-evaluation questions for leaders, teachers, and the wider school community.

Although designed with the English context in mind, we hope it will also resonate with colleagues in Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.

What Does Flourishing RE Look Like?

We believe flourishing RE:

• Is rooted in relationships – fostering genuine understanding and connection.
• Seeks wisdom – through listening, learning, and critical reflection.
• Offers hope – promoting peace, dialogue, and positive community relations.
• Prioritises the margins – amplifying under-represented voices and supporting the vulnerable.
• Contributes to spiritual flourishing – for all, whether religious or non-religious.
• Provides knowledge – enriching pupils’ understanding across the curriculum.

Through RE, pupils can discover their voice, understand their place in the world, and grow into confident citizens ready to navigate a complex, multi-religious and multi-secular society.

So… is it time to give your RE some love?

Download the Flourishing Together guidance document here.