Why Stories Matter in Wales: Bringing the Curriculum for Wales to Life

Stories shape how we make sense of the world, and in Religion, Values and Ethics (RVE), Religious Education (RE) and Religion and Moral Education (RME) they offer a powerful route into meaning, identity and connection. RE:Online’s Power of Story focus week invites us to reflect on why narratives matter. This blog explores how the stories we choose, and the ways we share them, can open up deeper understanding for pupils of all ages. By recognising story as both a tool for learning and a lens through which religious and non-religious worldviews are lived, we can enrich our teaching, broaden perspectives and create space for thoughtful, inclusive dialogue in every classroom.

Henryk Goldszmit, born in 1878, was a notable Polish writer, paediatrician and educator known by his pen name Janusz Korczak. He believed that ‘children are not the people of tomorrow, but are people today,’ and emphasised their rights to freedom of thought and self-expression. Korczak’s 1929 manifesto, ‘The Child’s Right to Respect,’ significantly influenced the 1990 United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Korczak’s ‘King Matt the First’, published in 1923, tells the story of an orphaned prince seeking a just and fair world. The story emphasises that true citizenship involves critical thinking and the bravery to face life’s challenges. Korczak wrote his stories to be read aloud, shared and discussed, helping children understand social justice, accountability and responsibility.

Whilst serving as a military doctor, Korczak witnessed the trauma experienced by children born into war. Driven by a deep commitment to social justice and paediatric care, Korczak dedicated his life to advocating for a child’s right to autonomy and dignity. His literary and scholarly efforts were centred on supporting Warsaw’s war orphans, many of whom had faced the stark realities of surviving on the streets. Working as the director of Catholic and Jewish orphanages, Korczak’s child-centred pedagogical approach was pioneering.

During the Nazi occupation of Warsaw, the Jewish children in Korczak’s orphanage were forced to relocate to the ghetto. In his journal, Korczak writes of the fight for survival, reflecting the reality of trying to sustain a sense of normality within the ghetto, where ‘every action remains superficial, self-deceiving’. Korczak maintained routines and structures that supported the children’s well-being and resilience. Creative activities, including puppet-making, storytelling and journaling, were used to help children address their darkest fears and trauma. Korczak’s orphanage was described as being a ‘beacon of light’ amidst the horror of ghetto life.

In August 1942, Korczak, with his loyal staff and (approximately) 192 children from the Dom Seirot orphanage, left the Warsaw ghetto for transportation to Treblinka in a manner described as ‘calm, orderly’ and ‘not typical’. A few weeks earlier, on Sunday 19th July, the children in the orphanage’s drama group had performed ‘The Post Office’. It is said that during the Second World War, over 100 performances of this play took place in ghettos and concentration camps. The play evoked ‘an emotion of gentleness and peace’. The performance was regarded as a profound act of spiritual resistance, a way to uphold dignity amidst the brutal process of dehumanisation.

Korczak’s innovative pedagogical approach remains essential today and continues to inspire educators worldwide. Korczak’s vision is upheld in the philosophy of Curriculum for Wales, particularly in nurturing learners as ‘ethical, informed citizens’ with the knowledge, skills, and experiences needed to understand and engage with Wales and the wider world.

The Curriculum for Wales encourages an objective, critical and pluralistic approach to exploring ‘ultimate’ existential questions such as ‘who are we?’ and ‘why are we here?’, while also addressing the philosophical and ethical question ‘how should we live?’. These questions are vital for helping learners deepen their understanding and expand their knowledge through the lens of Religion, Values and Ethics (RVE).

Defining RVE as objective, critical, and pluralistic significantly advances and emphasises the principles outlined in the Curriculum for Wales framework. Critical religious literacy aligns with the curriculum’s four purposes and so functions as a vital cross-curricular skill. Therefore, RVE is significant in ensuring that the Curriculum for Wales upholds its primary educational aims: to develop learners who are critically minded, empathetic, socially responsible, and capable contributors, able to thrive and find their place in a pluralistic and sustainable global society.