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Below you can hear from several of the teacher fellows who have been involved in the University of Birmingham RE:Connect project which aims to deepen RE teachers’ understanding and confidence for exploring the environmental crisis through the lens of religions and worldviews in RE. The work is supported by St Peter Saltley trust and Culham St Gabriel’s trust.

See our research spotlight for more information and look at their resources.

What attracted you to this project?

‘Teaching Environmental Ethics at A-Level was fascinating – exploring the ideas of Arne Naess, Peter Singer and Andrew Linzey particularly. Now, having made the jump to teaching Primary, I find there is more freedom to stretch beyond the boundaries of the usual Religious Education (RE) curriculum. ‘ Rebecca

‘I have found a real lack of both resources and information, but what there is tends to emphasise the ‘doom and gloom’ of our current crisis and nothing celebrating the beauty and joy of creation. I strongly feel that this needs to change. Yes, we are we are in an extremely serious situation, but we can take so much joy in our world. I also suspect joy will inspire both teachers and children to think creatively and with courage rather than doom and gloom. ‘ John

‘The Climate Crisis is the biggest issue that we face, but I was fed up with the feeling of despair. Environmental groups I belong to, whether about teaching or otherwise, were starting to feel really downbeat and almost like everyone was starting to give up hope. I began to rekindle my own passion for the cause through exploring the beauty and celebration of nature that was emerging in ‘popular’ culture, such as through Merlin Sheldrake’s Entangled Life, contemporary British folk music, or alternative outlets like Emergence Magazine. I found these sources focussed on the beauty of our connection with nature, rather than the doom and gloom of the Climate Crisis. The joy I felt showed me that this could be the way to solving humanity’s biggest problem.’ Sam

I think RE simply has to accommodate climate and ecology education. There are so many topics we cover in RE that link to the world around us and how we experience it. We have to find the opportunities to make links between them so our students can see the relevance of studying RE to their life choices and their future.

This is why I suggest we need to use RE to go beyond the basics of what religions teach about creation and the natural world. We need to empower students to see their own worldview, be able to compare with diverse others, and reflect on urgent issues facing their generation. It seems to me that in RE we have a capacity to explore the world through people, who are after all the cause of our current emergency. While climate change and ecology will be studied in subjects like Geography and Science, in RE we have the ability to delve deeply into the human element; the way human worldviews have brought us to this crisis, and what the solutions might be. Karen

What pedagogies have you used?

‘I have recently completed Masters in Creative Writing where I specialised in Eco-Poetry. I see the creative arts as a way of exploring our place in the world and connecting with our natural surroundings. For me pursuing this connection between ecology, environmentalism and creativity is an opportunity to learn and take positive action, as well as to find my “tribe”!… I am developing the idea of poetry and art as a means of activism. Ultimately, I will take this beyond my school. It is all about connections! We have to think creatively and think big!’ Rebecca

‘In my lessons I have been experimenting with a range of techniques – primarily with nature connection. I have been taking my secondary students on nature walks and giving us time to stop, think and reflect. From these experiences I have simply allowed conversations to develop and flow. This has yielded much deeper and richer reflections from the students about why we need to preserve nature around us.

I have also been making use of children’s picture books to explore ecological issues or the value of nature in Philosophy for Children (P4C) style. The use of children’s books is often disarming and they in themselves evoke a joy in the students – I’ve never seen Y9 or Y13 students so rapt when reading and discussing the Lorax. This has helped to recapture that child-like imagination and optimism, and opens the students up to discuss big topics.

RE is a subject unlike any other – too often we get pulled too far into the ‘knowledge rich’ direction, or focus too much on exams and lose perspective of what it is that makes RE so special. RE should accommodate climate and ecology education because it is in education that we will solve our problems.’ Sam

Tell us about the resources you have created.

‘Inspired by Peter Singer’s idea of speciesism as well as my own keenly felt connection to other life-forms and the joy this brings me, I have created a scheme of learning called ‘What can we learn by listening to other species?’ We need to find the ability to sit with difficult questions and feelings and find resilience in the face of the unknown, the known unknowns and unknown unknowns!’ Rebecca

‘The teaching resources I have designed explore the idea of the prophetic voice in the modern world. In my lessons, children come to see nature as a subject and not as an object. We ask, how does the prophetic voice relate to the climate emergency? The ancient prophets spoke to truth to power. They weren’t always popular and their message was not always welcomed. In my lessons children explore the idea of speaking truth to power in terms of action and making a real difference.

I see RE as a vital component of climate and environmental education, especially in Wales where we have Religion Values and Ethics (RVE). The climate is rightly a major theological and ethical debate of our time. Inaction is not an option and by being prophetic we can change and do something practically to share the joy of creation and our environment. In my view climate and environment should be central to the teaching in RE and RVE. …RE and RVE allows us to become ethically informed citizens of Wales. UK and the world.’ John

‘I have designed a Y9 unit of work based on religious teachings around the environment. My working question is Can religion save the planet? I am weaving together the issues we face in our world today with scripture, allowing my students to explore modern belief and practices.’ Chrissie

‘I have designed a short scheme of work to look at the environment from three perspectives, entitled, “Whose world is it? Who cares?” We start the unit with issues facing the environment and dig deeper to explore why these things are happening. Students consider who actually cares for our local environment and will find out about Eco Churches. We are fortunate that local Eco Churches are already part of some of our students’ work in other subjects.

From the local we move to the national. Students explore some of the religious groups within Extinction Rebellion (XR) and their work to highlight climate change. This brings us to the final stage of the unit: the international. Here we consider the development work of Christian Aid as well as environmental activism within Buddhism. We study Buddhism at GCSE so this links well. Matt

Thank you to Rebecca Oster (former secondary now primary RE Teacher, John Meredith (Diocesan Director of Education in Swansea and Brecon), Sam McKavanagh (Secondary Teacher), Karen Johnson (Secondary Teacher), Chrissie Byrne( Secondary Teacher) and Matt Pitcher (Secondary Teacher) for sharing their thoughts.

Read these resolution thoughts from Neil Duncalf. Are you one of the 20%? Or perhaps now is the ideal time to make a resolution.

I recently observed a school assembly, delivered by our head, which focused on New Year Resolutions. Following the assembly I began to think about my own intentions for 2025. I came across a statistic which stated that in the UK 80% of New Year resolutions fail and most of the failures happen during the first month. So, with that low success rate, do New Year Resolutions serve a purpose or are they an old fashioned and out-of-date tradition?

The Ancient Babylonians around 2,000 BC began to hold a twelve-day festival which marked the start of a new year. For them, it was the start of the farming year when crops could be planted, and they promised to return borrowed farm equipment and pay any debts they had. The Roman Empire adopted the Babylonian festival and eventually moved it to the beginning of January. The Roman month of January was dedicated to the god Janus. Janus was said to have two faces and could look backwards as well as forwards. The Romans began to make promises to the god Janus throughout January.

I suspect that one of the reasons people break their resolutions is because they have been made as part of a yearly tradition. If we have good intents for religion and worldviews education in our schools and beyond then why make those intentions and resolutions at the start of the school year or term? Why not resolve to make the changes whenever they are relevant?

Too many subject development plans get written and then filed away unseen and unreviewed until someone from the school leadership team reminds us that a deadline is fast approaching or even worse told that your plan is out of date. A much better approach is the idea that a religion and worldviews subject development plan becomes a working document, which is reviewed and amended regularly. An uncomplicated way to review it could be to rag rate each outcome red, amber, or green. I am not suggesting that it needs to be done weekly but reading the development plan and updating it half termly will surely help to ensure that our intentions for the development of our subject come to fruition.

If you are still wondering what intent to adopt, how about an intention to freshen up your pedagogy. There are lots of opportunities to develop your religion and worldviews education skills and teaching practice. Some of the best CPD I have recently done has been through Culham St Gabriels Trust. There are lots of opportunities available through their websites from short elearning courses to 2-year programmes. Why not commit to applying for a place on the Leadership Scholarship Programme and take on board the opportunities for development and outstanding support the programme offers.

Reflections on religious education, the Francis review and the national curriculum in England, with a little help from W.B. Yeats’ ‘Second Coming’ (1919).

Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world…
The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity.
Surely some revelation is at hand;
Surely the Second Coming is at hand…
And what rough beast, its hour come round at last,
Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?

Yeats’ poetic thought-world is thrilling. His poetry imagines chapters of history turning: one epoch making way for another.

Might we be on the verge of an educational chapter in England wherein religious education (RE) occupies a strengthened position in the school curriculum? If so, might the fortunes of the subject be much improved?

Surely some revelation is at hand.

Before we think about the next educational epoch or chapter, let’s look back. Let’s contrast our current educational epoch – one in which the Francis Curriculum and Assessment review is being conducted – with one that came before: the era of the legislation which underpins RE’s current status.

It’s clear that the kind of educational assumptions sitting behind the 1988 legislation, and reflected within it, do not reflect the realities of schools today:

• school structures have evolved: not all state-funded schools are maintained by local authorities (40:1(1)a,b,c);
• assessment has moved on: practices are not shaped by end of key stage attainment targets (40:2(2)a);
• historical duties are not enacted: it is simply not that case that “all pupils in attendance at a maintained school… on each school day take part in an act of collective worship.” (40:6(1))

In this legislation, RE sits as part of the “basic curriculum”. The basic curriculum for state-funded schools was imagined to include the national curriculum and RE. Yet, today, leaders and governors appear to have collective memory loss of this fact. But even the language of the “basic curriculum” has largely been lost in the annals of time.

The kind of educational epoch which placed RE within a “basic curriculum” is quite different from the current one. Indeed, today, if any “curriculum” is perceived to be “basic” at all, it’s the national curriculum. What once obtained, no longer suffices.

Clearly, the status of RE has not benefitted from this historical distinction, however worthy or defensible the reasons for it were at the time. It would be very hard indeed to argue that the subject is thriving, with pupils across the country equitably enjoying high-quality religious education in schools. In my final RE subject report at Ofsted, I reflected on a sad state of affairs for RE in many schools within the research sample. I (and my colleague Hazel Henson, HMI) found:

• RE that didn’t help pupils prepare for living in a complex world
• RE that gave pupils at best a superficial grasp of religious and non-religious traditions
• RE that didn’t help pupils interrogate claims and statements about religion and non-religion
• Worryingly unreliable assessment practices in RE
• An absence of professional development in RE for teachers, mirrored by pupils being left with profound misconceptions

It would be hard to argue that the status of RE outside the national curriculum has served pupils in England’s schools well.

The best lack all conviction, while the worst are full of passionate intensity

Yeats uses the line “the best lack all conviction” from Shakespeare’s Hamlet to refer to the aristocracy. But these words also helpfully illuminate the current dilemma of RE: it is those with the greatest potential who may struggle with doubt and uncertainty about change the most.

When it comes to RE being included within the national curriculum, rather than sitting awkwardly adjacent to it, there is much enthusiasm from RE stakeholders (by which I mean RE leaders, teachers, practitioners, advisers and professionals). There are also some who have expressed displeasure with the idea.

Why might they object? Some religious communities who run state-funded VA schools (and ex-VA academies) can determine ‘denominational RE’. This kind of RE is outside the remit of Ofsted to inspect. Others like existing arrangements that RE content in maintained schools can be decided at local authority level. Though they positively advance and prioritise RE, these individuals and institutions prefer the current arrangements. Question: is it worth giving up control?

Yet I can see policy positions that can offer resolution. Mitigations could still be built into any post-Francis-review national curriculum. The current national curriculum for history, for instance, already includes flexibilities on studying local history.

In the case of schools with a religious character, it is more likely the case that these schools offer more RE curriculum time than their non-religious character counterparts. There should be nothing to prevent them from teaching beyond a minimum entitlement (a position that reflects the current Secretary of State’s approach to teacher pay, which might have a ‘floor’, but no ‘ceiling’).

Slouching towards Bethlehem, ready to be born

On the 8th January 2025, the second reading of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill in the House of Commons included a discussion of the Francis review. In it, the former Secretary of State Damian Hinds discussed his perception of the dangers of an over-specified, overly-prescribed National Curriculum:

“…in sensitive subjects like history, like English literature, like RE, we’ve always in this country, since the start of the National Curriculum, taken an approach of not specifying what kids will learn… it’s not a list of things you will learn in schools… it’s a broad framework that helps guard against the… over-politicisation of education.”

Whether or not you agree with Hinds, his wording suggests that RE is already part of the National Curriculum! Misconceptions are rife.

RE – and those responsible for leading and teaching it – deserve some clarity at the very least. RE’s journey to the present hasn’t been the smoothest of paths. The inclusion of RE in the next chapter of the National Curriculum is evidently one way to obtain clarity and more-secure footing. Slouching towards Bethlehem is certainly apt, if it is indeed to happen at all.

RE plays a vital role in helping students make sense of the multicultural society we live in. Yet, its provision across schools remains a postcode lottery, often undervalued and an afterthought, as Ofsted identified in its 2023 annual report [1]. While I was initially sceptical of calls to include RE in the National Curriculum, I am now convinced that it is the only way to ensure equitable, high quality RE for all.

As a Trust Lead for RE, I see firsthand the disparities between schools, even within a MAT that values the subject. A lack of specialist teachers is a persistent challenge, with only 51% of secondary lessons taught by specialists due to insufficient government funding for teacher training. Although teacher bursaries have recently been reinstated, years without them has left a significant gap. Teachers with other specialisms lack the confidence to deliver RE effectively, leading to superficial teaching and a deficit of religious literacy [2]. This carries societal risks.

We have seen an obvious rise in divisive narratives and political extremist ideology, amplified by propaganda on platforms like Tik Tok, which is having a profound effect on our young people, perpetuating stereotypes and exacerbating ignorance. High quality RE equips children with critical thinking and ethical awareness that enables them to navigate an increasingly diverse society. As Chine McDonald aptly states, ‘[studying] theology and religious studies [is the superpower needed] to open our eyes up to the variety of different beliefs and worldviews that exist in our world’. [3]

Another key reason for my advocation is the absence of an agreed body of learning for RE. Local Agreed Syllabi (LAS), created by over a hundred Standing Advisory Councils on Religious Education (SACREs) working in isolation, vary significantly in depth and quality. Many are underfunded and are unable to fulfil their statutory duties. Some LAS are outdated and religious representation on SACREs can sometimes lead to vested interests undermining a balanced view. Ofsted’s ‘Deep and Meaningful?’ report highlighted this inconsistency and the need for clearer guidance [4].

With a National Curriculum in place, schools can focus on supporting teachers with specialist training to implement and adapt it to reflect their local context, using centralised resources. SACREs, freed from the burden of creating LAS, could provide schools with guidance on local case studies and resources to complement the national framework [5], preserving their valuable community specific insight.

The National Content Standard for RE, developed by the Religious Education Council [6], is a strong starting point, eliminating many of the issues that face the subject by ensuring every child is entitled to robust, academically rigorous RE, while holding schools accountable to a clear benchmark.

However, embedding RE into the National Curriculum is not without challenges. A key concern for me is who will determine its content. Historically, governments have provided limited support for RE and there is a risk that political agendas could skew its focus. To avoid this, while input from faith communities, academics and policy makers is important, the voice of teachers at the coalface must be central. Practitioners are uniquely positioned to translate curriculum frameworks into meaningful lessons. They understand better than anyone the realities of the classroom – what engages students, addresses misconceptions and meets diverse needs. Teachers must at the heart of decision making to ensure the curriculum is effective, practical and objective.

To conclude, the structural issues facing RE leave little alternative but to include it in the National Curriculum. This would raise standards and ensure they every child has access to the RE they deserve. By addressing the challenges head on and empowering teachers, we can unlock RE’s transformative potential: inspiring young people to engage meaningfully with the complex, pluralistic world around them.

[1] The annual report of His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills 2023/24 – GOV.UK

[2] Why RE matters – Theos Think Tank – Understanding faith. Enriching society.

[3] Chine McDonald: Superpower to see other viewpoints  

[4] Deep and meaningful? The religious education subject report – GOV.UK

[5] A National RE Curriculum with a Local Touch – RE with Mrs McGee

[6] National content standard for Religious education in England

Does RE need a government national plan of support? Absolutely. Should RE be compulsory for all schools? No question. Should that requirement be enforced more effectively? Of course. Should RE be included in the National Curriculum (NC)? Hmmm – I’m not so sure about that.

There’s no doubt that the situation around the provision of RE is not good. But let’s not forget what we have achieved in RE in the UK. This was brought home to me last summer when I worked in Australia for three months. RE in government schools is weak, often non-existent. Let me introduce you to someone that I met.

Herbert is a social entrepreneur from Melbourne. There is no RE in government schools of his State of Victoria. He’s the CEO of Faith Values, a start-up, charitable company seeking to bring RE back into the curriculums of both Victorian schools and ultimately into the other States and Territories. Faith Values is seeking to model our REC by drawing together faith communities and Education professionals. Herbert is working in partnership with the State Curriculum Authority. It has chosen to integrate a Religion and Worldviews approach into their curriculum because they recognize the quality educational experience it offers pupils.

How is this case study relevant to the NC debate? I take you back to the genius recommendation of the Commission on RE, namely the proposal of a National Statement of Entitlement (NSE) not a call for RE to be a NC subject. This is important because the focus of the NSE is to define a vision and a standard, not curriculum content. This has two very important consequences.

First, it focuses attention on what teaching RE is seeking to achieve, not just on enforcing its presence in the curriculum. This stimulates discussion about the educational benefits of RE rather than just securing a slot in the timetable. A mindset of innovation rather than conformity is promoted. The value of the NSE approach is indicated by the Australians turning to the UK when they want to introduce quality RE into their schools.

Second, it avoids stimulating a political bun fight between warring parties who want to secure control of the NC. Of course, the RE community won’t sink to such squabbles (note irony!), but there would be nothing to stop a Schools Minister deciding that they knew best (there is past form).

The REC has published a National Content Standard for RE using the NSE, which models the NC documents of other subjects. However, it’s not a curriculum, but a standard for benchmarking different curriculums. This means that professional discussion about different approaches in different contexts can flourish without someone imposing a straightjacket curriculum on every school.

Is being part of the NC a good idea for RE? Possibly as it should compel schools to timetable the subject. The danger is that the huge benefits of the NSE with its emphasis on vision, contextual innovation and standards gets lost in conformity to an imposed NC. That would be a significant loss.

Religious Education was the first subject to be required by law to be taught in the school curriculum. RA Butler’s 1944 Education Act represented a compromise between the Churches and the State both of which had for centuries provided school education for communities throughout the country.

The current, nationally mandated, National Curriculum was established 44 years later. The 1988 Education Act requires all public schools to teach all children the main subjects. RE was excluded from this national curriculum quite deliberately – apparently because of concerns about extending parents’ right to withdraw pupils from the RE curriculum to the whole national curriculum. Whether this fear was well founded or not, the exclusion of RE from the national curriculum had serious consequences.

RE found itself in the anomalous position of being required by law to be taught in all schools but not as part of the national curriculum. It was a half-way house which, particularly in community schools, led many teachers, parents and pupils to downgrade the study and understanding of religion and other beliefs. Efforts became increasingly focused upon strong academic performances in the national curriculum subjects, so not including RE.

Despite the interest of many pupils in the study of religion and the related subjects of beliefs, morals, ethics and philosophy it became increasingly difficult to timetable RE in the school week (except in faith schools); the general quality of RE teaching and assessment has fallen, and recruitment of RE teachers became increasingly difficult. In very many schools the basic legal requirement to teach RE is not being fulfilled.

The time has come to re-establish the importance of RE in the school curriculum.

The opportunity arises with the establishment of the curriculum and assessment review. This will report on an interim basis early this year and then finally in the autumn. This will be the most thoroughgoing review of the school curriculum for decades. Issues which are not addressed in this review are unlikely to be tackled seriously in coming decades. It is an important point of decision.

This means that all those concerned to establish a balanced place for religion in our national life and in our schools face a choice between 3 possible outcomes.

First some will argue that religion has no place whatsoever in our schools. They will cite countries like France and the United States which, on the basis of their histories, prevent publicly funded schools from teaching about religion. I believe this view to be profoundly wrong, whatever your individual religious beliefs. The plain fact is that religion is an inescapably important aspect of our modern world. Even those who hoped that social and scientific progress would lead to the decline of any form of religious belief concede the continuing significance of religion. The most cursory examination of the world today demonstrates the importance of religion and belief in the affairs of the world. Moreover, high quality religious education promotes community cohesion.

Second is the course of inaction, making no change to the current arrangements. This will commend itself to those who hope to steer clear of thinking about the problems of the status quo and to avoid stirring up hornets’ nests. However, procrastination will not make the issues disappear. It would be dangerous to allow RE to continue in its current anomalous position – outside the mainstream school curriculum, ignored by many and declining – as described by Ofsted – in many respects.

Neglect simply allows unbalanced, even propagandistic, pictures of religious beliefs to be fostered in ways which can stimulate dangerous conflict. High quality religious education in schools is the best weapon to tackle that. The reformed curriculum should promote this.

The third option, which should now be seized, is to put RE into our national curriculum and give it the status it deserves as an essential part of a child’s education about the world in which we live.

This is not straightforward. There are important issues about the name of the subject itself (I favour ‘Religion and Worldviews’), about who should determine the content of the RE curriculum, and about the new role, if any, of the local Standing Advisory Councils on Religious Education (SACREs) However these are subsidiary questions.

The fundamental choice, which I hope that the curriculum and assessment review body will recommend, is to include RE in our new national curriculum to equip children as they address the challenges of our modern world.

We asked Zainab Aswat, a history teacher at Eden Girls School, a secondary school for Muslim girls in London, to tell us about how they commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day. Over the last 5 years she and her colleagues have used Holocaust Memorial Day Trust (HMDT) materials which have helped them facilitate and support lessons and lead challenging discussions which teach their pupils valuable lessons about identity persecution, giving context relating to both historical events and current issues.

Zainab explains, ‘These programmes and activities have enabled our staff, students, their families and the wider community to develop a deeper understanding of the causes and effects of the Holocaust and recent genocides. At a time when many are feeling that the world is a dark place, HMDT helps us to bring light and hope through the power of education.’

Read below about how they plan to mark Holocaust Memorial Day 2025. How are you planning to mark the day? How will you embrace the theme and support your school community to take action for a better future…?

At Eden Girls School, we will commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day 2025 with a variety of meaningful activities that honour the victims of the Holocaust and reflect on the powerful theme of “For a better future.” By combining education, remembrance, reflection, and charitable action, we aim to engage students in an experience that fosters understanding and encourages them to consider how they can contribute to a better, more compassionate world.

One of the central aspects of our commemoration will be a series of assemblies that will provide an opportunity for the whole school community to come together and reflect. During these assemblies, students will learn about the significance of Holocaust Memorial Day, the impact of the Holocaust on individuals and communities, and how we can prevent such atrocities from happening again. We will invite guest speakers, including Holocaust survivors, who will share their personal stories and experiences. This direct testimony from survivors will offer an invaluable opportunity for students to hear first-hand accounts of the horrors of the Holocaust and reflect on the importance of human rights, tolerance, and mutual respect. These survivors’ stories will help students connect with the historical events on a personal level, making the lessons more relatable and impactful.

In addition to the assemblies, we will collaborate with the Modern Foreign Languages (MFL) team to organise a trip to the British Film Institute (BFI). There, students will have the chance to watch films related to the Holocaust. These films not only provide a visual representation of the events of the Holocaust, but they also serve as a medium for students to reflect on themes such as resilience, survival, and the consequences of prejudice. Through these films, we hope to create an environment where students can better grasp the emotional and historical significance of the Holocaust and its lessons for humanity.

Another key element of our Holocaust Memorial Day commemoration will be the use of the incredible resources provided by the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust (HMDT). These accessible and educational resources are designed to support schools in teaching students about the Holocaust and other genocides. We will use these materials to create classroom discussions, projects, and activities that help students engage with the topic in a thoughtful and respectful manner. These resources will be invaluable tools for deepening students’ understanding of the history of the Holocaust, as well as encouraging empathy and compassion for those who suffered during that time.

Finally, we will hold a charity collection for local charities that work to support communities affected by prejudice, injustice, and discrimination. This initiative will provide students with the opportunity to reflect on the 2025 theme, “For a better future,” and think about how they can contribute to building a society that is more inclusive, kind, and fair. The charity collection will be a tangible way for students to take action in support of those who continue to face hardship in our society, allowing them to contribute to positive change and embody the spirit of the Holocaust Memorial Day theme.

Through these activities, we hope to create a meaningful and thought-provoking commemoration of Holocaust Memorial Day at Eden Girls School. By combining learning, reflection, and charitable action, we will honour the memory of the Holocaust victims while inspiring our students to work toward a future of greater tolerance, understanding, and empathy.

Following a turbulent summer filled with conflict and disorder fuelled by misunderstandings of the ‘other’, you might be thinking of the best way to shift prejudicial views held by your students. Schools linking is a great educational tool that can be used to address misconceptions, develop respect and tolerance, and lead to community cohesion. It is a programme based on Gordon Allport’s (1954) social contact theory whereby two classes from different schools link three times during the academic year to take part in workshops that explore identity, diversity and community. As part of my Masters study at the University of Birmingham I completed a dissertation titled ‘A critical analysis of the influence of ‘Schools Linking’ on student comprehension of Religious Literacy and the British Values of Tolerance and Respect’, which was kindly part funded by Culham St. Gabriel’s. I surveyed and interviewed a group of Year 8 students who took part in the study and this is what I found:

Overcoming Misconceptions

Schools Linking helps students to understand worldviews on a more personal level than they are able to do in the classroom. The programme gives students a safe space to ask those ‘awkward’ questions that they may shy away from in the classroom, which gives them the opportunity to correct misconceptions about the beliefs and practices of religious adherents.

I found that 82% of students agreed that meeting people of a different faith helped them to understand their faith better, and 87% reported learning something new about the religion of their link school. Misconceptions such as ‘Sikh’s believe that the cow is sacred’, and ‘Sikhs believe in multiple gods’ were resolved through simple conversations with Sikh students during the programme, showing the importance of dialogue between people of different faiths.

However, extra care is needed when facilitating schools linking as students may conflate religion and culture in their minds. After schools linking I found that students believed that Sikhism prohibits the consumption of meat as a result of the link school only serving vegetarian food in the canteen. Students were not aware that Sikhs could make the choice to be vegetarian or not. So, be warned, debriefs are needed to clarify some of the experiences that students may have on the day! That is something I will be doing differently this year, as well as carving out time during the programme for students to discuss religion in particular to reduce the risk of students leaving with further misconceptions.

Attitudinal Shift

Allport (1954) suggested that people are more likely to shift prejudicial views towards each other if they get to know each other on a personal level. In my experience, schools linking helps students to do just that. I found that 92% of students indicated that they had formed a friendship with at least one person from their link school. I suggest giving students extended unstructured time during breaks and lunches to help them form stronger bonds.

Students were more likely to feel good about the programme and to make friends if they felt ‘similar’ to the students from their link school, suggesting that they viewed ‘difference’ as a negative. So, one thing I will be doing differently this year is stressing the positive impact of diversity on our society throughout the programme, not just during the second workshop.

In my case, schools linking proved to be a useful tool in encouraging community cohesion. 77% of students felt more able to communicate with people of different faiths after schools linking, and 84% of students agreed that the programme had made them more tolerant and respectful of others. I highly recommend adding schools linking to your teacher tool kit!

References:

Allport, G. (1954). The Nature of Prejudice, 25th Anniversary Edition. New York: Perseus Books Publishing.

The answer to that is an awful lot if you ask our current and some of our previous Leadership programme scholars. Perhaps you lead RE/RME/RVE and are already working across a MAT, local area, region or in a national capacity, if so this is the programme for you! Read the thoughts of some of our current scholars and find out more.

Support…

The Culham St Gabriel’s Leadership Scholarship programme has key elements but is also designed to support and develop you in your own context. Sarah Dennis, Year 2 programme member, explains, ‘I joined the programme because I was running networking groups and wanted to support teachers better. I had friends who had completed the programme. I saw how many doors it opened for them to enhance their roles. I now run effective meetings and can point teachers to good opportunities. I run a cross-phase network, and I am now more confident talking to secondary teachers.’

We are keen that this programme supports leadership for all teachers in their different contexts. Carrie is currently on Year 1 of our programme, teaches in Wales and supports teachers in her local area. She says, ‘My mentor has been incredibly supportive, guiding me to set personal targets directly relevant to my work in RVE in Wales. The Culham St Gabriel’s leadership programme has been inclusive, allowing me to engage with and learn from other leaders, while exploring leadership strategies, research, and best practices in the subject that are relevant to my context. The course has been extremely rewarding, deepening my understanding of religious education nationally and internationally, and helping me build confidence and valuable connections’

Amy, also a primary school teacher, explained, ‘I was excited about the opportunity to develop my knowledge and skills within the world of RE! And be amongst a community of like-minded peers and leaders.’

Community…

The programme provides a community of people you can learn from including your mentor, the reading group leader and your colleagues on the programme. Several of our previous programme participants have gone on to do projects together.

Lorna John, head of RE at Oasis Coulsdon previous programme member says, ‘There is a supportive community of likeminded and passionate peers who share the journey with you and this provides opportunities for constructive discussion and networking.’

Development…

Claire Ramali, a previous programme member notes the transformation that the programme supported, ‘The leadership programme has been transformative for my professional practice and leadership journey. A direct consequence of the opportunities from the Culham St Gabriel’s programme means my work is having a wider impact on the subject community. The programme led me to join the AREIAC executive committee which has enabled me to work alongside other RE national advisors. The programme has also enabled me to support other RE leaders and share my knowledge and experience as others have done with me.’

Several members of the programme lead across a MAT. Natalie Parkin who leads RE across Outwood Grange notes the importance of seeing life outside of your own MAT, ‘From a personal perspective it has been great to meet with others who lead and are passionate about RE as you can very much get into a bubble in a MAT. Leading so many colleagues it has been really useful to have a sounding board to talk my ideas and dilemmas through with before acting on them, and connecting this to best practice in RE. It has also helped me to identity the areas I need to develop in my colleagues to enable them to deliver great RE.’

Research focus…

Jake is in year 2 of the programme, ‘I joined the Culham St Gabriel’s Leadership Programme to support me in my work furthering great RE beyond my classroom. The experience has been incredible—I’ve gained so much from the wisdom of my mentors and through thought-provoking discussions with inspiring peers. The programme has enhanced my confidence in engaging with academic reading and applying it to practice. I’m now particularly excited to complete my research and see how it will shape my leadership journey and contribution to RE.’

Alice took some time out between year 1 and 2 of the programme and describes the focus of her work on the programme, ‘…Stage 2 of the Leadership programme has enabled me to continue to develop my knowledge, skills and understanding of the assessment of our subject. I completed Stage 1 alongside my Farmington Scholarship two years ago and have thoroughly enjoyed having the opportunity to continue to develop the assessment of a religion and worldviews approach. Being able to visit a primary school and discuss assessment with both teachers and students has given me a great insight into how we can assess students throughout their religion and worldviews journey. ‘

Differing views…

Through communities of practice, reading groups and work with their mentors participants have to listen to differing ideas and sometimes ideas they disagree with. Amy says, ‘I am eager to grow in the area of ‘research engagement’ as this is brand new to me. I understand the importance of broadening my understanding of contrasting views, opinions, and research from field experts. I am excited about deepening my disciplinary knowledge, especially in the philosophy sector.’

So if you want a programme that will support you, develop you and change you take a look at the Culham St Gabriel’s Leadership Scholarship programme. Applications open on January 20th and close on 21st March. We will also be holding a webinar on Thursday 13th February 4.30-5.30pm. See you there?

The pandemic meant we had to speedily flip the way we worked, and our subject community did it pretty well but nearly 5 years later have we missed something with fewer face-to-face encounters? We asked a primary and a secondary teacher, Saima Saleh and Chris Giles to share their thoughts. If you agree with them do book StrictlyRE, face-to-face on Saturday 25th January 2025 and look out for the face-to-face AREIAC/AULRE conference on 26/27 June 2025.

Attending subject conferences allows teachers to network with like-minded people and immerse themselves in current thinking. Teachers are exposed to new ideas and resources, helping to reignite their passion for teaching! (Saima)

Finding other people that teach similar specifications or religions as you is invaluable to build skills and synoptic links beyond the curriculum. Conferences create knowledge exchange, support you to innovate, and think more objectively -all so much easier face-to-face. I love to learn about the latest research and developments in education and realising there are other like-minded RE geeks out there has an impact on wellbeing too. According to Forbes insight, 85% of people say face-to-face meetings are key to successful long-term relationships. *Business_Meetings_FaceToFace.pdf

RE Conferences face-to-face provide a community that helps you develop new friendships, important support groups that can be sustained in a subject where you can sometimes feel isolated, and out of your depth. It allows for professional growth in a dynamic and more interactive way, making connections and bonds that often last beyond the day. Building trust and rapport with RE enthusiasts and likeminded people takes time and when an email pops into your inbox sharing resources and creative ideas from someone you have connected with, it makes my day. The access to new ideas helps build my own CPD as an RE professional, and I can share these ideas with my team when I return to school. (Chris)

Face-to-face conferences mean I can network! I can connect with my peers, share experiences and build professional relationships. The sense of building human connections is one that is trickier to establish when online. (Saima)

I love being able to shop at the best of times, but the stands at a ‘real’ conference offer all the latest resource publications that I can use in school to help enhance what I teach. (Saima)

I value going stall to stall in the exhibitors’ area looking at new resources and speaking to different organisations. As humans we are social and value interaction. Nikki McGee states, “A conversation with ISKCON stand at Strictly helped me plan my first trip as a head of department to London and also helped me build a relationship with them that meant I could approach them for CPD and subject knowledge support. I am still in touch with them eight years later.” (Chris)

‘Real-life’ workshops, where I can handle resources, sit next to people, converse, and share ideas. I have no distractions unlike being online- my full attention goes into concentrating on whoever is speaking and on the practical ideas being showcased. I know I will remember more when I do more! (Saima)

The buzz and excitement of sitting in a seminar where you can have immediate feedback and interaction between people where you can ask questions, seek clarification, and engage in real-time discussions. (Chris)

The next big conference in the RE/ RVE/ R&W calendar is Strictly RE, NATRE’s annual conference. I think the feeling of knowing that you’re not alone is a very important one. In this busy world, where teachers have so many demands being made of them, knowing that there’s always someone nearby who can help you. (Saima)

Saima Saleh is the Local Groups and Network Lead for NATRE (National Association for Teachers of RE), where she is also on the Steering Group. She leads R&W at Ravenscote Junior School in Surrey. Saima is also a member of the Surrey SACRE and she has delivered much CPD nationally. She co-runs a Race and Education Film club that allows her to speak at conferences across the globe.

Chris Giles is Head of RS and leads Teaching and Learning at South Bromsgrove High School. He is RE Hub lead for the West Midlands, is on the Executive for the National Association for Teachers of RE (NATRE) and has delivered CPD on RE nationally.