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This started for me in 2022 with a Farmington Scholarship. I was inspired by so many RE specialists praising the programme. Unlike other courses, a Farmington Scholarship covers the costs of cover at school, offering scholars precious time for their research.

The focus of my Farmington is two-fold. Firstly, the transition from Primary to Secondary and the inconsistent subject knowledge shown by pupils coming in from different schools. Secondly, the benefits of disciplinary knowledge in the RE curriculum, and how far this could provide a model for progression from EYFS to KS3. I was aware the idea of disciplinary knowledge in the RE curriculum might cause concern for non-specialist RE teachers, and so also planned to investigate ways of supporting non-specialists in understanding and working with the disciplines in their teaching.

My working hypothesis was that non specialists were not secure in their understanding of the disciplinary lenses in RE. This is further compounded by the lack of National Curriculum in RE, which means there is no clear guidance of what Primary-age pupils should know and understand by the end of their Primary education.

I began by engaging teachers from different key stages in thinking around end of key stage outcomes. I delved into RE outside my own key stages through reading and observing, to gain a sense of RE through the phases. Academic research is part of a Farmington Scholarship, but if I am honest I found this challenging at first. After initial reluctance, I found myself enjoying the academic reading and my more systematic reflection and expanded knowledge. One of the great benefits of the Farmington programme is the time and resources made available to teachers to actually study.

My work links closely with the new Warwickshire Agreed Syllabus. In fact, those involved in the creation of Warwickshire’s Agreed Syllabus make up one of three working groups developing a curriculum to support the REC’s new Curriculum Framework. Joining this group has been hugely positive, not least to work with two inspiring women: Jennifer Jenkins and Alice Thomas. My own research into disciplinary lenses and progression links with Alice’s work on assessment and Jennifer’s role ensuring the new syllabus supports the REC’s Curriculum Framework. The opportunity to be part of this group means my work has a much wider reach and impact.

There are several key moments in my journey of discovery. Observing an EYFS lesson sticks in my memory as a turning point. It was then the idea of progression in disciplinary first came to me. I also found the differences in co-planning with KS2 teachers compared to KS3 teachers fascinating.

However the major turning point for me was probably an exploration into what disciplinary lenses could mean for teachers, how teachers understood the idea of disciplinary lenses and how teachers envisioned their implementation. It is abundantly clear that teachers need CPD to understand and then implement the disciplinary lenses in the RE curriculum.

There is lots of knowledge out there for teachers, and engaging with it myself through the Farmington made a big impact on my own grasp of progression, curriculum design and subject knowledge in RE. The information about disciplinary lenses comes in the form of books and articles, but also podcasts, recorded conversations and practical ideas. The first step for a teacher who is reshaping their curriculum is to find out what is already out there, to enhance both their subject knowledge and practical understanding.

What’s next for me? I will continue to work with local primary schools in building a wider understanding of the core disciplinary knowledge pupils should possess at the end of each key stage. I will also be investigating different ways of implementing disciplinary knowledge across the key stages, and developing the all-important CPD for teachers. The Farmington has shown me that continuing to pursue my academic reading and thinking is of prime importance, not only for my own understanding, but for the benefit of my team and all the teachers I work with in the local area.

The first thing I need to say is that I am a non-specialist Head of RS. Yes, we exist! You might know someone similar. My specialism is actually English. At a time when I was looking to get back into teaching, having taken time out to raise my daughter, there was an urgent shortage of RE teachers in my area. Having grown up in a religious family, where my father was an elder of the Evangelical Free Church, I have always had a strong interest in religion, so I jumped at the chance. I imagined it would be ‘safer’ than diving into teaching English.  Looking back this seems like a very naive view!

As I got used to the department, I began to see limitations in the curriculum when it came to teaching about Christianity. Lessons in no way explored the wide variety of views, traditions and beliefs that I was aware of.  I wondered how far this must be the same for other faiths too.  When my head of department left I applied to become the subject lead for RS, and then my journey as an RS teacher really began.

In many ways English and RS compliment each other. Both are about observing small details and using them to make sense of the whole.  English however offers constant opportunities to explore different interpretations of a source, different arguments and is completely open to the idea that views change over time. This could be part of RS, but it is not as established as English at present. For me this would be what a shift to Religion and Worldviews could look like.

I found the multitude of conversations I had with students each day fascinating. The biggest challenge has been to distill thousands of years of history and belief, especially when there is no curriculum that supports this. I have spent my first two years on the job building a Religion and Worldviews curriculum.

When we gained out first GCSE cohort, I was delighted to discover the Big Ideas approach for AQA Christianity at GCSE on RE:ONLINE (referenced below).

The curriculum covers all the main points of the GCSE specification and is fully resourced, but what I like most is the Big Ideas approach itself. There is a big question to answer every couple of lessons, and content is framed by a mixture of philosophical, ethical, historical and theological questions. These are the Big Ideas in effect. Framing the subject content with the Big Ideas has allowed me to use examples from different Christian traditions. I found my students enjoyed the philosophical questions especially, which enhanced engagement and progress.

I have used the Big Ideas curriculum for my current Year 10s and can see already that they retain much more conceptual information than students did last year, before we adopted Big Ideas. The approach gives students an accessible way to think about religion, a subject many do not know anything about.

Inspired by this success, I am now embarking on creating my own GCSE curriculum following the same approach for Buddhism. Watch this space!

I am interested to see how this approach to teaching influences our teaching and curriculum design at KS3. We have found separating knowledge into different Big Ideas helpful for so many reasons, but mostly because it allows students to explore complexity, retain information and make connections.

Read about the Big Ideas approach and check out the GCSE Christianity and Islam curricula for yourself https://www.reonline.org.uk/teaching-resources/big-ideas-curriculum/

Find out more about the Big Ideas approach, including lessons and teaching material: https://bigideasforre.org/

Our Resource of the Month is a unit of work designed by Ruth Marx exploring how religion can be classified, to allow pupils to answer the question, ‘what is religion?’. In this blog Ruth explains the thinking and inspiration behind her work, which was originally created with Isobel Boyson at the Bridge Academy, Hackney, London.

The main aim of this teaching resource is to help teachers explore the phenomenon of religion and some key thinkers exploring the classifications and origins of religion. The resource takes a disciplinary approach and introduces some key thinkers whose ideas have been used to challenge religious belief, offering opportunities for evaluation throughout. The resource includes explainer YouTube clips around the key thinkers which can either be used for staff subject knowledge or shown directly to the class, as well as knowledge organisers for teachers.

I was teaching much of this content to my A Level classes and wanted to explore these ideas with a younger age group, many of whom may not take RS A Level, so I designed a unit of work for Key stage 3. It was first taught to Year 9, and has subsequently been taught to a non-examined Humanities Pathway cohort of year 9/10/11 students.

Since then I’ve offered the resource widely to the Religion and Worldviews community as there seems to be an appetite for this approach. So far it has been sent out to 50 teachers across the country. My aim in writing this blog is to share the resource with many more.

In creating these lessons I am hoping to support teachers who want to develop a multidisciplinary  approach in their classrooms. I was first inspired by a note in the 2018 CoRE Report that the idea of ‘what is religion itself’ is missing from most syllabuses. The resource supports teachers who are interested to explore topics around atheism and non-religious worldviews. The resource also shows teachers how they can introduce scholarship to a younger age range. A lesson on Jedism as a religion was added to allow discussion of this subject in light of the England and Wales census.

There are many ways to improve our subject knowledge as teachers, even if we are short of time.

Reading of course, but podcasts are a great way to gain knowledge if you can’t find time for reading, such as Panpsycast and the RE Podcast. There are online sources of support, such as RE:ONLINE, on Facebook, @Team RE- UK on Twitter, NATRE resources, and much more- if you want to explore there will be a community for you. Getting together with other teachers through local Hubs and networks is also incredibly valuable. It is such a vibrant and exciting time to be an RE teacher and the best thing is that I feel the community are supporting one another through the transition to Religion and Worldviews.

If anyone tries these resources I would love to hear from them; how did students respond, what kind of discussions took place in the classroom? Do please let me know, as we move into this new era of RE together.

Contact: ruth.h.marx@gmail.com

Find Ruth’s resources below:

‘What is Religion?’ Unit of Work

Booklet to support the learning

Explainer videos for teachers and students

After finishing my undergraduate degree, I embarked on a distance learning Masters in Education. As a teacher I want to be as well-informed as I can be. My inspiration? When I was a school student myself, it was teachers who had a genuine passion for education and imparting knowledge that in turn fuelled my passion for their subjects. Although a Masters is not essential for enthusiastic teaching, it was the right thing for me. Indeed, earning my Maters has benefitted not only myself, but also colleagues and, most importantly, my students. I feel excited to try new approaches and better equipped to contribute to curriculum discussions. For me, being better-informed gives me confidence to contribute.

When I decided to apply for the Masters, I didn’t exactly shout it in the staff room during rush hour, but I did let a few colleagues know. While everyone thought it was a great idea, and some shared their own experiences of gaining additional qualifications, most queried whether it was the right time. I was about to start my ECT induction years and my colleagues’ concern was that the workload would become unmanageable. Were they proved correct? Although, of course a Masters requires time and attention, finding time after my working day to commit to my studies wasn’t as difficult as many first feared.

Partly this was due to the flexibility offered by a distance learning programme. This allowed me to juggle my professional and academic commitments in a way that suited my own context and time. I was very well-planned, a must, but the work was definitely manageable. My planning system was simple- I worked backwards from a submission deadline, breaking the final assignment into chunks, and breaking the chunks into smaller tasks, to complete in the time available.

It is strange being classed as a student outside work, and then walking into my classroom every day as a teacher. I do take advantage and claim a student discount every so often! However, this has been an invaluable opportunity for reflection on the experience of being a learner. I can relate to students so much more so when they talk to me about managing their workload- this has been especially relevant when talking to my sixth formers. I truly understand the pressures of juggling multiple demands they are experiencing.

Of my learning itself, this has been invaluable. I specialised in applied linguistics and teaching and learning. This provided me with broad experiences in conducting pupil voice, pedagogies to promote literacy and English language, which further improved my skills in my own area of interest; supporting disadvantaged learners. The academic development has had hugely positive impacts on my classroom practice.

As I near the end of my Masters, I look forwards to continued research through an Ed.D and other forms of CPD. Of course financial realities mean any further study will have to be completed alongside my professional role. However the experience of studying for a Masters whilst teaching has encouraged me further to nourish my own love of learning, as much as anything to develop my students’ love of learning.

If you’re considering applying for a Masters or any other CPD, I would say go for it! Of course it is a commitment, but remember that it was your love of learning that brought you to teaching in the first place. Moreover, investing in yourself is also an investment in your students. As a teacher, you are used to making the unmanageable manageable anyway!

I will talk about a new resource called ‘Mixing Lenses’, written for Primary teachers to explore the ways scientific language and religious language can overlap. For readers who are not Primary teachers, don’t be put off- there is lots here for Secondary- age students, and you may well be asking similar questions to myself. The aim of the resource is to support pupils in making sense of the world using language at the interface of science and Christianity.

I started with some significant questions; are there new ways to approach engagement with science and faith? Can the ways that we help children to explore both science and faith be mixed together? How can we show children a meaningful intertwining of the language of science and faith in the classroom? I have been concerned over the years when I see an ‘either/ or’ mentality applied to science and faith; as if pupils have to choose. Yet of course both modes of thinking offer meaning, and many people comfortably employ both.

This is nothing new – for many years we have tried to help young people understand that a believer of any faith can also be a scientist. This often involves myth- busting, for example, dispelling the myth that Genesis is read in the same way as a science book.

The Mixing Lenses resource for teachers has emerged from my work with Chester Cathedral Education Department. Workshops on science and faith were taken into schools, funded by a group called Scientists in Congregations.

Scientists in Congregations celebrates the scientists who are present in church congregations. The group seeks to understand and share ideas around science and faith, developing material for teaching and encouraging the creative and at times surprising thinking that arises from explorations in this area. Find out more on the ECLAS website.

You may have heard of God and the Big Bang, a project to provide space for school students to explore science and faith in creative ways. RE Today have produced a set of teaching resources following God and the Big Bang topics for Primary and Secondary.

As my own work was with Chester Cathedral I focused on Christian faith but the questions and information could be explored with any faith.

It occurred to me that both faith and science:

a.  have language in common.

b.  use both metaphor and analogy to aid understanding of concepts.

This got me thinking, and four questions emerged which have become the basis of my planning:

1. What are the concepts within the science and RE topics?
2. What is the vocabulary to be taught in Science and RE (in my case, Christianity)?
3. What activity can be planned to link the vocabulary between the subjects and so offer deeper understanding? What question could be asked to lead the activity?
4. What questions can be asked during the activity/discussion or on completion?

The resource established the parameters of this field of thinking for teachers using learning theories such as Piaget and Vygotsky. The resource then works through some practical examples. For example, the resource connects and explores the idea of circuits in science, and discipleship in Christianity. Circuits can break, and children can explore how to keep a circuit open and running. In a Christian life, sometimes events keep people from being disciples, their circuit has broken. Children can explore what might cause someone to stray away from their path, and the help and support they can receive the find it again. The resource makes many other connections in this way, such as the idea of a sound wave, and the idea of love travelling to reach people.

This resource is free for teachers. I hope it is useful. I am also interested to know if readers think there is mileage in developing this further, with other key stages and faiths. If anyone would like to pilot the material or offer suggestions, I would be delighted!

Contact: Canon Jane Brooke jane.brooke333@gmail.com

I was intrigued by this project because it was an opportunity for me to learn about a topic I had never given any real thought to; how animals are farmed, and what are ethical ways of thinking about this. The project is CEFAW: Christian Ethics of Farmed Animals Welfare. The CEFAW project is an engaging and accessible way to educate pupils about farming practices and the ethical questions raised, such as responsible meat consumption. As a teacher, I was able to tailor the lesson plans and resources created through the project to enable pupils from all backgrounds to explore these ideas, contextualising what this means for Christians, the animals, farmers and for pupils as individuals – now and in the future.

I have always been mindful of what children put into their bodies and how this can impact their physical, emotional and mental wellbeing and consequently their ability to learn and be responsible members of society. I had been recently researching the impact hormone injected chickens can have on children and what some of the signs are of this impact.

For these reasons, when the opportunity to work alongside leading experts like David Clough and James Holt presented itself, I was excited to explore how a topic I am interested in personally, will develop through the RE lens.

I worked with two primary colleagues – Mel Gilbert and Stacey Cowell- which was a wonderful experience in itself. We shared ideas and experiences and provided each other with advice and support to refine our thoughts. Working with teachers from different parts of the country made certain that the resources were reflective of all pupils.

Furthermore, being provided with forums where I could share my research and experience from the project has facilitated me to continuously reflect on how the project can be utilised in the primary classroom and its potential long-term impact on the environment and young people’s health. For this I am grateful to Culham St Gabriel’s Trust!

One of the many things that I have taken away from this project, is the effectiveness of using discursive questions to stimulate pupils to think critically, review their opinions and experiences considering what they are learning and researching in lessons as well as the wider implication of key concepts and ideas.

Regardless to say, participating in such projects has its own barriers. As a fulltime teacher in Year 6, I had to consider whether I would be able to manage the deadlines and workload. I couldn’t attend the residential as it clashed with SATs. Consequently, I didn’t have the first hand experience of being on a farm; a highlight of the project. Despite my own unfortunate diary clash, it is essential for teachers to take such opportunities, which prevents our teaching from becoming stale and invigorates our own thinking.

Every time I participate in classroom-based research, my class enjoys the benefits of learning something controversial, being able to ask difficult questions and appreciating it is not necessary that everyone agrees to everything.

When the CEFAW resources are available for distribution, I believe everyone should evaluate how their pupils can benefit and trial them.

Our pupils live in a complicated world where most of what they experience is through a screen – the CEFAW project teaches compassion for living things – it teaches to connect with what is happening around you.

This is the second part of a blog exploring effective assessment in Religion and Worldviews. If you have not read part 1, you can access it here Assessing Religion and Worldviews Part 1

In this blog I will consider the question, is there a correct method of assessment in Religion and Worldviews? I came to ask myself this through my Farmington research where I interviewed and observed both Primary and Secondary teachers. Nationally, RE is currently experiencing a cultural shift from the World Religions paradigm to the Religion and Worldviews approach. Those schools who have adopted or are working towards a Religion and Worldviews approach will be thinking about their assessment processes; do they need to change? I found through my interviews that teachers are reflecting on the purpose and of assessment, the best methods and at what point in the curriculum assessment should occur.

With regards to the timing of assessment, it seems there are various ‘end points’ where assessment is useful. These are:

• Once key concepts have been learned and pupils are starting to use the in their thinking, speaking and writing
• When substantive content has been framed in disciplinary questions, assessment can allow students to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding

As noted in my first blog, a coherent, progression curriculum is essential, and assessment needs to be built into this from the start. This includes a capacity to revisit key concepts and substantive knowledge. Therefore curriculum design should include ‘end points’ where key concepts, substantive knowledge, disciplinary analysis and connections can be assessed. Pupil progress will be held against the smaller and wider aims of the curriculum.

In my department we were interested to explore how far the Religion and Worldviews approach requires a different approach to assessment. We see key concepts as the knowledge blocks, adding to pupils’ overall substantive knowledge development. These are embedded in each unit, and are partly what we asses, but not solely. We see the key concepts as enabling students’ demonstration of disciplinary knowledge and skills. Success criteria includes how students demonstrate knowledge of key concepts but more, how key concepts are used to evaluate, analyse and debate philosophical, theological and social scientific enquiry questions.

How do we assess students’ disciplinary thinking? Pupils’ disciplinary knowledge is developed through engaging with each unit’s enquiry question, which address a particular type of knowledge; philosophical, theological or the human and social sciences. Therefore, pupils are assessed through their engagement with different disciplinary questions. This allows for consistency across each key phase but also allows continuous assessment based on consistent concepts, knowledge and skills.

Through taking such a multi-disciplinary approach we recognise that substantive and disciplinary knowledge needs to be revisited over time to build up a rich understanding. Through this work we have found that assessment design also needs to follow this approach; an increasing critical engagement over time with rich disciplinary questions as pupils’ knowledge and understanding of the world grows.

Does assessment in Religion and Worldviews actually ‘assess’ students’ progress and understanding? Structured conversations with teachers through my Farmington Scholarship has shown me that there is currently no clear method of assessment in Religion and Worldviews, something I have been working towards. In the first part of two blogs, I will address the question, how does assessment show us the curriculum is effective in enabling students’ knowledge and understanding to grow?

I ask myself the question, ‘how do I know our RE curriculum is effective in enabling students’ knowledge and understanding to grow?’ I am looking for a ‘cumulatively sufficient’ (Ofsted, 2021) curriculum, with clear endpoints and goals, where students have an opportunity to bring together their knowledge, understanding and personal worldviews. Clear endpoints embedded throughout the curriculum allow teachers to assess the impact of their curriculum on students’ understanding.

A well-balanced Religion and Worldviews curriculum allows students to progress in their knowledge and understanding as they engage with more complex information. A progression curriculum deliberately builds on students’ substantive knowledge and skills in order for connections to be made and understanding to grow. Therefore, assessment of a Religion and Worldviews curriculum needs to check in with students’ knowledge and ability to make connections as they engage with successive building blocks of knowledge. This process also shows teachers what is working and what needs a rethink.

How do you know your students know more, understand more, and can do more? Becoming aware of our students metacognitive thought processes, in other words, how students think about their learning, as well as the substantive content they are learning, can give teachers valuable insights when it comes to assessment. An example of this is when students become aware of connections, they are making from previous learning topics, or when students can consider what is being asked of them and decide the right tools for the task in hand for themselves. Observing this process of growing autonomy not only supports teachers’ evaluation of what is effective in the way the curriculum is being planned and taught, but also what activities, resources and questions are effective in allowing students to unlock and explore their learning at a deeper level.

An example of a connection students can make in our curriculum is found in Year 7 and 8 where we return to the Christian creation story. We ask different questions, focusing on Theology in Year 7 and Philosophy on Year 8, but students are able to revisit the significance of creation in Christian belief and consider how far their ideas have developed.

For students to develop as independent learners we offer choices of tasks at increasing challenge. Students work independently to apply, analyse and evaluate the substantive knowledge they have learned. We encourage students to continually review and revisit their learning. Tasks range from giving 3 reasons ‘why’, to evaluating an argument. We prepare students through well-designed active learning tasks so when they come to choose their challenge, they have a good grasp of the substantive content. In asking students to choose their challenge, we are asking them to think about how they will further their learning and show their results.

Overall, through using assessment to check with students’ understanding of substantive and their ability to make connections, as well as asking students to think about how they analyse and evaluate for themselves, we are developing a coherent structure for assessing understanding in Religion and Worldviews.

Read Assessing Religion and Worldviews Part 2 of this blog, to see what happened!

References

Ofsted (2021) Research Review Series: Religious Education (12th May 2021)

The first series of Holy Cribs was made over a decade ago. These remain extremely popular with teachers, but there is no doubt they are looking dated. We at TrueTube have re-made the films to keep them relevant, and so that teachers will keep using for another ten years!

The Holy Cribs films are popular because they are useful. We have kept all the information and vocabulary that teachers need to impart, and added a little more visual flair with improved production values.

The original idea was a tribute to MTV Cribs, where a celebrity shows the audience around their home. Our presenters are young members of the religious communities which gives the films a wonderful authenticity. The audience is welcomed in and shown around, not talked down to.

For most of the young presenters, the filming was a first- time experience. They all gave us a brilliant performance. For anyone who hasn’t done any filming before, even for a short film with a very small crew, the pace can feel frustratingly slow. There’s a lot of waiting around while a shot is set up, then the presenters have to come on camera all smiles and energy, and then they’re waiting around again. The filming day was long and tiring for our young presenters, but they all enjoyed themselves and felt that they had learned something by the end of it. At least two of them now want a career in TV!

There were some unexpected issues to address. Worshippers came in and out of the Vihara, Gurdwara and Mandir all day, so we had to strike a balance between not getting in their way, and getting the shots we needed. We were expertly guided by our young presenters, but we needn’t have worried – most people were welcoming and accommodating and very glad that our films would educating young people about their faiths.

It is always a privilege to film in places that you probably wouldn’t otherwise visit, and often to get treated like an honoured guest. The food is always superb – the langar at the Gurdwara was especially good! It was an odd experience to be on the roof of East London Mosque in thick snow, getting a shot of the dome and minaret. It felt so peaceful, despite the loud sound of traffic on Whitechapel Road below us.

One member of the crew had never visited any holy building other than a church, and he undertook something of a spiritual journey. The filming gave him a fantastic introduction to other faiths.

Although the beliefs and practices of the various religions have not changed since we made the original Holy Cribs films, we feel it is important to present a more current version of people and places. The older fashions and spoken expressions can – perhaps strangely – be more of a barrier to learning than the unfamiliar beliefs and practices of a religion. The visual language of filmmaking has also changed: the way shots are composed and edited has evolved with better technology, video effects that looked cutting edge a decade ago now look rather dated.

Learning through films does offer something unique. The Holy Cribs films “show” instead of “tell”. They give young people an opportunity to see inside a building they might not be able to visit, and to hear about the beliefs and experiences of someone they might not ever meet. The films also provide engaging content for a lesson that – increasingly – might not be taught by an RE specialist. Our film can be the expert in the room.

Most of our films on TrueTube are made because teachers request them. The TrueTube team have their own ideas for topics that are on the curriculum or social media, but it’s always better when the people who are using the site – the teachers – get in touch to tell us what they need. We can’t fulfil every request, but themes often emerge in the requests we get. It’s why we updated the Holy Cribs films – we had a lot of teachers saying, “These films are great, but…”. Keep the ideas coming!

Check out our videos below. You will find links to the 6 Holy Cribs films. Look out for ‘extras’ on the website.

Holy Cribs Christianity – Anglican Church
Holy Cribs Islam – Mosque
Holy Cribs Judaism – Synagogue
Holy Cribs Buddhism – Vihara
Holy Cribs Sikhism – Gurdwara
Holy Cribs Hinduism – Mandir