Viewing archives for Blog

Last month I was invited to speak at the General Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union; it was the first time that I had been able to speak at one of their events. For those (like me!) who don’t know, the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) is a global organization of national parliaments that works to promote democratic governance, facilitate parliamentary dialogue, and strengthen the capacity of parliaments worldwide to represent their citizens effectively. It is always interesting to get a chance to see how these international organisations work; they are so very different to my regular 9-5! The formality of the delegations coming from different countries, the protocol, the vernacular.

It is also interesting because one is often asked to discuss a familiar topic from a slightly unfamiliar angle. And so it was on this occasion. I was asked to be on a panel discussion about how education could be a tool for countering intolerance and fostering religious literacy for more inclusive and peaceful societies.

Talking about the work of Culham St Gabriel’s and how a broad-based, critical and reflective Religion and Worldviews curriculum contributes to a well-informed, respectful and open society was straightforward enough. More unfamiliar though was to articulate the contribution which Religious Literacy makes to more inclusive and peaceful societies.

I explained how for us, a high-quality religion and worldviews approach to religious education centres people. It focuses on the diversity of lived religion, taking seriously the diversity, continuity, change and context of religions and beliefs. It sees pupils as interpreters of religion, and encourages them to use different lenses to explore faith traditions – theological, sociological, historical and philosophical. This approach emphasises the value of dialogue and intellectual humility.

In talking about this approach, I reflected that teachers tell us daily that a religion and worldviews approach to religious education is the space in the curriculum where they are able to facilitate conversations that address societal fractures, remove barriers and encourage positive interaction between groups. In other words, in ways that few other subjects can a religion and worldviews approach to religious education fosters cohesion and inclusion.

I talked about how schools are uniquely placed to do this work, that by virtue of the daily encounters staff have with a cross-section of people from their local communities, and because of their central purpose to educate and inform, schools can be powerful agents of social cohesion. (Speaking personally, I also suggested that any attempt by governments to foster cohesion and inclusion nationally which do not see schools as pivotal partners are incomplete strategies, but that’s another issue.)

Arguably, this is what work which fosters Religious Literacy within institutions and the wider public also seeks to achieve. Specifically, Religious Literacy work encourages participants to think about the diversity of lived religion. This is because the intent is to enable those participants (and by extension the organisations they might work for) to better understand how religion and belief shapes the choices we all make in our daily lives and so enhance the posture of organisations in relation to religion and belief communities.

But for my audience at the IPU it was not enough just to lay out the connection as we saw it. Making the case for how parliamentarians and legislators could lean into the opportunities presented by Religious Literacy work (or indeed a religion and worldviews approach to religious education) felt really important too. Afterall, that is the opportunity which the IPU gives to its members: for legislators to share best practice from their parliaments about how they had engaged on these issues. So, to do that I talked about some of the work with which Culham St Gabriel’s is involved and supports.

I talked about how through the RE Policy Unit, we support legislators to ask questions in Parliament that highlight the role a religion and worldviews approach to religious education plays in promoting education, community cohesion and Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB). Legislators value this work because it aligns with what their constituents care about.

I then shared how I had recently been in the House of Lords with students who had been working on a FoRB Ambassador programme we had funded. The culmination was a roundtable hosted by the students themselves, where they talked with parliamentarians, including the Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer, about the importance of FoRB to them. Watching young people confidently articulating why religious literacy matters was a powerful reminder of why this work is so important, and the impact of high-quality engagement between legislators and young people.

When strategies for promoting inclusion and tolerance are embedded in schools, and when these connect with political will and support, we create the conditions for countering intolerance and building more peaceful societies. Religious literacy, whether we are talking about formal Religion and Worldviews education in schools or broader initiatives across society, has the potential to foster dialogue within and between communities, build tolerance and appreciation of difference, and develop advocacy in response to injustice. That feels like work worth doing.

Thank you for taking the time to read this blog, I would love to hear what you think!

“Oh…I didn’t realise you don’t have to actually be religious to teach religious education”

This comment from a learner during a Religious and Moral Education (RME) lesson stopped me in my tracks. It revealed a common misconception: that teaching RME requires personal religious belief. It also highlighted how learners often have fixed ideas about what RME is and who teaches it.

As a primary teacher, I don’t fit the stereotype. And I’m glad. It means I can challenge assumptions and help learners explore religion in ways that are meaningful to them. I want them to discover not just facts about belief systems, but also their own values, ideologies, and sense of self.

We have “a unique platform for developing well rounded, thoughtful and respectful adults ready to embrace the ever-changing world” ¹ But how do we make RME relevant to all learners? How do we move beyond textbook teaching to something more transformative?

Letting Learners Lead

A storytelling workshop I attended was a turning point. It encouraged learners to take the lead in their learning and sparked an idea. Could I step away from familiar strategies and instead create space for learners to explore religion on their own terms, with me as a facilitator rather than a gatekeeper?

One memorable lesson on the Hajj began with a surprise. Learners returned from break to find tubs of dirt, water, a cube, black cloth, and stones on the tables. I simply said, “Tell me a story using these items.” The creativity flowed—superhero cubes flying over waterfalls and sandy mountains—but then I overheard a boy explaining the significance of each item in the context of Hajj. His group was captivated. He later shared his insights with the whole class, and they learned more from him than they might have from me.

This moment reinforced the value of drawing on the lived experiences and knowledge of learners from diverse religious and non-religious worldviews. Their voices matter.

Creating space for reflection

 Working with Sue Thomson from The Bible Society ² introduced our school to prayer spaces. These are interactive, reflective environments where learners can explore spiritual practices, whether religious or not. These spaces encouraged learners to think deeply about their own beliefs and those of others.

Sue and I also collaborated on resources for first and second level learners, including a Christmas lesson for P5–7 (8-12 year olds) that focused on the individuals in the nativity story and their relevance today. It moved beyond the usual retelling and invited learners to connect the story to modern life and its relevance to Christians today. This kind of partnership with local and national organisations can enrich RME and make it more engaging. Many are open to school visits or willing to lead sessions in classrooms.

Asking Big Questions

In a Primary 7 lesson (11-12 year olds) on the origins of the universe, I used music, media clips, and learner voices to explore different beliefs. Learners began to see that questioning is not only allowed but that it is essential. RME provides a safe space to ask big questions, wrestle with ideas, and understand both themselves and others.

They also learned to use their knowledge of religion to answer each other’s questions and explain why people believe or act in certain ways. This kind of critical thinking is at the heart of empowered RE.

Equipping Teachers to Empower Learners

What makes RE/RME unique is its openness to big questions and its potential for learner-led exploration. If we believe it’s our responsibility to help children engage with their own beliefs and values and learn from those of others then we must ensure teachers are equipped to do so.

That means giving primary educators the confidence and tools to teach RME well, through initial teacher education and ongoing professional development. We need to move beyond stereotypes and embrace the richness that comes from diverse perspectives, reflective practices, and learner-led inquiry.

References

¹Comment submitted to me as part of my research for this blog. Author wishes to remain anonymous but is happy for their comment to be used in this blog.

² For further information about the work they do and for resources created for use in Primary Schools: www.scottishbiblesociety.org/resources/schools (not an ad, just resources I have used before that are tried and tested. Others are available for other world religions.)

Reflections from the Frontline: One Educator’s Doctoral Journey into Religion, Values and Ethics (RVE), Inclusion, and Transformative Practice

The first year of my Doctor of Education (EdD) journey has been a time of deep reflection, challenge, and growth. As I look back over the last year, I’m reminded of why I started my research journey; to examine, explore and analyse the role and purpose of Religion, Values and Ethics (RVE) within our Curriculum for Wales, and to do so through a lens (my lens) that prioritises equity, inclusion, and social justice.

Understanding my positionality has been fundamental to my work this year. I have approached my research not only as an advisor, but as someone shaped by personal experience, professional practice, and a deep commitment to a values-led education. My theoretical framework draws widely on critical pedagogy and narrative inquiry and allows me to explore how stories, including my own, shape our educational spaces.

This year, I’ve asked some difficult but necessary questions such as ‘how does my story influence my research and what assumptions do I bring into my research space?’ My reflections around such questions has helped me clarify the purpose of my research and provided me with the thinking time to determine what it is that I hope to achieve.  The assignments completed this year have provided clear structure and direction. I’ve explored my positionality, bias and subjective lens, developed an annotated bibliography, and written a literature review that has challenged me to engage critically with existing academic scholarship and research. These tasks have helped me refine my research focus and helped to begin the process of mapping out the contribution that I hope to make.

At the heart of my research and work is a desire to support RVE to be deeply meaningful, inclusive, and relevant to all learners. I’ve been challenged over the last few months by one of my supervisors who has asked me to reflect on what would be missing if RVE were not part of the curriculum, and is there agreement on this from the ‘RVE world’?

One of the most rewarding aspects of this year has been the opportunity to connect and share with others. I’ve had rich conversations with fellow EdD students, regular community of practice meetings with other Culham St Gabriel’s (CStG) Doctoral scholars, attended research meetings, and engaged with academics whose work has already expanded my thinking. Being invited to contribute to the Values Symposium at King’s College London was a particular highlight, offering a chance to share ideas and learn from academics across the UK nations and Europe.

These experiences have reminded me that research is not an individual endeavour. It’s shaped by dialogue, collaboration, mutual respect and the willingness to listen and learn from others, whatever their positionality is.

My thinking is evolving. I’m increasingly focused on the potential impact of this research, not just in academic terms, but on the education of learners and the experiences of teachers. I hope that my research can contribute meaningfully to this RE/RME/RVE space. I keep returning to the ‘so what?’ question: why does this matter? For me, the answer is clear. RVE offers a space for critical reflection, ethical engagement, and the development of values, all of which enhance and enrich the school’s curriculum and allow learners to become not only ethical and informed, but also ethically informed citizens.

As I move into year two, I’m embracing my additional identity as an ‘accidental academic’, as someone who is curious, reflective, and committed to learning. I’m influenced by the principle of being inquisitive and curious, not judgmental (thank you, Ted Lasso[1]), and by a desire to remain true to my own values and to myself.

One very exciting development over the next few years will be exploring how to involve pupils as co-researchers in my research. Their perspectives are not only valid, but they’re also essential. This is their curriculum too, and their voices must be part of our conversation.

I’m learning to take responsibility for my research, to stand in its complexity and say, this matters. One year down, five more to go!

[1] Ted Lasso: Be curious, not judgmental

Following Inter Faith Week, teachers across Leicester and Leicestershire are continuing the conversation by visiting some of the city’s vibrant places of worship. These visits, organised in partnership with the Leicester Diocese and RE Today, and led by Lat Blaylock and myself, offer rich opportunities for professional learning. They aim to strengthen teachers’ subject knowledge, build confidence in leading pupil visits, and highlight the importance of engaging with authentic voices.

Why visit?

Experiencing religious traditions in context helps teachers bring real-world insights into the classroom, making RE more meaningful. Visiting a mosque, gurdwara, or mandir allows teachers to encounter faith as something living and rooted in community. For example, one gurdwara we visit is housed in a repurposed building, showing how sacred spaces can be adapted to meet community needs. Observing rituals, asking questions, and engaging with faith leaders allows teachers to understand the meaning behind practices, symbols, and daily life in each community, deepening their subject knowledge while challenging assumptions and stereotypes.

These visits also serve a practical purpose: equipping teachers with the skills to plan and manage meaningful, safe pupil visits. By observing good practice and speaking directly with faith hosts, teachers gain insight into effective visit planning—from preparation and risk assessment to respectful engagement. They also hear substantive knowledge from real voices, which they can bring back to the classroom to enrich pupils’ learning.

Reflection sessions during the visits encourage teachers to think about how these experiences can inform lesson planning, classroom conversations, and wider school initiatives. Most importantly, the visits model the values at the heart of good RE: curiosity, respect, and dialogue. Pupils benefit indirectly, gaining richer lessons and the opportunity to encounter difference in a nuanced and empathetic way.

As a former primary RE lead, I know how powerful it is for children to engage with authentic voices. I also understand the challenges teachers face when organising visits—especially in today’s climate, where some schools encounter objections or concerns from parents. I’ve experienced this myself and want to share some practical steps that helped make visits successful.

Overcoming Challenges Around Visits

During my time as RE lead, I organised a visit to a local mosque. Some parents were concerned about aspects of the visit, such as gender separation during prayer. Others were anxious about travelling to a large city, especially following a widely reported attack on a mosque. It was clear that fear and misunderstanding were shaping reactions, even though the visit aimed to build the very understanding that could challenge those fears.

Meeting to Allay Concerns

To address this, we quickly organised a parents’ meeting before worries could spread through informal channels. We created a welcoming space for open, respectful dialogue and prepared clear answers to anticipated questions. We explained what the visit would involve and why it was a valuable learning opportunity. This proactive approach helped build trust and understanding.

Challenging Misconceptions and Stereotypes

The impact of the meeting, and the visit itself, was incredibly positive. Parents and children felt more confident and informed. Pupils returned full of enthusiasm, eager to share what they had learned. The visit replaced misconceptions with curiosity and respect. Only one pupil didn’t attend, and she created a “visiting a mosque” project at school, which she shared with the class upon their return.

Practical Answers to Objections

Over the years, I’ve encountered various objections, but there are practical ways to address them:

• Funding: Can the PTA help fund transport to reduce costs for families?
• Combining Trips: Can you combine a visit to a place of worship with a museum or sports venue to create a broader educational experience?
• In-School Alternatives: Why not host a “faith marketplace” event in school, inviting representatives from different traditions to engage with pupils?

These strategies help make visits more accessible and inclusive.

Looking back, these experiences remind me why visits to places of worship are essential in RE. They deepen knowledge, nurture respect, and foster connection. As educators, we play a vital role in opening these doors—even when challenges arise. With open communication, sensitivity, and collaboration, visits can be transformative moments in pupils’ learning journeys.

The RE Hubs website is a fantastic resource for planning visits. It includes a list of accredited venues trained in best practice for hosting school groups, and a short video offering top tips for successful visits.

Ultimately, visiting places of worship is about more than observing rituals or buildings—it’s about fostering curiosity, understanding lived experiences, and appreciating diverse worldviews. By sharing my experiences, I hope to encourage teachers to embrace these opportunities and bring the richness of real-world religious experience into their classrooms. Every visit is a chance to open minds, challenge assumptions, and inspire meaningful learning.

Interfaith Week is a wonderful cause for celebration. As someone who grew up in a mixed-race, multi-faith household, I have a huge appreciation for the impact religion can have on the lives of believers as well as those around them. And now living in Luton, I see the fruits of the work our diverse faith groups do together every day.

In my constituency of Luton North, the interfaith community is long established and a source of cohesion and strength.

Many voices and cultures

Luton is a town of many voices and cultures, with a history of our communities uniting to oppose forces of hate. Our diversity is a strength and we can never take for granted the relationships and networks that run through our fabric. Lutonians know all too well the struggle against those who choose to pit communities against one another, to increase tensions and exploit insecurities for political gain.

There are so many initiatives I’m proud of locally that are run by people of faith. Our Luton Council of Faiths is a uniting group that works with the council, schools, the police and public services to care for our town. They are proactive in supporting vulnerable members of our community, and mediating tensions if they arise. Their work earned them an award from the late Queen, in recognition of their contributions to social cohesion.

Re-emergence of racism

Sadly, we have seen the ugly trends of far-right racism re-emerge in a powerful way over the past couple of years. As the Chair of the Women and Equalities Select Committee in Parliament, I have heard testimonies about the importance of different faith groups standing together to repel the extremist messages both in politics and in wider culture. Whether it’s Islamophobia coming out of Unite the Kingdom marches, to so-called “Christian nationalism” infiltrating some church communities, or the distressing attacks we’ve seen occur at synagogues across the country, it’s never been more important to stand up for our neighbours in their time of need.

Standing up, standing together

And standing up for those in need is exactly what faith groups do best. We all saw the way in which they served the general public during the pandemic; everyone either benefitted from it themselves or knows someone who did. Temples and Gurdwaras cooking hot, nutritious food for the masses; churches helping with vaccine drives; mosque volunteers dropping off supplies for local people shielding.

But of course this sort of work had been going on behind the scenes for a long time before the pandemic: food banks, night shelters, youth projects and dementia cafes – all of these have been offered by people of faith for decades, and will continue to be while vulnerable people fall through gaps left by the state.

When I look back on my time on Labour’s front bench as the Shadow Minister for Faith and Communities, I often joke that the thing I miss most is the food. Faith communities definitely know how to cater their events, and the hospitality I received from the most lovely, welcoming people will always be treasured. But of course the real thing I miss the most is seeing people from different backgrounds, who are often pitted against each other, coming together to love their neighbourhoods.

Celebrating RE teachers

There’s a special group of people I want to recognise this Interfaith Week, and that is our fantastic RE teachers. It has never been more important that children and young people learn about religion and world views, so they may grow to be compassionate, understanding and rounded adults. I will continue to do all I can to help increase the access to RE teaching for every pupil, and support schools to recruit high-level subject specialists. Countering hateful attitudes (or innocent misunderstandings) as early as possible is essential in this diverse, vibrant country we live in. So to all the RE teachers doing what they can to progress that: Thank you.

Glancing out of the staffroom window, you notice three of your students approach the playground fence just as a woman in a hijab is walking by. They say something to her and the only words you can clearly make out are “burka” and “go home”. The students laugh as the woman quickly walks away with her head down looking upset.

As a teacher, what are your options here? Storm outside, chastise the students, and dole out an appropriate punishment? Schedule an assembly? Escalate it to the head? Undertake outreach to the local mosque? Book in a RE session on Islamophobia? Do nothing?

But what if the students were themselves Muslim? Does this change how you act next? What if you know those students are Hindu? What if, instead of a woman wearing a hijab (a Muslim head covering for women), it was a man wearing a kippah/yarmulke (a Jewish head covering for men) and the students were Muslim? How do various denominations, schools and branches of religions come into conflict and how do these layers of complexity – potentially involving race or status too – influence how we respond?

The key here question is not just: Would you know how to approach this incident? But more widely: Do you feel adequately resourced and supported to address faith-based harm in your school? Do you feel that your school has developed systems that offer pathways for learning about faith-based harm?

Harm related to faith often feels like a minefield of sensitivities; there can be so much fear of “getting it wrong” that we often end up doing nothing. Not from a lack of sympathy for the harmed, but out of fear of igniting wider tension that you do not feel confident to navigate. Global and historical conflicts feel more present than ever in UK societies – from conflict in Israel/Palestine, and tension between India and Pakistan, to division between Catholics and Protestants. And how do recent riots against asylum seekers and immigrants relate to faith?

Interfaith restorative justice

This gap in understanding and confidence in how to approach faith-based harm led to the inception of the Interfaith Restorative Justice Project. This work, a partnership between the Faith & Belief Forum, Interfaith Glasgow and Why me? – and funded by the National Lottery Community Fund – explores how Restorative Justice (RJ) processes can address hostility against and between faith communities in Solihull and Glasgow. We have trained local people of faith as RJ Community Facilitators and support them to take on cases where they facilitate repair or moving forward after harm has occurred. And whilst this project isn’t targeted at schools, as integral parts of communities, we’re liaising with Solihull and Glasgow education institutions as potential sources of referrals and casework partners where harm has been identified.

Restorative practices and Interfaith

There are loads of fantastic resources and initiatives to bring Restorative practices into schools, and there are projects across the country (including our own F&BF schools work) which can help staff and students better understand and navigate faith and worldviews. RJ in schools can be simplified as a “culture that identifies strong, mutually respectful relationships and a cohesive community as the foundations on which good teaching and learning can flourish”[1]. Interfaith can be described as “all forms of intentional engagement between individuals from different faith and belief backgrounds, who come together specifically because of their religious diversity”[2]. The crucial overlap between RJ and interfaith approaches: Both invite learning new ways of being.

“Learning new ways of being” may sound like another new term or initiative on top of many others that offer a distraction to an already packed Personal, Social, Health Education (PSHE) and religious education or religion and worldviews curriculum. But both RJ and interfaith work give us frameworks to be able to navigate the most difficult parts of life – relationships, conflict, disagreement, mistakes, offense and division. So, when we talk about new ways of being, we can see that this approach brings together many strands of the work of ‘developing the whole child’ that we all strive to encourage in our classrooms.

Learning how to live alongside one another

Learning (by studying and practising established processes) how to live alongside each other across difference and to navigate harm is essential to a well-functioning society (and, dare I say, conspicuously absent in many communities up and down the UK today). And learning, not just how we look after ourselves and each other when we are harmed, but how we take accountability when we are the one doing the harming, are skills that can be taught and learned. If we want schools to produce well-balanced, self-aware, caring and emotionally intelligent young people who can build relationships in their communities and respect others despite differences, then learning new ways of being should be well and truly on the agenda.

For more information on how a Restorative approach might be applied to the case study above, RJ expert Anika Cosgrove from Why me? has a blog post coming soon

[1] Restorative Approaches in Schools in the UK , University of Cambridge, https://www.educ.cam.ac.uk/research/programmes/restorativeapproaches/RA-in-the-UK.pdf

[2] UK Summer Riots 2024: Restorative Responses and Interfaith Instincts, Faith & Belief Forum, available at: https://faithbeliefforum.org/report/uk-summer-riots-restorative-responses-and-interfaith-instincts-report/

One would assume that being based in Leicester – the most plural city in the UK, would provide St Philip’s Centre (SPC) with the ‘cheat sheet’ for how to live well together. Whilst that remains a journey not a destination, our interactive programmes of religious and worldviews education are increasingly requested geographically with schools engaged from the East Midlands, West Midlands, South Yorkshire and the East of England.

Why Interfaith education matters more than ever

Why is this the case? Collectively whilst we operate in different contexts, we are all connected by mutual desires to upskill our children so that they can confidently and glowingly contribute as active citizens in any part of the world let alone the UK. In a febrile national and global atmosphere where perspective and fair play has been recalibrated to create imbalance and distrust, we encourage children, carers and teachers to engage with a range of different views and opinions about all manner of topical subjects. Our team of community faith practitioners who are integral to our delivery, provide us with originality, authenticity and a human face. Our work intends to build a resilient future through education and openness by allowing children and young people to express themselves through adventure and the promotion of kindness.

Creating safe space for big questions

We go beyond the textbook and make the subject FUN! We do not claim representative status but instead our team amplify lived religion and belief under a democratic apparatus. We encourage free and frank dialogue where disagreement is accepted as part of life within a framework of peaceful coexistence. Children, carers and teachers often ask questions about gender rights, religious obligations versus the rule of law and exclusivism in belief. We highlight the presence of different traditions or intra-faith. Looking over the garden fence to our neighbours may be pain-free but when one needs to turn in and accept divergent beliefs when under the same label, it can be harder to digest.

Dialogue in action: bringing lived religion into the classroom

From foundation to lower secondary, our offer is age appropriate. Our programmes include assemblies, workshops, visits to places of worship, tours of cultural sites such as our famous ‘Golden Mile’ and our flagship ‘Religion & Belief Roadshow’ which brings up to ten different religions and beliefs into a school as part of a fun-packed festival using stalls, clothing, music, artefacts and food – the currency of interfaith! Over the years, this pioneering endeavour has engaged thousands of children across the nation.

One of the most pressing challenges facing school leaders is how to prepare children and young people for life. It is commonly assumed that rural areas are isolated and removed from the wealth of plurality but the same can be said of some towns and cities. Day to day or meaningful engagement with difference is rare and forces pupils to play ‘catch-up’ later on in life at college, university or work – by then it is often too late. The demands of school life means that it is often only possible to provide one-off encounters and so the sustainability of a child’s journey must be a collective responsibility with friends, families and communities all playing their role outside of the classroom.

Building blocks for a resilient future

At SPC, our programme recipe is appetising and colourful – there is something for almost everyone! We have up to ten religions and beliefs under our umbrella which connects classrooms with communities. High quality religious and worldviews education must be relevant and applicable to today’s world. Schools operate on the frontline and we very much see our role as being one where we help them, to help themselves. We energise and equip schools to connect meaningfully with their children and families in this area of work. The building blocks of responsible citizenship and community resiliency cannot be left to chance. Our collaborative efforts with schools have increased pupil and teacher confidence and knowledge.

As a classroom teacher, every year I would get excited about “Interfaith Week”. I would want to do something fun to celebrate diversity and inclusion. However what often happened, was that my best intentions were overtaken by other priorities, and I ended up feeling guilty because I had run out of time. I want to encourage you this year too do something, even a small activity can make a big difference. My hope is that this blog will help to take away some of the guilt and provide some small easily accessible ideas to begin to use with your pupils to help them engage and learn more from each other

Story

My work as a researcher has highlighted the potential for using stories to help pupils to understand the values of others who hold different worldviews. Stories from sacred texts carry significant meaning across time and place and can offer a safe space to talk about matters of faith and belief. The meaning is nuanced and requires the reader to go exploring for what is hidden in the text. You do not need to be a theologian to be able to share a story and explain why it is important to you. It is something everyone can do, be they pupils, staff, or members of local faith communities.
I would like to suggest that it is these very connections that could be a rich source of knowledge to tap into during interfaith week.

Could you find some time in the classroom to explore stories that carry meaning for your own pupils?

Could you ask members of staff, volunteers or parents to come in and share stories that are important to them as representatives of different faith community?

Sharing stories in their own right is helpful and interesting, but I would argue that the most interesting conversations can be developed when we bring stories together from different perspectives and begin to look for the similarities and differences in how they are perceived. This year Interfaith Week highlights the theme of “Community: Together We Serve”.

Could you invite three people from different faith perspectives to share a story that illustrates something of what it looks like to serve?

Are there trusted members of the school community who might be willing to talk about their beliefs through story telling?

Dialogue

It is important to recognise that for these interfaith encounters to be positive, setting a space for dialogue is important. There is a famous American psychologist called Gordon Allport (Allport, 1954) who has suggests that prejudice can be reduced through positive contact. He argues that for this to be effective it needs to be conducted within a safe environment. His contact theory, also known as the intergroup contact hypothesis, suggests that encounters are most effective when all members of the group have equal status, shared objectives, active collaboration and these encounters should be supported by recognised authority structures. When these conditions are in place, he suggests encounters can lead to more positive attitudes and better intergroup relations.

The Story Tent

At the heart of my interfaith work has been the concept of a Story Tent. My research and subsequent classroom-based practice have highlighted the potential of creating spaces, to share our stories and build friendships across divides. My logo illustrates a tent shape with a space for dialogue underneath. It could also represent a bridge that connects different starting points. In this space I encourage pupils to consider themselves as both a guest and a host. The space is shared, and all participants have equal status.

You may find that there is somewhere in the school that you dedicate to creating such an interfaith story telling space. I have used a gazebo to create a temporary space, but you may have a book corner or space in the library which could be set aside for interfaith week.

Guidelines for dialogue

Using guidelines for dialogue in this space enables open respectful conversations to emerge but it is important to remember that this space needs to have some authority figure around to oversee the activities. I have attached below some guidelines for dialogue which I have used in primary schools, a PDF is available on my website. There are also guidelines which can be used in secondary school which have been developed by “The Feast”, an interfaith networking organisation, more details available on their website listed below.

Download guidelines for dialogue here.

The Faith and Belief forum have recently produced a report May 2025 – highlighting the positive impact and importance of this Interfaith Week initiative which was started in 2009. But Interfaith Week does not need to be the end of an interest in this aspect of important work. Rather it can be the start of developing an interest in the lived experiences of people of different faiths and worldviews.

My challenge to you today is to go away and plan to do at least one story related activity during Interfaith Week (or afterwards) and see where it leads. Begin to explore a dialogical space where it is safe for pupils to talk about their perceptions. This type of learning can help reframe attitudes and help pupils to not only discover more about what others believe but also refine their own beliefs, values and sense of identity.

 Bibliography:

Allport, G.W. (1954) The nature of prejudice. Cambridge, Mass: Addison-Wesley.

Interfaith week consultation report, 2005, Faith &Belief Forum,

https://faithbeliefforum.org/report/report-inter-faith-week-consultation/

[accessed 18^th October 2025]

Resources:

Faith and Belief Forum

https://www.ifw4schools.co.uk/ [accessed – 12^th Oct 2025]

Interfaith week resources

https://www.interfaithweek.org/resources [accessed – 12^th Oct 2025]

Story Tent resources

https://www.storytent.concordant.online/ [accessed – 12^th October 2025]

Story Tent @ Coventry Cathedral video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WolsaClLHPg [accessed 12^th October 2025]

The feast guidelines for dialogue:

https://thefeast.org.uk/resources [accessed 12th October 2025]

The Curriculum and Assessment Review’s recommendation to embed Religious Education (RE) in a new national curriculum marks a watershed moment for education. Culham St Gabriel’s Trust celebrates this bold step toward equity, coherence, and justice. Over the last few years, we’ve championed a statutory national benchmark for RE- one that guarantees every pupil, in every school, access to high-quality, inclusive, and meaningful learning about religion and worldviews.

Why This Matters

I have often used this scenario in our advocacy over the last year…

Imagine being a 14-year-old student deciding whether to do RE as a GCSE option. Your experience of the subject has been fragmented – repeating content due to curriculum variations between local areas, missing key topics as you moved schools, or being taught by non-specialist teachers. You’re curious about how people live and view the world, but you feel unprepared and uncertain. This is the reality for many pupils across England.

The current system, with many different agreed syllabi and inconsistent provision, has led to widespread inequity. Some pupils receive rich, engaging RE; others receive none. This disparity is not just unfair – it’s educationally and socially unjust.

The report says:

‘Provision for RE is many schools is not good enough and does not prepare pupils adequately for life beyond school’ p. 108

The Case for Change

The Curriculum and Assessment Review recommendation affirms what those of us working this this field have long known: the status quo is untenable. At the recent Confederation of School Trusts Annual Conference 95% of those voting in our informal poll agreed that RE should go into a new National Curriculum. This included chief executives, headteachers, trustees, curriculum leads, inclusion leads, journalists, Diocesan Directors of Education and Year 10 pupils. This should encourage both the review panel, and the government as recommendations are taken forward. I believe the education world strongly supports this move as it will:

• Restore Equity: All pupils deserve access to a coherent and inclusive RE curriculum, regardless of their school’s governance or location.
• Ensure Consistent Standards: A national benchmark will help raise expectations, improve outcomes, and support accountability.
• Improve Provision: Schools will be required to allocate appropriate time and resources to RE, ensuring it is no longer sidelined.
• Modernise Content: A religion and worldviews approach will reflect the lived experiences of diverse communities, moving beyond outdated paradigms.

A Vision for the Future

The Curriculum and Assessment Review recommend a staged process, building on the National Content Standard for RE in England (2023) which could serve as the foundation for this new curriculum. I wholeheartedly support this approach. It offers a framework on which to develop further consensus and unite the education community. I am delighted that the report recommends Dr Vanessa Ogden chair a Task and Finish Group to lead this next stage.

This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity. I urge the religion and worldviews community-educators, faith and belief groups and policymakers – to come together for the common good. Let us work through the challenges together, be open to compromise where needed, take a humble approach and listen to one another.  I hope that we can build a curriculum that reflects the richness of human belief and experience, and ensures every child receives the education they deserve.

Six reasons why RE should be in a new National Curriculum https://www.cstg.org.uk/campaigns/religion-and-worldviews/