Global terms: Blog Categories

Empowering Students as Sacred Text Scholars: Three Ways to Support Pupils’ Reason as Theologians

Ryan Parker | 19 May, 2026

The move to disciplinarity in religious education is exciting. Helping pupils learn how to learn about, and reflectively engage with, religious and non-religious worldviews is crucial; through knowing and using appropriate tools, methods and questions they can more effectively make sense of and navigate future encounters with religion and belief both within the classroom and outside it.

One key discipline which helps pupils make sense of the diverse religion and belief landscape of which they are participants is theology. Theology, as contextualised for a school setting, is the study of beliefs. For me, theology is not a direct arrow to an answer, but a conversation. For instance, going beyond simple and often misleading notions of ‘this text/teaching/concept means X’, pupils can consider a range of questions, methods and tools to help them richly consider why different people hold the beliefs they do. I like the idea of bringing pupils into the scholarly conversations within theology. They are commentators of and contributors to these vibrant discussions – not merely observers.

Many theologians are interested in what happens when readers encounter sacred texts (an area called hermeneutics – a fancy word for interpretation).

  • How do different people engage with them?
  • What do different people think they mean?
  • And why do different people interpret them differently?

This is an area with lots of fascinating questions – particularly as there are wide-ranging views as to how texts could, should and should not be read. Helping pupils understand and consider some of the questions that theologians might ask of texts and readers supports them in understanding how the same text can be interpreted differently by different people and the implications of this.

Below are three ways to support pupils to reason as theologians when engaging with sacred texts. I wonder which of these you might try out this term?

Explore the context(s). Stories/texts emerge from particular places and times.

  • Who told/wrote this story?
  • Where?
  • When?
  • Why?
  • Who for?
  • What response were they hoping from listeners/readers?

Out of these, which ones can we ever truly know – and does this matter? Exploring different ideas, where possible, helps students recognise that discussions around context are continuing and shifting fields of understanding. Based on the ideas offered, what do pupils currently think?

Focus on people. Just as considering the (hypothetical) first reception of a story/text is useful, so is exploring how different people – from different times and contexts – engage/have engaged with a text. I particularly like using artwork here. For instance, here are three different artists’ responses to the Parable of the Prodigal Son:

Invite pupils to compare these artworks and then pose the following questions to help students consider the role positionality can play in interpretation:

  • Why do you think the artist painted it? What meaning(s) and response(s) do you think the artist was trying to convey/provoke?
  • How do you think the artist’s context and worldview has shaped their artwork? (AI can usefully bring some background information here)
  • Which artwork do you think most reflects your view of what this text is about?
  • If you were to represent this biblical text, what might you depict? Why? How might this idea be shaped by your worldview? Why might someone take a different view?

Additionally, if possible, invite actual people from inside or outside the school to share their thoughts on a text. What has shaped their view? Have they always thought this?

Power and parameters. Many theologians raise questions about power and parameters. Why not explore the following as a class?

  • Many texts are preceded by titles – the Parable of the Prodigal Son is a case it point. Yet, these titles vary in different parts of the world. To what extent do particular titles influence what readers takeaway from the text? Who decides on these titles? What could other titles be? Does this reflect our biases?
  • Can texts be interpreted however we want, or are some interpretations inaccurate, inappropriate, or even irresponsible? Who gets to decide this, and on what grounds? Anthony Thiselton’s responsible hermeneutics is great for ideas on the limits of interpretation here.

About

Ryan Parker is the RE and Christian Ethos Adviser for the Diocese of St Albans, with teaching experience across primary and middle school settings. He recently completed a PhD at the University of Birmingham, focussing on knowledge-rich textual enquiry in primary RE. You can read more about his PhD in this recent Research Spotlight. He also hosts the ‘Flourishing Together’ podcast series which invites discussion around various aspects of high-quality RE. X: @ryanparker1991 BlueSky: @ryanparker-91.bsky.social

See all posts by Ryan Parker

Book Review: Ways of Knowing: A Toolkit, Secondary

Lyndsey Leech | 18 May, 2026

Stephen Pett, Knut Aukland, Trevor Cooling, Chris Cotter, Julia Diamond Conway, Jane Gatley, Is’Haaq Jasat, Richard Kueh, Jon Lanman, Carissa Sharp, Rachel Shilltoe, Simeon Zahl

RE Today 2026

Sample pages are available to download here.

Intended as a contribution to the discussion on implementing ways of knowing into the secondary curriculum, this publication is a comprehensive guide which covers why it is a piece of work worth undertaking, what the disciplines entail and how to begin introducing them into the curriculum. It includes contributions from those in the RE world and the disciplines such as Theology, Sociology and Philosophy among others. It is a great resource for those looking for a place to begin in this area and is also food for thought for anyone wanting to take this work to a deeper level and therefore has pearls of wisdom for teachers at all stages of curriculum development.

The publication, which comes as part of a National Association of Teachers of RE (NATRE) membership and is also available to purchase separately,  begins with an introduction to where the term ‘ways of knowing’ came from. For many classroom teachers, their first exposure to this may have been the Ofsted research review (2021) and its follow up ‘Deep and meaningful? The religious education subject report (2024). The resource highlights that in order to fully understand what ‘ways of knowing’ truly are, we have to look at how this concept has evolved, beginning with the work of Rob and Giles Freathy on methods of study (Introduction to the RE:searchers approach, 2018)  This model introduced the practice of considering methods when teaching substantive knowledge. It was then adapted by the RE Today team in the Challenging knowledge in RE series (2021) before appearing in Ofsted reviews and being included in the RE Council’s Handbook for Curriculum writers (2024). Setting out the journey in this way for the reader shows that a focus on ways of knowing is not simply a requirement of Ofsted but that it has been considered an important part of teaching in RE for some time and is therefore worth investing in.

The toolkit then lays out a rationale for including methodology in the curriculum which is compelling. Hearing the different perspectives on why we should include this element in our curriculum can only inspire teachers to action.

Pett tells us that it brings a transparency to the curriculum so that pupils do not simply have to accept what they are being told. He notes that drawing students’ attention to methods and disciplines will also help them to apply these themselves, creating independent learners. Referencing the work of Jo-Fraser Pearce and Alexis Stones (2023) which calls those who are able to research and critically evaluate ‘epistemic haves’ and those who are not able to do these things ‘epistemic have -nots’ it is made clear to the reader that not including ways of knowing in the curriculum could cause some students to be further behind than their counterparts in other schools who have had this experience.

Dr Knut Auckland raises the issue that students need to become comfortable with the fact that scholars do not always agree and be able to take a neutral approach after looking at different sides of the argument. Given the content that we teach in RE and the reaction that it can bring from students, this is an important thing to consider. Introducing students to methodologies and disciplines can therefore support them in looking at questions they often find so challenging.

Dr Richard Kueh adds that it is important to support students in considering where evidence comes from and whose account should be accepted in a world of false information. This will help them to make informed decisions.

Finally, Professor Trevor Cooling proposes that to achieve the scholarly RE we all aim for, we can take lessons from how PHD students approach their work, with a focus question followed by selecting the best methods to find the answer and then examining their own position.

Therefore, to achieve academically rigorous RE which creates independent learners with the skills required to study our subject to the highest level, it is imperative that students are exposed to ways of knowing in our curriculum.

As a curriculum planner, it is difficult to know where to begin with this task. The resource continues by suggesting that we do not simply need to dive straight in to including different disciplines in our lessons. We can build in methodology in small steps with our younger students by asking questions, analysing data and observations. This introduces the skills that underpin the disciplines before exposing students to them on a deeper level. The icons in the resource are a helpful way to alert students to when they are using these skills and support dual coding in our resources. The icons are clear and easy to interpret. Repeated exposure to them in lesson materials will show students that they already have the skills required to think like a Theologian or a Sociologist and will alert them to where they need to apply these skills.

The publication moves on to show how we might move from incorporating methodologies into the curriculum to a position where students are able to consider issues through the disciplines. It includes a helpful guide from a Theologian, a Sociologist, a Philosopher a Religious Studies expert and an Anthropologist on what questions they ask and how they approach finding out the answers. This is a valuable overview for teachers which allows them to be crystal clear as to what each discipline is about. It is too easy to link any lessons on religious belief with theology and any challenging questions with philosophy and this section of the guide sets out what the discipline involves and which areas of the curriculum it might link to. This information supports teachers in ensuring they are not including surface level references to disciplines in lessons, but that they truly understand the value of each area and how it might enhance the student experience.

Finally, the publication exemplifies how we might take a multi-disciplinary approach to answering questions in the classroom. It uses the example of the Exploring Atheism project and shows how disciplines might be used to evaluate the reasons for non-belief in God. Using a step-by-step guide, the reader is shown how to introduce this in the classroom. The icons highlight which disciplines and methods are being used. Seeing the project broken down like this gives a clear structure for extending this kind of approach to other topics within the curriculum which require our students to evaluate. It makes the process of introducing ways of knowing on a deeper level more manageable.

Having read this publication, the reader will be left with a rationale for developing ways of knowing in their curriculum, a clear idea of the disciplines they might include, a step-by-step guide on how to do this and a way to take it to the next level. The toolkit ensures that this area of the curriculum is not simply paying lip service to the recommendations of documents but is in place and is enhancing the learning and skills of our students. It Truly demystifies this vital area of our subject.

This book is a must read for all secondary teachers of RE. It’s the guide I have been waiting for, whilst having a go on my own!

About

Lyndsey Leech is Head of Religious Studies in a Secondary School in Oldham. She is Vice Chair of Oldham SACRE and in Year 1 of the Culham St Gabriel Leadership Scholarship. Lyndsey is a passionate advocate of educating the whole child by emphasising the academic side of the subject inside of the classroom and providing opportunities for students to use and extend their learning outside of the classroom.

See all posts by Lyndsey Leech

Could You, Would You, Should You Use Multiple Disciplines to Study Sacred Texts With Year 5 and 6?

Sarah Dennis | 18 May, 2026

To really understand how religious and personal beliefs work, pupils need to understand where beliefs come from, how they are lived, and the deeper thinking that sits behind them.

One place many beliefs originate is in stories with rich layers of meaning. My idea was to design a lesson sequence for pupils aged 10–11 that allowed them to study beliefs through theology, lived experience through the human and social sciences, and deeper meaning through philosophy.

I also wanted to link as many stories as possible to people from our local community, so pupils could see that these stories are not just historical texts but have real influence here and now. A big ask, but was it possible?

Designing a disciplinary approach for Year 5 and 6

To make this work, I created a resource with three clear sections, each linked to disciplinary questions. I turned this into a bookmark (Figure 1) so pupils could make notes as they went, reducing cognitive overload.

The bookmarks were lightly taped into books so pupils could write alongside them. Notes were later developed into one paragraph per discipline. Over the course of the unit, the bookmark evolved as both the pupils and I refined the questions, focusing on those that generated the most thoughtful, open‑ended responses.

Figure 1. Disciplinary bookmark                                                                  

One text, three disciplines, one lesson

Over nine weeks, we studied nine texts. Yes, one text per week, covering all three disciplines in one hour.

Every lesson followed the same pattern. Over time, pupils became increasingly confident with the disciplinary thinking, knowing what kind of questions they were being asked and why.

When subject knowledge becomes the challenge

My first step was to trial the approach using a different text. That was when I realised my biggest problem: I did not always have the subject knowledge to confidently answer the questions I had written on the bookmark.

Using support from NATRE, RE:Online, TrueTube and BBC Bitesize, I took time to build my own understanding. This was an essential step and a reminder that disciplinary teaching requires ongoing subject knowledge development for teachers as well as pupils.

What the lesson sequence looked like in practice

Each lesson followed a clear structure:

  • Lesson objectives and dates were printed on stickers to save time and stuck onto a new page.
  • Pupils annotated their bookmarks while reading the text for theology. I modelled this for the first three lessons using my own exercise book and a visualiser.
  • Writing scaffolds were available for early writers. (Figure 2)
  • Pupils watched short videos showing lived experiences, often from members of our local community or carefully chosen online clips. They annotated the human and social sciences section of the bookmark.
  • Pupils considered what puzzled them about the story.
  • Annotations were written up into short paragraphs, with images from the lived experiences added to support writing.
  • Pupils pre‑read the next week’s story.

The consistent structure helped pupils focus their thinking and build confidence week by week.

Figure 2. Writing Scaffolds

What surprised me about pupil learning

A common mistake in my teaching, across all primary year groups, is underestimating what pupils can achieve.

I spoke honestly with both classes about trying something new, and they were incredible. Pupils suggested changes to the bookmark questions, refining them lesson by lesson. The feedback was thoughtful, and engagement with each text was high.

The lessons worked because the bookmark gave pupils a clear place to offload knowledge, freeing up their thinking rather than overloading their working memory.

Removing the scaffolds

In the final lesson, I wanted to see what pupils could do with less support. I removed the bookmark and asked pupils to generate their own questions.

They worked in groups of three, using two QR codes linked to texts and a BBC Newsround clip. I had the writing scaffolds ready and the pupils knew they were available. Not one pupil asked for them.

What I learned

In summary, Year 5 and 6 pupils can study texts through multiple disciplines, and do so successfully. This approach works particularly well with texts linked to lived experience or moral influence.

You may need to adapt the bookmark for your cohort. You will almost certainly need to spend time building your own subject knowledge. But the depth of understanding and the skills pupils develop might just surprise you as much as they surprised me.

About

Sarah is a member of National Association of Teachers of RE (NATRE) Exec and RE leader at Chadsmead Primary School in Staffordshire. She has led a NATRE affiliated local group for over six years and networking lead for RE for her academy chain Community Academy Trust. Sarah completed the Culham St Gabriel's Leadership Scholarship Programme in 2025. She teaches RE across a one form entry Primary school in Lichfield in Staffordshire.

See all posts by Sarah Dennis

“Join Your Local SACRE,” They Said…

Lyndsey Leech | 13 May, 2026

‘Join your local SACRE.’

It’s one of those bits of advice that floats around staffrooms, RE conferences, and slightly awkward CPD conversations. Said with good intentions. Usually followed by a vague nod. Rarely followed by action. And I get why.

Because my first experience of SACRE?
It wasn’t exactly inspiring.

The folder

Early in my teaching career, SACRE meant one thing: a folder. A common misconception was this folder which was the RE Agreed syllabus was called SACRE. A big, clunky, slightly intimidating folder full of guidance about what I should be teaching. It landed on my desk with all the warmth of a compliance document and none of the clarity of actual support.

No one explained what SACRE really was. No one showed me how it could help. So I did what most teachers do; I asked around. And what came back?

Words like quorate, monitoring, voting. Which, if we’re honest, don’t exactly scream, ‘this will transform your teaching.’ So I filed SACRE mentally under: Statutory. Necessary. Not especially useful.

And from conversations I still have today, I wasn’t alone.

Fast forward

A few years later, I hit that stage in my career. You know the one. Where you start thinking beyond your own classroom. Where you want to do something for the subject. Where ‘just getting through the scheme of work’ isn’t quite enough anymore. Someone suggested SACRE again.This time, I said yes. With hesitation.

I walked into my first meeting expecting… well, more of the same. Minutes. Motions. Mild confusion. Instead? A room full of people who actually cared. Teachers. Faith representatives. Council members. Real conversations. Real purpose. Not just ticking boxes but asking: ‘How do we actually support RE teachers in this area?’

It was a completely different experience. And honestly? It changed my view of SACRE entirely.

Two SACREs, two realities

Here’s the thing: not all SACREs are the same. Some are just… existing.

  • Struggling for members
  • Focused on being ‘quorate’
  • Minimal engagement with schools
  • Sending out syllabuses and hoping for the best

Others? They’re alive.

  • Actively recruiting diverse members
  • Building relationships across communities
  • Talking to schools, not at them
  • Offering real support, not just documents

I’ve now seen both. And the difference is night and day.

What good looks like

Take Oldham. What’s happening there isn’t magic it’s intentional.

  • A clear vision: We are here to support teachers and students in RE.
  • Strong leadership: Not one person doing everything, but a team driving things forward.
  • Actual communication: WhatsApp groups. Social media. Turning up to each other’s events. Being visible.
  • Real listening: Not guessing what schools need but asking them. And then acting on it.

If schools aren’t meeting RE hours, they challenge it. If teachers need support, they provide training. If a new syllabus is launched, they don’t just email it and disappear. They follow through.

This is the key change.  SACRE stops being about just approving documents. It becomes about supporting people and from my experience that is when it works.

There’s a phrase we’ve started using: Be more Oldham. Not because it’s perfect but because it’s purposeful. Oldham SACRE;

  • Celebrate success (not just flag problems)
  • Share what’s happening publicly
  • Create opportunities for schools to learn from each other
  • Recognise great RE through awards and showcases

And crucially they make the work visible. Because if no one knows what SACRE does…why would anyone care?

Why this matters

Let’s not pretend RE is in an easy place right now.

  • Curriculum time gets squeezed.
  • Specialists are stretched.
  • Support can feel… patchy.

SACRE, when it works, can be a genuine lever for change. But only if the right people are involved. And here’s the uncomfortable truth:

SACRE needs teachers more than teachers realise they need SACRE.

Because without classroom voices:

  • Decisions lack context
  • Priorities miss the mark
  • Support becomes guesswork

Since joining, I’ve gained;

  • Direct connections with faith representatives
  • People I can email (or message) and get real answers
  • Support with trips, visitors, and resources
  • A wider network beyond my school

And maybe most importantly… A sense that RE isn’t something I’m doing in isolation.

So… Should You Join?

Honestly? Yes. But not passively. Don’t join just to sit in meetings and nod. Join to;

  • Ask questions
  • Challenge things
  • Build connections
  • Make it better

Because if your local SACRE feels like my first experience? It won’t improve on its own. ‘Join your local SACRE’ can sound like a chore. But it doesn’t have to be. Done well, it’s not a committee. It’s a community. And the difference that community can make to RE in your area is genuinely huge?

So, join your local SACRE. Just don’t leave it the way you found it.

About

Lyndsey Leech is Head of Religious Studies in a Secondary School in Oldham. She is Vice Chair of Oldham SACRE and in Year 1 of the Culham St Gabriel Leadership Scholarship. Lyndsey is a passionate advocate of educating the whole child by emphasising the academic side of the subject inside of the classroom and providing opportunities for students to use and extend their learning outside of the classroom.

See all posts by Lyndsey Leech

Never Judge a Book by Its Cover: Reflections on Druidry as a Lived Worldview

Belinda Twiggs | 30 April, 2026

An unexpected encounter

I first stumbled across a group of Druids, fully decked out in white robes, at Avebury Stone Circle in the spring of 1988.

My first thought was blunt:
What on earth do they think they are doing?

Curiosity got the better of me and I struck up a conversation with one of them. He looked for all the world like Dumbledore, dressed head to toe in white. As he talked, calmly eating a cheese sandwich that seemed tiny in his huge hands, his answers to my questions were thoughtful and profound.

When he finished eating, he reached behind a standing stone, pulled out a harp, and began to play. The tune was beautiful, lively and unmistakably Celtic. Others began to drum and dance.

At the end of the afternoon, he put on biking leathers, strapped the harp to the back of his Harley-Davidson, and roared off.

I learnt an important lesson that day: never judge a book by its cover.

Coming out as a Druid

It took me around fifteen years to feel comfortable wearing a robe in public, and nearly thirty years to ‘come out’ openly as a Druid. Fear of criticism, especially for following something seen as outside the mainstream or a little ‘wyrd’ (the spelling is deliberate-look it up), held me back.

Eventually, though, it felt important to be honest.

Occasionally, this leads to amusing moments. Children sometimes say to me in the dinner queue,
“I saw you on TV last night, Miss. Dad loves Joanna Lumley!”

They are referring to a brief appearance in Home Sweet Home, a documentary filmed at Merrivale Stones on Dartmoor during the 2021 COVID restrictions. The episode shows Joanna Lumley meeting Druids and observing a Samhain ritual. It is short, but it mattered to me as an example of lived practice being seen, however fleetingly, on national television.

Samhain: remembering those who came before us

Samhain is one of eight seasonal festivals celebrated by many (though not all) Pagans. It takes place on 31 October and has ancient roots that long predate Christianity.

This is the time of year when people historically gathered around the hearth, as the days shortened and darkness increased. Stories of spirits and the dead grew more powerful as the light faded. The idea that “the veil is thin” reflects a sense of closeness between the living and the dead.

At Samhain, we honour our well and wise ancestors. Death is something we all face, and taking time to think about loss, legacy and meaning feels both honest and necessary.

For me, this raises an ongoing question:

How can I live my life fully and well, so that my short time here is of value?

Beltane and the turning year

As the Wheel of the Year turns, we now approach Beltane (also known as Beltain or Bealtaine), marking the clear arrival of summer.

At dawn, many of us gather on Haytor on Dartmoor to watch the sun rise. It has become a large public event, with musicians, flaming torches and the Beltane Border Morris dancers. Hawthorn blossom- the second of the May blossoms- is worn in hats and woven into garlands as part of the celebration.

Songs are sung with enthusiasm, including Hal an Tow from Helston’s Furry Dance:

“We were up, long before the day-o,
To welcome in the Summer…”

Later, our Grove meets more quietly (a group where we meet together for rituals and festivals) . Having been up at around 3am to reach Haytor, we take a nap before coming together again. In ritual, we step through an archway, guarded by figures representing the Lord of the Wild Wood and the Lady Ceridwen, before leaping between two fires to symbolise cleansing and renewal.

Druidry as lived practice

For me, Druidry is an authentic and meaningful path that honours nature, the Earth, and humanity’s place within the wider universe.

Through ritual, storytelling and communal feasting (often picnics), we mark the passage of time and celebrate the life-giving role of the sun. These gatherings happen roughly every six weeks and are as much about community as belief.

At the Spring Equinox in 2026, Dartmoor Grove met at Merrivale to celebrate the tipping point towards longer days. I am no longer concerned about how I look in public as a Druid. My practice feels honest, rooted and real.

Why this matters for RE

Stories like mine remind us that worldviews are lived, evolving and deeply human.

When pupils explore religion and worldviews, they are not just learning about beliefs. They are learning about identity, belonging, meaning and how people make sense of their lives.

Never judging a book by its cover is a good place to start.

About

Belinda Twiggs is a Primary RE Lead and teacher, LTLRE Hub Lead, Chair of Devon SACRE, Deputy Education Officer for the Pagan Federation and longtime member of OBOD working with a Grove of Bards, Ovates and Druids in Devon.

See all posts by Belinda Twiggs

The Sentientism Worldview : “Evidence, reason, & compassion for all sentient beings”

Jamie Woodhouse | 30 April, 2026

Part of the excitement of modern Religious Education comes from exploring non-religious worldviews with children, an important element of the REC’s Religion and Worldviews approach. That exploration is timely as around half of UK people now say they have a non-religious worldview.

One increasingly popular modern worldview, that builds on ancient ideas, is Sentientism. You may have seen it mentioned in this RE Today resource or heard about it on The RE Podcast or the What Even Is RME? podcast.

What is the Sentientism worldview?

Like other worldviews, whether religious or not, Sentientism looks to help us with the deep questions like “what’s real?”, “who matters?” and “how can we make a better world?” Sentientism suggests we start answering those questions with a commitment to “evidence, reason, and compassion for all sentient beings”.

Sentience is the capacity to feel or to have experiences like pain or happiness or love or boredom. So sentient beings are, so far, human and nonhuman animals. But, maybe one day, we’ll create or meet artificial or alien sentient beings that should matter too.

Sentientism’s “compassion for all sentient beings” shares rich common ground with religious concepts like ahimsa, compassionate stewardship, ital and avoiding mafsada. At the same time, its “evidence and reason” shares the humble, open-minded, evidence-led naturalistic epistemology of Humanism.

Is Sentientism a new idea?

While Sentientism is a fairly new word, only coined in the 1970s, its core ideas are very old, maybe even pre-human. Naturalistic epistemology and sentience-focused ethics have deep roots in many regions and cultures and times. These themes can be found in African, Asian and ancient Greek thought, for example. Some thinkers even combined these ideas into something very much like an ancient form of Sentientism.

One example is the blind Arab philosopher poet Al-Ma’arri who lived over a thousand years ago. He used a naturalistic approach to challenge religious thinking and wrote about the ethics of veganism long before the word “vegan” was invented. He’s a fascinating historic character to bring into the classroom to complement modern sentientist thinkers like Greta Thunberg, Billie Eilish, Peter Singer and Joaquin Phoenix.

Sentientism seems to be of particular interest to young people as it resonates with their concerns about the environment, their care for nonhuman animals, the threats and opportunities of artificial intelligence (could AI be sentient?) and the risks of misinformation, disinformation, conspiracism, discrimination and exclusionary ethics. Sentientism also provides a secular framework for finding meaning and purpose that many young people find compelling.

An additional attraction of teaching the Sentientism worldview is that its commitment to “evidence and reason” can be a gateway into the wider worlds of philosophy, science and the humanities. Even younger children engage richly in questions like “how can we work out what’s true?” and “who should we care about?” All too often these deep questions are neglected because we’re busy focusing on lists of beliefs and practices and on narrowly intra-human ethics.

 How can Sentientism deepen philosophical thinking in RE?

Children of all ages also enjoy exploring the sometimes radical implications of this simple, pluralistic worldview. One of the most obvious implications of Sentientism is Veganism (see VinEs great resources here), now recognised in UK and EU Equalities Law as a cogent philosophical belief and a protected characteristic. But what about Sentientist Politics, Sentientist Justice and even a Universal Declaration of Sentient Rights? We can reimagine our entire world together.

Exploring the Sentientism worldview can help you bring real philosophical depth into your classroom in an engaging way that feels fresh and relevant to young people. In my own work with schools, I find children’s curiosity and compassion bubbles up with an irrepressible energy when we work on these profound questions.

If you’re interested in digging a little deeper, here’s a recording of a recent “Teaching Sentientism” webinar. I’m also registered with RE Hubs as a nationwide school speaker for Sentientism so I can help you run classes, workshops, deliver assemblies and shape curriculums. Please do get in touch if I can help in any way. And regardless, I’d love to hear you and your children’s thoughts on the Sentientism worldview.

You can find Jamie on BlueSky (and elsewhere) @JamieWoodhouse and @Sentientism. Full links here

Jamie Woodhouse (hello@sentientism.info)

Links: YouTube (suitable for older students and teachers) Podcast Sentientism.info Community (all welcome!) @Sentientism

About

Jamie is working to develop Sentientism (“Evidence, reason, and compassion for all sentient beings”) as a worldview and as a global movement. He hosts the Sentientism Podcast and YouTube, speaks at schools and universities, and has published articles and presented academic seminars on the Sentientism philosophy and its implications. He is building a range of global Sentientism Communities (open to all) that so far span over 100 countries.

See all posts by Jamie Woodhouse

Beyond Stereotypes: Teaching Sikhi Through Powerful Women’s Stories

jenny-kaur | 08 March, 2026

“That’s not my Sikh faith” Amy Ark [Sikh panellist] said during the recent National Association of Teachers of Religious Education (NATRE) Strictly RE conference. Amy was discussing her own experience at school, where Sikhi was only covered for one week and in this short time she found the curriculum had resonated little with her lived experience; Amy is not alone, there are many Sikhs who also feel the same. I find the common phrase “She’s not Sikh her hair is cut” circling in many discussions in groups in 11-14 RE.

I’m sure I am not alone. I’m sure we have all found ourselves in the lesson where we combat generalisation and stereotypes in the classroom. I have found it best to provide examples of modern and historical Sikhs who have a story to disrupt the ‘typical Sikh look’ for students. What does it mean to look or act like a Sikh currently?

In Professor Jasjit Singh’s excellent ‘Teaching Sikhi in RE: Engaging communities with Teaching Religion’ research we learned it was clear there is insufficient community and ‘Lived Experience’ integration. There is an explicit finding of weak engagement with Sikh communities in curriculum development and delivery. This perpetuates a textbook-only approach, ignoring the richness of contemporary British Sikhi. I had also read this from Dr Phra Nicholas Thanissaros “Teaching Buddhism in Britain’s schools: redefining the insider role” here we learn the “dissonance apparent between home and school presentation of Buddhism is compared to similar findings for the Hindu and Sikh communities in Britain.” One of his suggestions to bridge this gap is to enrich the conversation between “insider” (the community’s living faith) and “outsider” (the teacher’s academic presentation) perspectives. In a further report from Insight UK it is posited that the lack of accurate, quality representation is linked to an “inferiority complex” amongst South Asian children, failing the duty of RE to support identity development.

As a result of my own experience and these reports I have chosen to explore modern and historical examples of Sikhs, allowing students to see the modern ways women are shaping their fields from psychology to art. These women are all united with a shared conviction – not in a general archaic sense of Sikh identity. I would have enjoyed hearing of these voices whilst at school and teaching at a single sex girl’s school I have found providing the students with female voices resonates with them [and me]. I have also underneath each biography suggested how they can be used in different contexts from creative tasks or discussions on equality in practice with many connections to GCSE units’ such as relationships for roles of men and women and intergenerational living. I have listed them below and given a little detail about them but they are available in more detail with biographies and teaching suggestions on the RE:Online website as PDF’s to use in the classroom.

I hope you find them useful and interesting as I did!

  1. Dr Manpreet Dhuffar Pottiwal : Sikh Psychologist

Dr Manpreet Dhuffar Pottiwal is a Sikh psychologist and activist whose work focuses on intergenerational trauma within South Asian communities. Through her TEDx talk, she uses the metaphor of family trees to show how inherited burdens and strengths shape identity, encouraging healing through understanding roots, culture, and community.

  1. Mai Bhago: Female Sikh warrior

Mai Bhago was a fearless Sikh warrior who challenged forty men for abandoning their faith and led them back into battle against a vastly larger Mughal army. Though badly injured, she survived and later became Guru Gobind Singh Ji’s bodyguard, standing as a powerful example of equality and courage in Sikh history.

  1. Amrita Sher Gill: Hungarian Sikh Artist

Amrita Sher-Gil was a Hungarian Sikh artist whose paintings explored the emotional lives of women constrained by tradition. By blending Indian and European styles, she gave voice to women’s quiet struggles, resilience, and unspoken strength, especially in works like Three Girls.

  1. Neelam Kaur Gill: British Sikh model

Neelam Gill is a British Sikh model who turned experiences of bullying and racism into a mission for representation in fashion. As a trailblazer for major global brands, she speaks openly about discrimination and uses her visibility to challenge stereotypes of modern Sikh identity. 

  1. The Singh Twins: British Sikh miniature artists

Amrit Singh and Rabindra Kaur Singh, the Singh Twins, are British Sikh artists who have revived Indian miniature painting to explore modern social, political, and religious themes. Their highly detailed, vibrant work challenges Eurocentric ideas of fine art while proudly expressing Sikh history and worldview

  1. Mata Khivi: The only woman mentioned in the Guru Granth Sahib

Mata Khivi is the only woman named in the Guru Granth Sahib and is honoured for her compassion, equality, and service. She played a central role in establishing the langar system, ensuring food and care for all, and remains a lasting symbol of Sikh values in action

  1. Sophie DuLeep Singh: Suffragette

Princess Sophia Duleep Singh, daughter of the last Sikh Maharaja, was a key figure in the British suffragette movement. She used her royal status to fight for women’s rights, support Indian independence, and amplify South Asian voices in Britain.

About

See all posts by jenny-kaur

From Picturebooks to Principles: Teaching Freedom of Religion or Belief Through Storytelling

lindsay-swift | 05 March, 2026

Stories and story-telling are at the heart of the curriculum for 3-5 year olds therefore when I was asked to design a series of lessons to introduce some of the principles of freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) to my pupils, I knew that I needed to find the right story. It was so important to find an age-appropriate story that had a powerful plot and one that introduced them to characters that they would have an emotional connection to. I also wanted to use a story that introduced our children to characters who have different religious beliefs to themselves. The story needed to provide our youngest children with the opportunities to talk, ask questions and be able to participate in role play.

The Proudest Blue

The story of ‘The Proudest Blue’ by Ibtihaj Muhammad was the first story I used, with the children entering the room to a large piece of glittery blue material draped across the floor with little white boats ‘floating’ across it. This story was so powerful and provoked lots of discussion, particularly when the main characters were laughed at because they had worn their hijabs for the first time. My class were able to express why this is not acceptable and that we should be respectful of other people’s religion and beliefs.

 

This was a written response to this story and was written by a 5-year-old in EYFS. Many of the children were shocked by other children laughing at Asiya because of her hijab.

The most important learning point at this stage in the project was that the use of one story alone would not fulfill the aims of this project. This story had such an impact on the children and enabled me to meet some of the FoRB outcomes that we had devised as part of the project, however we needed to explore some concepts further. In true Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS ) style I wanted to further the children’s learning through their own interests and the children had shown a real interest in why hijabs are worn and are they worn in other religions?

Not now Noor

This led us to the story of ‘Not now Noor’ by Farhana Islam. Again, this story has strong characters in that the children could understand and allowed them to explore the characters experiences of wearing a hijab. A key moment in this story was when I asked the children “should they have to apologise for wearing a hijab and can you explain your answer?” The children felt strongly that we only say sorry when we have done something wrong and that they should never have to apologise for their hijab. This story was really enjoyed by the children and allowed me, as the practitioner, to introduce new vocabulary to the children.

Hats of Faith

To end this unit of learning we still needed to explore the meaning of the words faith and freedom. We introduced the book ‘Hats of Faith’ by Medeia Cohan which allowed the children to learn about other religions and beliefs. We also talked about whether our characters, throughout each story, had been free to express their religious beliefs and what the meaning of the word freedom means.

Freedom of Religion or Belief

In summary, the use of stories and story-telling were so impactful in this FoRB project as it allowed the children to enter the world of the different characters and their communities. The careful selection of the right high-quality text is vital and enables the teacher to carefully weave challenging and thought-provoking questions through the learning. Our youngest children were able to access some complex principles through the compelling story-telling and characters that they were introduced to. The children’s’ thoughts and the sheer frustration that the children felt when the characters expression of their religious beliefs were not respected was so powerful. Stories are definitely one of the greatest tools that can be used by a teacher in their EYFS classroom to unlock new communities of different religions, faiths and beliefs.

You can find about more about the  Freedom of religion or belief project and complete a short, free e-learning module.

About

See all posts by lindsay-swift

Saint Carlo Acutis: A Modern Story of Faith in the Digital Age

andy-lewis | 03 March, 2026

When students ask whether faith has anything to say to modern life, the Catholic saints can sometimes feel like the wrong place to start. Too often, they appear distant – they are shaped by another century, another culture, another set of assumptions.

Carlo Acutis changes that conversation.

A teenager who loved coding, gaming, and football, Saint Carlo shows what Catholic belief can look like when it is lived seriously in the contemporary world – not as nostalgia, but as conviction.

Carlo was born in London in 1991 to Italian parents before his family returned to Milan. His upbringing was not conventionally “religious” in the way we might expect of a future saint. His parents were not regular Mass-goers, and there was no intense devotional culture at home. Yet from an early age, Carlo displayed a quiet attentiveness to faith. He asked questions, noticed details, and chose practices that slowly, but deliberately, shaped his life.

After receiving his First Holy Communion at the age of seven, Carlo chose to attend Mass daily. He developed a deep love for the rosary, reading Scripture, and acts of charity – particularly towards the poor, migrants, and those sleeping rough around Milan. These were not dramatic gestures, but steady habits. His faith was rooted in Catholic tradition, disciplined rather than showy, ordinary rather than performative.

A child of his generation

At the same time, Carlo was unmistakably a child of his generation. He loved football, video games, and technology. Like many young people of the 1990s and early 2000s, he taught himself coding, web design, and programming, becoming skilled enough to help others build websites. This is what makes him a genuinely millennial saint. Carlo did not reject modern life in order to be holy; he inhabited it fully and learned how to live faithfully within it.

At the centre of everything was Carlo’s devotion to the Eucharist. He famously described it as his “motorway to heaven” – a phrase that is often quoted because it is both ordinary and profound. For Carlo, the Eucharist was not background scenery to his faith, but the place where Christ was encountered most fully. This conviction shaped how he used his time, his talents, and his energy.

Cataloguing miracles on the web

His best-known project was a digital exhibition cataloguing Eucharistic miracles from around the world. As a teenager, Carlo researched historical accounts, visited sites, gathered sources, and presented them online with clarity and care. His aim was not to sensationalise, but to show that belief in the Real Presence was not an abstract claim – it was something the Church had taken seriously, consistently, and globally.

One example Carlo researched was the Eucharistic miracle of Lanciano. In the eighth century, a priest struggling with doubt is said to have witnessed the consecrated host and wine transform into flesh and blood during Mass. In the 1970s, independent scientific analysis identified the flesh as human heart tissue and the blood as real human blood, preserved without additives. Carlo did not use such accounts to “prove” belief to sceptics, but to point back to what Catholics already claim happens every single time Mass is celebrated.

A life cut short

Carlo’s life was tragically short. In 2006, he was diagnosed with an aggressive form of leukaemia and died within days, aged just fifteen. Even during his illness, accounts describe a calm acceptance and a concern for others rather than himself. He was beatified in 2020 and is often described as a “patron saint of the internet” – a label students immediately connect to. He was formally declared a saint on 7 September 2025.

As one young Catholic from London in Rome reflected, “The fact that you can think of a Saint doing the same things as you – wearing jeans, playing video games – it feels so much closer than other saints have in the past.”

For RE teachers, Saint Carlo’s biography does important work. He helps bridge the gap students often feel between holiness and normality, faith and technology, tradition and modern life. He offers a contemporary reference point for Catholic belief without diluting its depth or demands.

Saint Carlo Acutis offers something rare: a life close enough to feel recognisable, yet deep enough to stretch our understanding. His story does not demand instant or forced belief in the Eucharist – but it does invite serious attention to what Catholics claim is at the heart of their faith.

His website remains online here: https://www.miracolieucaristici.org/en/liste/list.html

About

See all posts by andy-lewis

A Level Religious Studies: The case for curricular revolution?

emma-hellyer | 01 March, 2026

The conceptual position of the recent Curriculum and Assessment Review (CAR) was to favour long-term, incremental improvements over dramatic changes.  A Levels were framed as unproblematic, and pragmatically one can see the case for leaving alone ‘what works.’

However, the obvious problem is that Religious Studies and Philosophy specifications at A Level contain very little on the lives and works of women.

Women’s works are excluded even where their contributions to the disciplines are obvious.  In some specifications, for example, students may learn about abortion from exclusively male perspectives.  Sometimes women’s ideas are included but unreferenced, and sometimes there are simply missed opportunities to include an accurate history of ideas from around the globe, e.g. on human rights, the environment, ethics of care, bioethics or immigration.  In 1979, Adrienne Rich commented on the ‘relentless excision of the female[1]’, which necessitates a kind of ‘revolution in permanence’.  It seems remarkable that this should still be the case in 2026.

Others have of course drawn attention to the issue, such as the End Sexism In Schools charity, and a student-led petition in 2015. Awarding bodies have started to signpost supplementary resources, and these are welcome. Meanwhile, teachers across the country create their own more equitable resources, ensuring representation of diverse voices.

However, as long as there is no or little requirement to study women in ‘official’ curricular, the message to students is clear: women’s works are not worthy of study. I see this as an urgent, inescapable moral problem – an example of a profound, overlooked curricular injustice that may cause harm.  Collective efforts to address harmful attitudes to women and girls nationally are undermined if they are effectively silenced in the curriculum.  Likewise for Sustainable Development Goal 4.7 (ensuring acquisition of knowledge to promote gender equality and cultural diversity).

To help counter some of these concerns in my last school, we co-created a weekly book club with students in KS4-5, with a view to diversifying the reading materials on offer.  This was light-touch but allowed for meaningful discussion and debate.  A few texts that have worked well and can be adapted for different settings include:

Kristin Shrader Frechette – Environmental Justice: Creating Equality, Reclaiming Democracy (2002).  This book offers an accessible application of the philosophy of science, containing case studies such as the decision to dump chemical waste in locations most affecting already disenfranchised minority groups.  Highlighting the extent of human suffering may help students to engage intellectually and emotionally with the subject matter, and provide interesting stimulus for group discussions.

Mary Midgely – What is Philosophy For? (2018).  In her final work, Midgely reminded us of her definition of philosophy – not as the solving of one fixed set of puzzles, but instead finding ‘many particular ways of thinking’ to help us ask fresh questions and navigate new challenges.  Midgely offers her stance on the mind/body problem, verificationism, religious worldviews in a digital age and, of course, our treatment of animals.

Dan McQuillan – Resisting AI (2022). This book draws on the work of several female philosophers to raise ethical objections to generative AI, including Hannah Arendt on institutional thoughtlessness, Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak on epistemic violence, and Judith Butler on performativity.  This could provide a good level of stretch and challenge for students thinking of studying ethics related courses at university.

Whilst I have been encouraged by high levels of student engagement with these ideas, it must be said that adding more diverse thinkers to old specifications is not enough. More radical reform will require careful, detailed scholarship on the extent and implications of omissions. Pupils deserve access to a range of religious and philosophical responses – both contemporary and historical – to existential questions.

[1] ‘What does a woman need to know?’

About

See all posts by emma-hellyer