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Complexity, co-existence and courage

Dr Kathryn Wright | 11 October, 2022

My three ‘take-aways’ from RExChange 2022…

Living with and navigating complexity

One of the themes running through the conference for me was the complexity of the space we are navigating regarding religion and worldviews. The vibrancy and energy generated through the conference space, with diverse and sometimes conflicting views being presented was to me inspirational. It was fascinating to hear Adam talk about the broken ‘chain of learning’ regarding religion and belief literacy, but his solution was not one of ‘uniformity’, but rather one of shared understanding characterised by contextuality. Culham St Gabriel’s is increasingly partnering with organisations across this ‘chain of learning’ and I hope we can bring some helpful contributions to this complexity. Our new promotional films are one example of this perhaps (see below). One of the positive outcomes for me of the conference was the hospitable nature in which people debated and questioned different perspectives. I thought Gillian Georgiou exemplified this particularly well coming with great humility and openness in her keynote presentation. Perhaps we can move to a place where we don’t just live with or navigate complexity but celebrate it.

Co-existing well

Being comfortable co-existing with those who have a different worldview to ourselves therefore follows from the above. Tom Fletcher CMG’s challenge to us as to whether we are promoting trust and equity, and whether we are using or being used by technology resonated with many of us, I think. Tom’s emphasis on the importance of co-existing well, rather than putting up walls of division lies at the heart of our subject. In particular, I believe a religion and worldviews approach to our subject puts this at the centre. If we understand our own positioning, and approach knowledge as interpreters, we will be able to see the value of different voices and co-exist well. The Culham St Gabriel’s vision sums this up rather well – we want to see a broad based, critically reflective education in religion and worldviews which contributes to a well- informed, respectful and open society. Once again, the Theos animation Nobody Stands Nowhere comes to mind too. This is about truly positive co-existence.

Being courageous

Tamanda Walker ended her presentation by calling for boldness and courage in relation to anti-racist education. Tom Fletcher ended his keynote by saying we need to be brave. In many ways the conference was a clarion call for teachers and other educators to step up, to show that education, particularly an education in religion and worldviews, is key for the future health and well-being of our children and young people; and beyond that for the health and well-being of humanity (I like bold claim!). It was a call for more freedom, curiosity and creativity in school curricula, and to equip our children and young people with skills of diplomacy and problem solving, and to encourage them to be curious and above all, kind.

Thankyou to all our amazing contributors!

 

New Promotional Films https://www.cstg.org.uk/campaigns/promoting-an-education-in-rwv/promotional-film-collection/

Theos Animation Nobody Stands Nowhere https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFRxKF-Jdos

Tom Fletcher CMG expands his thinking of ‘head, heart, hands’ in his book Ten Survival Skills for a World in Flux. Available here http://tomfletcher.global/

Recordings from the conference will be available soon at www.reonline.org.uk

About

Dr Kathryn Wright is CEO of Culham St Gabriel's Trust

See all posts by Dr Kathryn Wright

Exploring Through Faith Trails

Clare Hewitson | 20 September, 2022

Last October I jumped at the invitation from Angela Rundle of Wandsworth SACRE to pilot a faith trail in Wimbledon. Not least because during the covid pandemic, real school, let alone school trips had become rare pleasures. As RE coordinator, I was able to prepare Year 6 for the trip with some discussion about expectations and answer some questions. I was wondering if any parents would want to know more details, but perhaps because we had previously been in the habit of visiting a different place of worship each year, there were no concerns.

We started at the white, red and gold Buddhapadipa temple. We are immensely fortunate to have such a fabulous temple close by. After removing their shoes, the children were immediately captivated by the colourful paintings covering the interior walls and ceiling. They were able to see scenes from the Buddha’s life and spot some well-known characters besides. These, plus the dramatically drawn eyes of Mara at the temple door, raised their interest. Seated on the red carpet, a talk from the Venerable Piyobhaso gave a succinct yet detailed overview of the Buddhist faith and how the Thai monks in Wimbledon live. A walk through the garden with a bridge across the lake imbued all with a profound sense of peace.

Next came Wimbledon Synagogue where we were welcomed by Sharon and Tony. A contrast in building style was immediately apparent. A modern structure with few external clues of what lay within, although the sharp-eyed noticed a tiny mezuzah at the entrance. Inside, a large hall with stylish stained glass windows revealed more evidence of stories of creation and prophets. As we took our seats in chairs, we were all given jewel-bright kippahs to cover our heads. Sharon and Tony invited children to take out the precious Torah scrolls from the ark and display them to us all.

Finally we walked to the Roman Catholic church of Our Lady and St Peter, where the children inspected the stations of the cross and the confessional booths. The priest demonstrated the Eucharist and Angela gave a rousing performance on the organ.

As a non-denominational school with one or two families from each of the six major faiths, each of these holy places was a source of wonder. Visiting three in one day heightened our ability to compare what we’d experienced. The children noticed the similar ways that respect was shown and were also able to reflect on how this resonated or differed from either their own faith’s place of worship or those previously visited with school. A Muslim pupil observed that she felt most connection with the synagogue where similar stories and the lack of visual images felt more familiar to her.

It takes significant organisation to line up three visits and as two schools were involved, everything has to run to time to avoid congestion. However, the outcome is even greater than the sum of its parts, so well worth the effort to arrange it if possible.

About

Clare is a teacher and RE Coordinator at Finton House School in Wandsworth.

See all posts by Clare Hewitson

Working towards Multidisciplinary RE: the Norfolk Agreed Syllabus and Knowledge Organisers

Katy McKay | 07 September, 2022

When I encountered the new Norfolk Agreed Syllabus, which brings Theology, Philosophy and the social sciences to the classroom, I experienced trepidation mixed with excitement. However, I could immediately see links with other curriculum subjects and clear opportunities for enhanced learning. For example, the new ‘Philosophy’ strand gives children ‘permission’ to ask deep and searching questions. Change is something we might be tempted to avoid, with all the new work and uncertainty it brings, but it also brings positive new opportunities.

After some reflection and time spent with the Norfolk Agreed Syllabus, a multidisciplinary syllabus, we alighted on knowledge organisers as the best way to meet several goals. We wanted to support non-specialists with planning and resourcing as well as cement good practice throughout schools, to enhance all teaching and provide consistency. We hoped that we would be developing a more effective and exciting way of teaching RE that would engage learners.

We predicted that increased challenge and opportunity for complex and reflective thinking would lead to a higher level of achievement in RE. This is certainly something we have seen in practice. We can see that our children are able to articulate complex ideas, as well as express themselves with confidence. We can also see that the children enjoy exploring the religions and worldviews in their local area. We wanted to build an awareness of worldviews in the world around us, as well as develop scholarly thinking in pupils.

Covid presented somewhat of a barrier. We had lost the face-to-face connection and immediacy of learning and conversation in the classroom, which made it hard to assess the effectiveness of our planning. Usually new teaching evolves over time through trial and evaluation. We embarked on this project before Covid hit and assumed we would have this time to assess the foundations of the new syllabus. Due to Covid, we have had to rethink what might need repeating, and building on, to ensure children have secure understanding. We have put a lot of emphasis on the Enquiry Cycle for this reason and we feel this has had a very positive impact on children’s confidence and understanding.

Through translating the Agreed Syllabus into knowledge organisers we have gained new understanding of our own. We love the idea that everyone has a worldview. It is our job to enable the children to critically engage with worldviews in a complicated and ever-changing world. We also find the multidisciplinary approach very helpful for the balance it provides. Theology builds knowledge and information, philosophy enables the children to ask questions and think freely and the human and social sciences give them the opportunity to see the impact a worldview can have in a person’s life and in a society. So far we feel the results have been positive. We are seeing inquisitive learners who want to know more, ask more, to be able to explore and experience more of the world around them.

Other teaching staff across Norfolk have also reacted positively. The syllabus offers a clear intent and steps of progression, which is welcomed. Moreover, questions that engage learners are clear to see. Overall, I am excited about the impact and opportunity to change the presumption that RE is a boring and dead subject. To anyone thinking of embarking on your own project, I would say go for it! Unlock your potential. Be part of change.

Knowledge organisers:

https://www.dioceseofnorwich.org/schools/siams-re-collective-worship/religious-education/curriculum-planning/

‘RE in a Broad and Balanced Curriculum’. This practical panning tool provides essential background thinking for developing a multidisciplinary Religion and worldviews curriculum: RE in a broad and balanced curriculum: A practical tool – RE:ONLINE (reonline.org.uk)

About

Katy McKay, Dereham Junior School

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REQM: A Founder’s Retrospective

Mary Myatt | 19 July, 2022

Jane Brooke and I started the REQM in 2012. We realised that while there were quality marks for other curriculum areas such as art, geography and science, religious education would benefit from a similar scheme to recognise and celebrate high quality provision in the subject.

We wanted to create an award that would showcase the best work being done in religious education across the country. What was distinctive about the REQM is that we started with pupil voice – what were their experiences of the subject? Only then did we consider the evidence provided by the subject leader.

Jane and I were closely involved for about five years, before handing over to the brilliant Linda Rudge. At the beginning, we were fortunate to receive seed funding from Culham St Gabriel’s. This allowed us to do the original scoping work with RE colleagues on the criteria, as well as recruit and train assessors and set up the website. We were very lucky to have Sharon Artley on board, as an assessor, website manager and wise sounding- board. After about a year, we arranged for the REQM to be under the auspices of the RE Council. This brought a level of accountability which we needed.

When I look back over 10 years of the REQM, I reflect on how exciting it was to start something from scratch. While we took inspiration from the other quality marks, we ensured that the REQM was distinctive, not least in making sure that evidence required to secure an award was light touch. We had a wonderful launch in the House of Lords, invited pupils and their teachers along with the great and the good, including Stephen Lloyd MP founder of the chair of the APPG for RE.

I very much think the REQM still has value in the RE world. In fact, the ‘quality of education judgement’ in Ofsted’s Education Inspection Framework has increased the focus on high quality provision in all subjects, not just the core subjects. Achieving the REQM is solid evidence that a school is taking the subject seriously and that pupils are getting a good deal.

So much I have encountered over the years has delighted me, but I do remember visiting two special schools and seeing the stunning provision and the delight expressed by pupils in the encounters with and experience of appropriately developed provision: no dumbing down there! It has also been interesting working with teachers in school to note how keen they are to share what they are providing for pupils. This becomes a space for reflection, evaluation and to think about next steps.

To teachers today I would say that the REQM represents excellent professional development. You focus on your headline work and achievements for an external, supportive audience. There are also great networking opportunities. To heads and school leaders I would say that pupils and colleagues deserve to have their hard work recognised.

In another 10 years I hope the REQM is still supporting, still challenging and still celebrating brilliant work in religious education in schools.

About

Mary Myatt is an education adviser, writer and speaker. She trained as an RE teacher and is former local authority adviser and inspector.

See all posts by Mary Myatt

Gold Award Primary

Matthew Lane | 05 July, 2022

We are a small, Norfolk Primary school and I am delighted to say that we were awarded a Gold REQM. We decided to go for the REQM to celebrate the completion of our Religion & Worldviews curriculum. We had been told that it was an innovative way of designing a curriculum, so this was a great opportunity and method for having our work and ideas externally validated. What happened next was surprising and very encouraging.

When we were making the application we actually discovered that the teaching of RE in our school was of a much higher standard than we had realised. We had hoped to achieve Bronze, maybe Silver, yet working through the assessment grids and checking with advisors from our Diocese showed that we are at the Gold standard. As a primary school, there are few ways to check how you are performing against neighbours or nationally. Therefore, REQM helped us see how we compared in a subject that does not normally produce performance data at KS1 or KS2.

The process hugely improved our confidence as a team and mine as subject lead. When discussing our curriculum before we went through this process, there was the ever-present feeling of impostor syndrome. While we knew our RE was helping our children learn and grow, we had little idea as to how I compared to other high performing schools. With an REQM, you have the badge, but also a sense of a national standard.

Since achieving the award, I have been invited to speak at conferences and schools have made contact asking for advice. As a subject leader, earning the REQM has certainly improved my profile!

The experience of being assessed was surprisingly pleasant! Our assessment was in 2021, so we spoke via video calls and submitted evidence electronically. It was very much a professional discussion with the assessor doing their best to help us show off our RE. The student voice activities were very insightful and ones we will be repeating in 2022.

We received the support we needed from our leadership team and this is essential. Our leadership liked the idea of external accreditation to showcase our RE, especially as a church school. The REQM process provided validation to the previous 18-month process of curriculum improvement that the whole school, including the leadership, had firmly supported. The REQM is an opportunity for each school to highlight their unique contribution to education at a local and national level.

Our pupils were very involved in the process and this was particularly pleasing. They hugely enjoyed the pupil voice interviews: at times I couldn’t get away! They were proud to share their work as part of our assessment information. Giving pupils the sense that the adult world cares about their progress is so important.

Achieving a Gold award was my professional highlight of 2021, showing that the hundreds of hours spent developing our curriculum was well worth it. I would really encourage teaches to jump in- the process is friendly and professional, and aids teachers in the critical reflection of their practice that is so essential for growth and development.

About

Matthew is RE Lead at Hethersett CEVC Primary School in Norfolk. He tweets about Religious Education and leadership @MrMJLane and on his website www.theteachinglane.co.uk

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Ten Years

Dr Kathryn Wright | 21 June, 2022

Culham St Gabriel’s Trust turns 10 years old on 21st June 2022! 2012 was an important year in many different ways- the Diamond Jubliee and the London Olympics spring to mind- I also turned 40 that year too! However, the birth of Culham St Gabriel’s bringing together two church college Trusts was a very significant moment for the religious education community. In this blog a former Chair and director express their reflections, alongside the current chair. I also draw out some themes running through the last 10 years and what these might mean for the next decade. Reflections from the first Chair of Culham St Gabriel’s, Dr Priscilla Chadwick OBE… ‘Culham St Gabriel’s was created in 2012 by the coming together of two church college trusts which had worked in close partnership for several years prior to the merger. St Gabriel’s Trust arose originally from the college’s closure by Mrs Thatcher in 1977, leading to the transfer of its buildings to Goldsmith’s College. At that time, St Gabriel’s had only enough money to offer a few book grants each year, but a wise legal adviser had inserted a footnote to the transfer that, should Goldsmith’s ever wish to relinquish the buildings, these would revert to the St Gabriel’s trustees at the original price! Thus the trustees were able to sell the college on to another educational institution, thereby providing the Trust with a significant charitable endowment for the future. The charitable objects enabled the trustees to support RE teachers wishing to enhance their postgraduate qualifications and later created an important partnership with the Culham Educational Foundation, setting up the St Gabriel’s Programme. This initiative developed innovative resources for RE and established the annual St Gabriel’s Weekend, firstly in Sunningdale and later at Wokefield Park, offering a free of charge opportunity for RE teachers to come together in a residential setting and share good practice, something that most would otherwise be unable to do, isolated in their own schools and often undermined by government educational policy: for many, these weekends were utterly transformative professional experiences which inspired them as they returned to their schools. When in 2012 the two clerks of St Gabriel’s and Culham were both planning to retire, the opportunity arose for the two trustee bodies to come together, building on the cooperation over many years, to create the Culham St Gabriel’s Trust. Thus the significant legacy of both colleges would be safeguarded for future generations of RE teachers. With a generous endowment, this now meant that the Trust could more easily support major national initiatives such as the RE Council and the 2018 Commission on RE. This commitment vital to RE continues to flourish under the strong leadership of Kathryn Wright.’ What strikes me about Priscilla’s reflections is that the Trust’s focus on free, transformative, and inspiring resources and professional development still very much lies at the heart of the Trust. The reimagining of RE:ONLINE over the last few years, our scholarship programmes and the recent launch of our free e-learning platform continue to fulfil this mission. Reflections from the first Director of Culham St Gabriel’s, Dr Mark Chater… First, the merger itself: I gather that the idea first occurred to Priscilla and John Gay while on a walk. From this the idea grew, building on the many years in which the two former Trusts had worked together. Mutual trust, confidence and enthusiasm deepened. John Keast chaired the Implementation Committee which looked after the details – of which there were many! Within only a few years, Trustees saw themselves as ‘CSTG’ rather than ‘Former C’ or ‘Former St G’. Now, everyone takes the existence of the merged Trust for granted. But it was a major achievement at the time, based on shared vision and painstaking care over detail. Modernising the grant application process to make it more user-friendly for applicants, and less burdensome for Trustees, was an early achievement. Putting it onto an online process with new, RE-focused grant criteria helped to place CSTG on the map. The feedback from grantees was positive. Sharing information and ideas with other RE grant-givers has also grown gradually. Three significant CSTG grant decisions which, perhaps, have deeply influenced the course of RE for the medium term: Understanding Christianity, the NATRE/RE Today regional champions, and the Commission. The first of these had a long and at times lively gestation, but eventuated in resources which really enhanced the rigour and excellence of RE. The regional champions have strengthened the infrastructure of support available to teachers, and contributed to the growth and sustainability of NATRE. The Commission, which submitted its final report and recommendations in 2018, changed the conversation about the future of RE (or Religion & Worldviews) and we wait in joyful hope for a government bold enough to implement the much-needed change which it envisaged. But that is not the end of the story. I hope and pray that CSTG will continue its vital leadership, support, and innovative thinking for many years to come. Having worked with Mark for a number of years as a CSTG Consultant I think he instilled in me an understanding of the Trust’s forward-thinking approach. Mark’s reflections show how the Trust has always been sensitive to the ever-changing educational landscape, responding to new contexts. At its heart, though always remains the focus on serving others in the best possible way. Therefore, we have some exciting new grant making plans to announce. Firstly, we are launching special 10th Anniversary grant awards for small, innovative projects that make a difference. Secondly, later in the summer we will be sharing details of our new scholarship programme series to run alongside our current masters and leadership programmes. Watch this space! Reflections from our current Chair, John Keast, OBE… So CSG (as I think of it) is ten years old. How time flies! As we commemorate this milestone, my mind goes back to the two constituent trusts, with their illustrious Chairs, trustees and staff, as well as to CSG itself. There are too many to mention them all in this short piece, but their vision, dedication and skill not only served those trusts well, but led to the formation of what is now a very effective force for good in the world of religious education. As I retire as Chair of CSG this year, I indulge myself below in surveying the whole period from 2003 when I first became a trustee of both constituent trusts then the merged trust. What highlights come to mind? First, the people:
  • Three prominent and very effective chairs – Colin Alves, Tony Williamson and Priscilla Chadwick, each of whom had distinguished but varied careers in their own right, but brought their considerable expertise and experience to bear in building up the separate and then joint trusts.
  • Four extremely competent and dedicated officers (although they had different job titles) – John Gay working for both Culham and St Gabriel’s separately, though often in partnership with Brenda and Peter Duffells at St Gabriel’s, and Mark Chater, first CEO of the merged trust. All of these excellent people served the trusts so well, along with some many other partners and consultants over the years, with whom they worked.
  • The many trustees, who so well connected CSG to other organisations and spheres of influence, who brought the benefit of their links and experience to the work of the trust.
Second, specific events:
  • The massive teacher conferences, mostly held at Wokefield, which did so much to inspire and build the confidence and morale of teachers in RE classrooms. Not cheap to put on, but how exhilarating, powerful and enjoyable they were!
  • The smaller but very visionary colloquia, conferences and meetings which did so much to influence how RE both survived and thrived after the introduction and development of the National Curriculum, after the Great Education Reform Bill 1988.
  • Working in partnership with other organisations in RE, again too many to mention.
The reference to teachers, meetings and partners above encapsulates some of the core aims of the trusts over the years – the importance of the teacher of RE, and providing opportunities for training and support via grants and events; the need to influence policy and curriculum development in RE both nationally and locally; and the support of RE in schools of all kinds, not just those with a religious character. Times change, and so must the capacity of RE to respond. CSG is now very properly focussed on clear strategic objectives. These have become so important in the past ten years when the threats to the wellbeing and structure of RE, based as it still is on the 1944 Education Act model, have become more serious. So in the past ten years, in addition to its continued focus on teachers, CSG has developed a leading role in helping to bring the stakeholders in RE together, not least through its support of the RE Council, which is essential to the future of the subject. With its current CEO and Board, CSG will become and even more significant player in the RE community of the future. Long live CSG! It has been a pleasure to work with John over the last three years. He will step down as Chair this summer, and the Trust will enter another new chapter. John’s emphasis on the importance of people shines through his reflections. Nurturing relationships with all our grantees is vital. Yes, we provide funding for individuals and projects, but we also want to invest in people. We often talk about becoming part of the CSTG family. Empowerment and collaboration are two of our values, and we aim to live these out through all our work. As we enter a season where a new Education Act is on the horizon, John’s final words will be vital. We will continue to strive towards our vision by:
  • Increasing public understanding of religion and worldviews education
  • Engaging with, informing and influencing decision makers
  • Creating well-informed, empowered and influential educationalists
  • Establishing and building strategic and collaborative partnerships and networks
  • Commissioning and publishing focused and accessible research
  • Championing and developing inspired and well-resourced teaching and learning
Here is to another ten years… and beyond! Kathryn Wright and guests

About

Dr Kathryn Wright is CEO of Culham St Gabriel's Trust

See all posts by Dr Kathryn Wright

The REQM Assessor

Lizzie McWhirter | 07 June, 2022

I have been an REQM Assessor since 2014, with the privilege of an REQM visit on average once a term. I was on the REQM Review Group in 2018-19 and am currently on the REQM Advisory Group. I was asked several times if I would apply to be an REQM Assessor- and so on the third time of asking- I did! I haven’t looked back since! It is a very enjoyable role.

I have seen the award change over time. I have greatly enjoyed being part of the journey since REQM’s conception with Mary Myatt and Jane Brooke, and now under Linda’s guidance, we have made great leaps forward. Currently we are making online visits to schools, so no travel is involved! We also meet online every term for valuable CPD and to share good practice.

When I look back over 10 years of the REQM I remember when I first started assessing, one of my colleagues saying to me that you will recognise a Gold school when you meet it, as it will shine out! How true that is! I am very excited about the way forward with REQM, which has always been about raising the profile and celebrating good practice in RE. During lockdown I think RE subject leaders were so creative, filming short cameo videos to showcase their school RE. The current REQM evidence form is crisp, focussed and helps to engage schools.

I am absolutely clear that the REQM still has value. Gold award schools can share their expertise and best practice with others and help to firmly put RE on the map. The maturity of pupil comments and their obvious enjoyment of RE is always delightful to encounter. RE clearly drives the curriculum in many schools, and for some pupils this extends to composing music in RE lessons as well as being fully integrated in their learning. So too, are hard-working, committed staff, passionate about RE. Many of the RE subject leaders are leading by example, and some have had articles published in national journals or have taken part in NATRE videos. Parent voice has praised the championing of RE in schools.

I enjoy working with teachers in schools. It is so wonderful to meet such extremely enthusiastic staff, enabling high quality learning and excellent achievement. It has been lovely to talk with staff and see the wealth of evidence they bring to the table, demonstrating the richness of RE. It has been especially good to meet pupils in person as we gather the all- important pupil voice.

For any readers considering applying for an REQM, I would encourage you. For church schools, the perfect time to apply is in between SIAMS inspections. For all schools, an REQM award is a great accolade. You won’t regret applying and putting your case together so the RE world can celebrate with you all the good and great things you do, and will continue to do. The REQM questionnaires can provide a valuable part of your monitoring and evaluation in RE, even if you not apply for an REQM award.

In 20 years I am sure we will be moving onwards and upwards! Hopefully, we will see the RE map has grown. Above all, I am sure we will remain clear that RE remains the Queen of the school curriculum, helping to drive forward school improvement.

About

Lizzie McWhirter is an independent consultant and has been an REQM assessor since 2014 and a member of both the REQM Review Group and REQM Advisory Group.

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Gold Award

Chris Giles | 24 May, 2022

In November 2021 my team at South Bromsgrove High School were delighted to achieve a Gold RE Quality Mark award.

We decided to go for it after using the REQM Evidence form to complete a 360-degree assessment of the department. We realised we met much of the criteria. We found the form invaluable to guide us, particularly focussing on the 4 main strands of learning, teaching, curriculum, and leadership.

A pleasant surprise was discovering we could apply for a Westhill grant that made the process financially possible. There are actually lots of trusts and organisations that offer funding, see link to article at the end of this blog.

For me personally the award has given me the confidence to assure other RE teachers that they are not alone, as well as increase the presence of RE in my school. As an RE team the process helped to identify leadership strengths and areas to develop from a more objective perspective, particularly in preparation for a forthcoming OFSTED.

The experience of being assessed wasn’t too painful! The professionalism of the assessor was noteworthy, causing us to really think more objectively about how we can be more creative in our learning, develop more opportunities for project work, trips, and visitors in lessons. My Senior Leadership Team were supportive of the process and I was thankful to the assessor who really made the SLT stand to account on the provision of core RE at KS5. Since receiving the award we feel proud of the department. Seeing the students being interviewed and celebrating high quality teaching and learning in the department are my highlights.

We wanted our pupils to be at the heart of the process, from being interviewed to sharing their reflections through student questionnaires. A choice comment from a Year 9 student: “We have studied worldviews I never knew about before Confucianism, Daoism and Jainism” A Year 10 student noted “I love the struggle part in RS, the teachers really challenge your thinking.”

I would encourage others to give it a go. An REQM can raise the profile and presence of RE across the school and wider community. Celebrate your hard work! If you want to ‘sell’ the idea to your leadership team, talk about how the REQM develops links within the community, with visitors to school, charities, and projects. It helped us to produce new schemes of work for our GCSE course, and of course allowed our students to share their views.

Our curriculum design plans are continuing, we feel that we are on the right path. We are also focusing on RE-related careers. Receiving the award has helped develop staff confidence and help identify further CPD aims of leadership across different Key Stages.

I will finish this piece with the words of a Year 12 student ambassador for RS: “RS at South Bromsgrove has really opened my mind to leadership opportunities, attending meetings with staff and completing the VITA coaching programme so I can support other students in the lower school. The teachers are committed to helping everyone do their best, this has helped not only in developing my knowledge, but my approach to writing, and opened up new career options for me personally.”

Follow this link to find out about other organisations that offer funding and support:

How to develop partnerships and obtain funding: https://teachers-talk.natre.org.uk/how-to-develop-partnerships-and-obtain-funding/

Want to find out more about enhancing the status of RE? Check out this blog:

How to increase the presence of RE in your school: https://teachers-talk.natre.org.uk/how-to-increase-the-presence-of-re-in-your-school/

About

Chris is Head of RE at South Bromsgrove High School

See all posts by Chris Giles

Learning to talk about difference productively

Josh Cass | 17 May, 2022

I am often in conversations and discussions in which the idea of religious literacy is raised. Whether in educational settings, in the workplace, or even in foreign policy settings and institutions, the idea that outcomes could be improved through the embedding of religious literacy is a tantalising prospect.

One of the first pieces of advice I always give is to encourage people to get hold of and use a really thorough calendar of Religious Festivals. For instance, in the UK the Interfaith Network produces an excellent annual calendar, as does RE:ONLINE. For me, this is important because being aware of when particular Festivals take place, and being able to wish people appropriate greetings, is such a simple way in which we can acknowledge and celebrate the faith and belief diversity in the communities in which we live.

I could also add, that for those individuals and organisations who regularly host events, being aware of when Festivals and observances are happening is important too. Full disclosure, I have made these mistakes in the past, it happens to everyone, but scheduling an event for say the second day of Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year) when you know you will be inviting Jewish people with the expectation that they attend, risks putting someone in an incredibly uncomfortable position. That is not to say that all Jewish people will find the choice difficult, but if when the event is scheduled there is a choice of dates available, selecting a date which enables the most people to attend without requiring them to be faced with a dilemma or made to feel different, to me seems to be the right thing to do.

I was thinking about all of this recently because I noticed that here in the UK Pesach and Easter fell over the same weekend, and then I realized that that very weekend was midway through Ramadan. Then, to add to it all, as I was walking home my neighbour stopped to wish me a happy Pesach and also to tell me that she was celebrating the Tamil new year, Puthandu, which is observed elsewhere and by others as Vaisakhi. At the time I thought that with such a conjunction of festivals that there would be plenty of material for an interfaith blog.

However, when I did sit down to write, I kept coming back to something which I had seen, or rather hadn’t seen, on social media. There had been plenty of content from religious leaders, politicians and activists expressing good wishes to those celebrating each particular festival, including religious leaders expressing good wishes to those of different faiths. It is completely correct that that should be the case. However, what was less visible was content which acknowledged that all these celebrations were happening at the same time, much less any content which actively sought to explore the ideas raised by this unusual occurrence.

When people talk about “Religious Literacy” they often suggest that it hinges on two things: firstly, the need for greater knowledge of religious identities, practices and experiences; and, secondly, the need for individuals and institutions to have a degree of confidence and skill when navigating that diversity.

Those few days on “interfaith social media” for me exemplified this duality and the challenge presented by the idea of religious literacy. Celebrating the faith and belief diversity of those living around us is certainly a critical first step towards religious literacy (requiring as it does an awareness of those different traditions and key dates in the calendars of those traditions and not forgetting that Calendar either!). However, it seems to me that the critical next step, and one which seems to require a greater confidence, is to celebrate those differences alongside one another. This is not about trying to determine which is “right” or “better”, rather it’s about being able to talk about the differences productively so that all those taking part in the conversation have opportunities to learn. In some respects, this is the opportunity that a Religion and Worldviews approach to education seeks to build on.

To me the opportunity of all those wonderful festivals coinciding, and indeed the opportunity presented by the Religions and Worldviews approach to Religious Education in schools, is that it creates authentic moments when we can learn how different faith traditions understand issues – freedom, oppression, agency, responsibility – through the lenses of how they live their faiths. For me, being aware of these moments, and authentically building on them, is the route towards a more embedded religious literacy.

I would love to hear what you think!

About

Josh is Lead Consultant: Advocacy for Culham St Gabriel's

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Welcome to the RE Quality Mark

Linda Rudge | 10 May, 2022

Over a decade ago I enjoyed discussions with two influential advisers in the RE world; Mary Myatt and Jane Brooke about their ideas for an accredited award scheme for RE. Here we are in 2022, with an award designed to develop great RE in all settings and contexts. It is a wonderful achievement by all concerned.

I became project director in 2016, appointed by the REC (Religious Education Council). I remember the day clearly – a phone call came through to a garden in Winchester where I was sitting thinking about the interview experience in London, and what leading REQM with the existing team would mean….So pleased I said yes!

Of course I have seen changes over time, not least the move online during the last two years, but one of the great things about REQM is its continuity. It has been one of the longer lasting RE projects and that’s because it was so well thought out in 2011. No major changes were needed until 2017-2018 when the REC agreed that the criteria needed to be updated to take account of changing education contexts, and the CoRE report of the same year. Criteria that made closer reference to the new language of RE, the and the new foci of inspections, were published for schools to use in January 2020.

When I look back over 10 years of the REQM I reflect on the dedication, resilience and flexibility of teachers, and REQM assessors, the gems of great RE emerging from pupil voice evidence, and the impact of the award on wider school development. Senior leaders in schools, universities and local authorities have helped develop the scheme over the years, and it shows. National RE associations promote the REQM, and inspectors are aware of the contributions this Quality Mark makes to education as a whole.

I also reflect on the way that we have not always been able to engage as many schools as we would like, and how we increase participation. To any school thinking of applying for the REQM, my advice is that there is no need to rush. Use the REQM materials on the website as a development toolkit. Only apply when you are all ready for the conversations with your assessor.

If you are not sure how to ensure support (and funding) from the school’s leadership team, ask yourself: where is our school at the moment, what are its wider priorities? REQM materials contribute not only to great RE across the school, but also to curriculum and professional development. The award is an investment in celebrating success, which is not such a hard thing to ask for if the RE is appreciated by your school’s community – sometimes that takes time. Everything to help your school’s progress is freely available on the site until you apply for the award visit.

In another 10 years, REQM should still be thriving. The REQM community continues to offer a great deal within the RE (or Religion and Worldviews) networks in England, Wales and beyond, and schools still want to celebrate their great RE.

In this tenth anniversary year, I feel privileged to have been part of REQM’s story and look forward to the next chapter.

 

Please send any questions to: linda@reqm.org

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Linda is the REQM manager

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