Global terms: Books, Media & Reviews

Book Review: Secondary Religious Education in Action

Dee Cowan | 22 May, 2026

Joe Kinnaird

Hachette Learning

Joe Kinnaird’s Secondary Religious Education in Action offers a clear and practical guide to teaching Religious Education (RE) in modern schools. While much of the book explains curriculum, pedagogy, and assessment, one unusual and thought-provoking idea stands out: the claim that the name of the subject “RE” is misleading and limiting.

Kinnaird argues that debates about whether the subject should be called “Religious Education”, “Religious Studies”, or “Religion and Worldviews” are a “red herring” (a distraction). Instead, he believes teachers should concentrate on the purpose of the subject, curriculum design, and classroom thinking. This is unusual because many educators strongly believe that the name of a subject shapes how it is understood and valued.

This idea links to wider debates in education. For example, the Commission on Religious Education (2018) recommended changing the subject name to “Religion and Worldviews” to better reflect diversity and modern society. This suggests that names do matter, as they influence how inclusive and relevant a subject feel (CoRE, 2018). However, Kinnaird challenges this by suggesting that practice matters more than labels.

There is strength in Kinnaird’s argument. In many schools, RE suffers from low status, limited time, and inconsistent delivery. The book highlights that many schools do not even meet their legal duty to teach RE properly. In this context, changing the name alone may not solve deeper problems. Kinnaird is right to push teachers to focus on high-quality teaching, rich knowledge, and meaningful discussion. As Ofsted (2021) argues, the quality of curriculum and teaching has a far greater impact on learning than superficial changes.

However, there are also weaknesses in this view. Ignoring the importance of language may underestimate how powerful words can be. The term “Religious Education” can suggest a focus on religion alone, which may exclude non-religious worldviews. In a society where 37% of people identify as having “no religion”, this could make the subject feel outdated or irrelevant. A name like “Religion and Worldviews” may help students see the subject as broader and more inclusive.

In addition, names shape identity. Subjects like “science” or “history” are taken seriously partly because their names are clear and widely understood. If RE has multiple names across schools, this can cause confusion and reduce its status.

Overall, Kinnaird’s argument is valuable because it shifts attention to what really happens in the classroom. His focus on student thinking, critical enquiry, and understanding human experience reflects the deeper purpose of RE. However, his dismissal of the importance of naming may be too simple. Both language and practice matter.

In conclusion, Secondary Religious Education in Action is a useful and engaging book. Its most unusual idea; that the subject’s name does not matter—encourages readers to think critically about what RE is really for. Even if one disagrees, it opens an important debate about the future of the subject.

An illuminating book-vital reading for all involved in secondary Religious Education.

About

Dee Cowan is a secondary school Religious Education teacher and ECT1 in a school in Surrey, developing my practice through classroom experience and educational research.  I have a strong interest in the academic study if religion and l am enjoying teaching Old Testament Hebrew and New Testament Greek to deepen understanding of sacred texts. Dee is part of the Culham St Gabriels Masters Scholarship programme.

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Book review: Ways of Knowing: A Toolkit, Primary

Khadija Mahir | 20 May, 2026

Julie Childs, Julia Diamond-Conway, Stephen Pett and Debbie Yeomans

RE Today 2026

Sample pages are available to download here. 

Ways of Knowing: a Toolkit- Primary, which comes as part of a National Association of Teachers of RE (NATRE) membership and is also available to purchase separately, explores how ‘ways of knowing’ can be explicitly taught within the RE classroom. While pupils can often be given answers about religion and worldviews, this does not always equip them with the skills to investigate and make sense of ideas independently. Aimed at primary teachers and RE leaders, the resource addresses a key gap in curriculum design and offers practical strategies to support more meaningful and thoughtful learning. In a context where curriculum intent and implementation are under increasing scrutiny, it feels both timely and relevant.

A central idea in the toolkit is that RE is not only about what pupils know, but how they come to know it. It builds on a model of progression that moves beyond simply teaching facts and skills, towards helping pupils understand when and why to use different approaches. These are organised into the interconnected strands of tools, methods, and disciplines, shifting learning from the delivery of content towards a clearer focus on how knowledge is formed, tested and understood.

The toolkit introduces disciplines such as theology, philosophy, and the human and social sciences. While this may initially feel ambitious for primary pupils, it reflects a purposeful approach to RE that prioritises depth of thinking over surface coverage. This ambition, however, requires careful sequencing and teacher judgement to ensure it is developmentally appropriate and does not lead to cognitive overload.

One of the strongest features of the toolkit is its use of visual icons and practical resources. These create a shared language that can be used consistently across lessons and year groups, supporting both teacher clarity and pupil understanding. If embedded well, they have strong potential to improve curriculum coherence within schools.

There is also potential value beyond individual settings. A more consistent use of shared approaches to disciplinary thinking could support stronger continuity between primary and secondary RE, contributing to a more coherent and cumulative learning journey for pupils.

A key strength of the toolkit is its emphasis on gradual progression and explicit teaching. It aligns well with approaches commonly used in primary classrooms, such as “I do, we do, you do”, where learning is carefully modelled before being applied independently. This structured approach supports teachers in introducing complex ideas in manageable steps, which is particularly important in a subject often taught once a week.

Initially, the breadth of disciplines and methods presented can feel ambitious for a primary context, particularly given limited curriculum time for RE. However, the age-related guidance and staged approach help to address this by encouraging schools to start small and build over time. This reflects strong pedagogical understanding and feels realistic for primary classrooms, where teachers are constantly making decisions about how to balance depth with coverage.

From a leadership perspective, the toolkit provides a useful framework for strengthening curriculum design in RE. It supports schools in developing a shared language for learning, improving consistency across year groups, and embedding metacognitive discussion more deliberately into teaching. It also has clear potential as a driver for staff development, curriculum mapping, and improving subject leadership practice.

In my role as RE lead, I would begin with a small number of carefully selected ways of knowing, such as stories, objects and questioning. These would be explicitly modelled using consistent visual resources and embedded across Key Stage 1 before gradually being extended into Key Stage 2. This phased approach supports staff confidence, reduces cognitive overload, and ensures pupils build secure understanding over time.

Overall, Ways of Knowing: a Toolkit offers a thoughtful and practical framework for strengthening RE teaching. Its focus on how pupils come to know rather than only what they know has the potential to deepen curriculum thinking significantly. While it requires careful implementation and whole-school commitment, its long-term impact could be considerable in developing pupils as reflective, critical learners who can engage meaningfully with religious and worldview questions.

This is exactly the kind of CPD I’ve been waiting for to help move RE forward in my school – a toolkit that immediately shifts the way you plan and teach, and deserves a place on every teacher’s desk.

About

Khadija Mahir is a Primary RE Subject Leader and is currently taking part in our Leadership Scholarship Programme.

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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.

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Stories as a springboard for inspiration and connection

Kate Hill | 19 July, 2019

As the alarm sounds at 4am, through the fog, my mind clocks that today’s the day for the AREIAC conference. It was hard to get away from class even for one day – which was all I was going to manage – not because of SLT but because of my class. Year 6 can be a volatile place at this time of year, which has meant I haven’t had chance to think about leading and supporting RE teaching for some time. I was excited, curious and hopeful.

The conference was entitled Agents of Change. As I sat on the train, I wondered how it was going to change me.

The first keynote speaker was Mary Myatt. Her focus on the use of stories hit a nerve. Two years ago, I re-evaluated and redesigned our school’s English planning. I was worried that children had lost their love of English (or perhaps they’d never found one). I wanted to inspire children (well I’m a teacher, it’s what we do) so I started with stories. I know that seems an obvious thing for English but I mean really good, vocabulary rich stories. Stories that took a term to read and became the springboard for their creativity. Since then, our reading and writing scores have rocketed. Children have a love of reading.

Mary talked about starting with stories, really rich, meaningful engaging stories in RE. Of course! Why would it only be English? I have been striving for a way of raising children’s religious literacy – particularly in community Primaries where children have barely any. They have no way of connecting RE to their lives, no foundation of religious vocabulary to build upon and deepen. We needed a way in and there is nothing more profound in teaching than a story. It is in our human nature. Beyond culture and throughout time, stories have been used to connect, inform, engage, and inspire! So, my first change? Every piece of planning to include a story. And right there – English and RE making a genuine connection where both subjects can be taught simultaneously without compromising the key skills of either.

After lunch, Luke Donnellan spoke about Humanism and World Views. He began with the stats. A strong case in themselves to teach non-religious world views, but along with others I was worried about just ticking the ‘no religion’ box as evidence for those who have ‘non-religious world views’. As though reading our minds, he went on to clarify what exactly was meant by ‘non-religious world views’: that this did not, in itself, mean atheism, nihilism or ‘no religion’. For the Primary curriculum, ‘non-religious world views’ is new to many teachers. Indeed it’s only really touched upon in Year 6 if at all. I have often seen humanism mixed with atheism and a lack of understanding of the ‘world view’ part of this. So my next change? Clarifying what is meant by ‘non-religious world views’ to my primary colleagues and removing the misunderstanding.

My time at the conference was brief, but it only took a whistle-stop tour for me to be inspired by the vision, commitment and drive to see the changes I need to make to ensure that the teaching and learning in Religious Education and World Views is accessible, rigorous and of course inspirational for all children!

About

Kate is a Year 6 Class Teacher and Professional Lead for RE in Scarborough.

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Curriculum choice is keeping me awake at night

Katie Gooch | 16 July, 2019

AREIAC 2019’s conference was entitled Agents of Change: RE Leadership in a New World.
A New World; state of flux; uncertainty; chaos; challenging times. One RE adviser laughed, “When has RE not been in challenging times?”. As an “emerging leader” in the RE community, I must confess to being excited by this New World – in it I see potential, I see opportunity, I see hope. But, like many hopeful leaders, I don’t really know where to start.

I don’t know where to start was the point Ben Wood, Chair of NATRE and Head of RE at Haslingden High School, made in his reflections on how to change a curriculum. As a RE subject lead currently grappling with curriculum choice, I felt an enormous sense of relief listening to Ben. If he, who has read widely, shared widely and climbed to the top of the RE game, doesn’t know where to start, it’s OK that I am still deeply uncertain. Hear this, RE Subject leaders – uncertainty is OK. Don’t let the fact that, as Ben admits, the curriculum occasionally keeps us awake at night lead to paralysis. Maybe, due to the paradox of choice, we will never be satisfied.

Ben argues for the value of constraint as we consider our curriculum choices, he suggests we should enforce constraints on ourselves that chiefly concern us as teachers in school. Constraints of time, planning the planning, using subject knowledge and playing to our own strengths. Your constraints will depend on your school your circumstances. I feel now, it’s OK to take the time to look before I leap in curriculum choice – with the knowledge that I will have to leap!

Curriculum choice is keeping me awake at night. I anticipated hearing Mary Myatt speak on Curriculum: Controversies, Concepts and Conversations. Since initial RE CPD, I have been profoundly influenced by her philosophy: RE should have beauty and depth. Mary reminds us to run our schools for our children not inspectors; OFSTED are not looking for anything – they are looking at what we’re doing. When planning our curriculum, we must begin with the end – what do we want children to know at the end? It is too easy to get caught up in content and to forget that RE needs to be underpinned by demanding concepts, big ideas – we’re trying to make our learners think. We must privilege thinking over task completion, this is important for the teacher to remember in the classroom – this is empowering.

Richard Kueh too spoke of empowerment. In these times of change, we need to prioritise RE teacher agency, we must nourish, nurture, strengthen and challenge our teachers. When shaping and crafting teacher agency, teachers must have intellectual confidence, without which they are left to drown in complexity. Richard pointed out, to a room full of advisers, that there was a gulf between advisers and emerging leaders in the classroom – there is a tension here, can we make this a productive tension? There is a need for mentoring, for transformative change leading to a community of professional hybrids. Advisers must cultivate teacher agency beyond the classroom to ensure a legacy which elevates beyond new heights.

This is where my own story jigsaws in, as one of the first cohort of AREIAC REvitalise mentees. I am a HLTA who has been leading RE in a large primary school for nine years, during which time I have carried out research, led CPD, completed leadership programmes and led our school to the gold REQM. Over the last year, I have benefited from the mentoring support of Jan McGuire, an RE Adviser and former teacher. The personalised guidance of an experienced mentor has “bridged the gulf” between adviser and this emerging leader, this “professional hybrid”. At the conference, I shared with delegates how REvitalise has been a professionally formative experience. During this year, in which I became the NATRE East Anglia Regional Ambassador, culminating at the AREIAC conference, I had the opportunity to think beyond the classroom, beyond my school, my MAT, my region to a “New World” national RE agenda. These bigger picture considerations I now feel empowered to take back to my region, my MAT, my school and back to my classroom, which is after all, where the big picture really matters.

About

Katie is RE Subject Lead - Sidegate Primary School, NATRE East Anglia Regional Ambassador @goochkt

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