Ways of Knowing Focus Week

Diving into Different Disciplines

18th – 24th May

In partnership with NATRE

This page brings together all the resources, links, and materials shared during our Ways of Knowing Focus Week, which explored what it means to think theologically, philosophically, and through the human and social sciences, helping teachers and pupils see not just what we learn in RE/RME/RVE, but how we know it.

During the focus week, we shared:

  • Short films from teachers demonstrating how they use disciplinary tools such as interpreting texts, using data, building arguments, or applying philosophical questioning.
  • Teacher stories and blogs, offering practical classroom examples of disciplinary lenses in action.
  • A dedicated Resource Spotlight highlighting Inclusive Judaism and its rich connection to human and social sciences as a way of knowing.
  • On Tuesday 19th May an ‘In Conversation’ event, bringing together teachers and those involved in writing materials voices from to model and discuss how varied approaches shape understanding.
  • Additional films, a research spotlight, research links, book reviews and curated materials to support your planning and deepen subject knowledge.

In Conversation event

On 19th May 2026, we hosted a free online In Conversation exploring the ways of knowing in RE. In this discussion, Fiona Moss is joined by Catriona Card, Joe Kinnaird, and Stephen Pett to explore how using different ways of knowing can enrich learning, deepen understanding and bring RE lessons to life.

What do we mean by ways of knowing in RE?

This animation might be useful when training teachers with other specialisms or primary teachers as an introduction to ways of knowing or disciplines.

What do we mean by “ways of knowing” in religion and worldviews education? This short animation introduces the idea of disciplinary knowledge in RE/RME/RVE and explores how pupils can deepen their understanding of religion and worldviews through different lenses, including theology, philosophy, and the human and social sciences. Using examples from Judaism and Buddhism, the film shows how pupils can gain different insights by engaging with stories, artefacts, lived experience, questioning, and observation. Thank you to Imran Mogra, Paul Smalley, Hannah Jackson and Fiona Moss for creating this animation.

How can ways of knowing be used in RE?

A document and short film to help parents and carers understand how different ways of knowing can open up richer conversations and deeper understandings in the religion and worldviews classroom. The information in this animation is available to download here.

Inclusive Judaism

Short film series

Diverse Disciplines: Journeys into RE

One of these short films can be found below, and the rest are available on this playlist:

Explore short films sharing the different disciplines that led teachers to RE.

Ways of Knowing in Action: Bringing Learning to Life

One of these short films can be found below, and the rest are available on this playlist:

Hear teachers talk about how they bring RE to life by using different disciplinary lenses.