Stories Focus Week: The Power of Story

2nd – 8th March

In partnership with CTVC

This page brings together all the resources, links, and materials shared during our Stories Focus Week, which explored the power of storytelling in religion and worldviews education. Through a wide range of resources, blogs, research, book recommendations, short films and an In Conversation event, we highlighted how stories can open up big questions, nurture curiosity and help pupils engage with different beliefs, traditions and lived experiences.

The content here will be of interest to teachers, educators, and anyone looking to enrich RE/RVE/RME through storytelling, literature and authentic voices in the classroom.

During the focus week, we explored key questions such as:

How can different types of stories; sacred, personal, contemporary and media-based, help pupils deepen understanding of different religious and non-religious worldviews?
In what ways can story open up ‘windows, mirrors and doors’ for pupils, helping them to see into others’ experiences, reflect on their own, and step into new perspectives?
How can we use story more intentionally in RE/RME/RVE to deepen enquiry, spark discussion, and support pupils in exploring different aspects of religious and non-religious worldviews?

In Conversation event

On Thursday 5th March, we hosted a free online ‘In Conversation’ event, exploring the power of story.

This discussion was hosted by Education and Programmes Manager Fiona Moss, We were delighted to welcome the following panellists:

Mary Myatt: Mary Myatt is an education writer and speaker. She trained as an RE teacher, has founded Myatt & Co and is currently focusing on KS3 The Ambitious Years. She has a passion for sharing high quality texts with pupils.
Bob Ayres: Scriptwriter and Education Specialist at CTVC Ltd. He is also a former teacher, a freelance writer and a three-time Children’s BAFTA winner for his work writing and producing short educational films.
Shazia Ur-Rehman: Shazia is a Senior Producer and Head of Training at CTVC, leading content for Truetube, an RE-focused educational platform for schools. She has over 15 years’ experience producing film resources and delivering film training for educators and young people, including work with BBC Education and BFI Film Academy
Ruth Peacock: Journalist and media consultant. The powerhouse behind the Religion and Media centre which helps the media report religion- religion matters

A recording of our In Conversation event can be found below.

In addition to this online event, we published the following blogs:

Short Films, Big Stories: How Storytelling Brings RE to Life, Bob Ayres
Saint Carlo Acutis: A Modern Story of Faith in the Digital Age, Andy Lewis
Nobody Stands Nowhere: Why Stories from the Real Lives of Religious and Non-Religious People Transform RE, Jane Yates
Nested Narratives and Layers of Learning in Religious Education: A Research Story, Rob Freathy
From Picturebooks to Principles: Teaching Freedom of Religion or Belief Through Storytelling, Lindsay Swift
Why This Story Matters: How Heartstone Helps Pupils Confront Prejudice and Find Their Voice, Lorna John, Penny Smith-Orr
Why Stories Matter in Wales: Bringing the Curriculum for Wales to Life, Jennie Downes
Beyond Stereotypes: Teaching Sikhi Through Powerful Women’s Stories, Jenny Kaur

Research Spotlight

We shared this research spotlight from Faith & Belief Forum. This project supports pupils to explore faith, belief and identity through dialogue and encounter. Running in four regions of England, it involves primary schools taking part in a three-workshop programme built around an ‘I, you, we’ approach. Pupils begin by reflecting on their own personal worldviews, before meeting speakers who share their lived experiences of different faiths and beliefs, and finally considering how these insights connect to living together in a diverse society. Grounded in Allport’s Contact Theory (1954), the project emphasises the importance of meaningful, respectful interaction in reducing prejudice and building understanding. Through listening to personal stories and engaging in structured dialogue, pupils develop empathy, critical thinking and the skills needed to participate thoughtfully in a plural society.

Resource Spotlight

Our resource spotlight this time comes from CTVC Ltd, an award-winning independent media company producing programmes for television, radio and digital platforms. What makes their work particularly valuable is that CTVC is first and foremost a charity, established in 1965 by the film producer and philanthropist Lord J. Arthur Rank with a mission to create thoughtful media exploring religious, ethical and moral questions. Today, CTVC continues this vision through a wide range of projects, including the BBC’s Pilgrimage series, short films for BBC Bitesize, radio documentaries on religious issues and their own podcast platform, Things Unseen. For teachers, one of the most useful resources is TrueTube, a free website offering short films designed for use in schools. With the strapline “short films, big stories”, TrueTube brings together powerful storytelling and authentic voices to help pupils explore different religions, beliefs and ethical questions in engaging and accessible ways.

Booklists and reflections

We also shared a booklist and reflection from our Chair of Trustees, Dr Linda Whitworth, who explores the powerful role that stories can play in helping pupils understand themselves and others, particularly when discussing difficult or controversial issues. Linda shares a short list of books that can support thoughtful discussion about empathy, belonging, difference and moral responsibility. Her reflection highlights how stories can create a safe space for pupils to explore complex ideas, encounter different perspectives and develop the language needed to talk about challenging topics within RE and beyond.

We shared a second booklist bringing together recommendations from teachers and educators across our community. This collection highlights how thoughtfully chosen stories can bring theological, philosophical and ethical ideas to life.

We also shared this very thoughtful reflection from our Education and Programmes Manager Fiona Moss: The Power of Story in RE: Windows, Mirrors and Glass Sliding Doors.

Short film series: Stories that shape who we are

During the week we shared two brand new series of short films. The first was entitled Stories that shape who we are, where we shared stories and experiences of festivals from Jewish, Hindu, Muslim, Humanist, Pagan, Bahai, Sikh and Christian worldviews. One of these can be found below, and the rest are available on this playlist.

Short film series: Stories I love to tell in my classroom

Our second film series was entitled Stories I love to tell in my classroom, where we asked some of our current and previous Leadership Scholarship Programme cohort to share the stories they found the most powerful. One of these can be found below, and the rest are available on this playlist.