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Culham St Gabriel’s Trust turns 10 years old on 21^st 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 10^th 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

I’m not sure if you have plans for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Weekend, but it’s a great time for people to come together, relax and hopefully enjoy some sunshine. As I was reflecting on the jubilee, it got me thinking about the journey that RE has been on over the last 70 years.

At the start of the Queen’s reign religious instruction was primarily focused on Christian nurture. As we moved towards her Silver Jubilee (1977) the subject took on a more academic focus around exploring and comparing different world religions, particularly in light of the School Council Working Paper 36 (1971). It was only in 1988, when the Education Reform Act renamed Religious Instruction as ‘Religious Education’ that this was enshrined in law. It stated that agreed syllabuses should, reflect the fact that the religious traditions in Great Britain are in the main Christian whilst taking account of the teaching and practices of the other principal religions represented in Great Britain.’ Just after the Golden Jubilee (2002), a national ‘Non-Statutory Framework’ was produced, the first national document to set out the purpose of RE. The framework was produced by the QCA, the national body in charge of curriculum at the time. It stated that pupils should learn about religion by enquiring into the nature of religion and learn from religion through reflecting on their responses in light of their learning. It also included learning about non-religious viewpoints, such as Humanism. Just after the Diamond Jubilee (2012), an updated framework for RE was produced. It was written by RE advisers, with input from worldview communities and teachers. The aims shifted to: (a) know about a range of religions and worldviews; (b) express ideas and insights about religions and worldviews; (c) engage seriously with religions and worldviews. I realise this is a rather quick summary, and many others have written extensively about this, but you can see our subject has been on quite a journey so far…

So now as we are about to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee what is the next step on this journey? I believe it is time to embrace a paradigm shift in the way we think about our subject. Many are already writing about it; teachers are already trying out new ideas and academics are researching and wrestling with it. This next step on the journey is, I believe, a religion and worldviews approach. This builds on the excellent work of the Commission on RE (2018). A draft national statement of entitlement advocating for this new approach can be found in a recently published document https://www.religiouseducationcouncil.org.uk/projects/draft-handbook-and-nse/ In addition, our newly launched Culham St Gabriel’s e-learning platform provides a short introductory course on religion and worldviews explaining what this new approach looks like and what it means for the classroom https://courses.cstg.org.uk/

So as you enjoy the celebrations this weekend, give a shout out for RE too!! And, talking of celebrations…. Its Culham St Gabriel’s 10-year anniversary in June…!!

Date: Monday 27th June 4:30 – 6pm (on Zoom)

This free online webinar session hosted by the RE Council of England and Wales aims to answer the following questions:

1. What do we mean by an education in religion and worldviews?
2. How does the REC’s new free draft handbook support the development of
   high-quality syllabuses in RE?
3. Why should multi-academy trusts invest in the teaching of religion and
   worldviews as part of the curriculum

Introduction:
Religious Education is on the cusp of a major shift as significant as that which took
place in the 1970s when it changed from being largely Christian based to being a
multi-faith study. This recent shift was initiated by the publication of the Commission on RE Report in 2018 that recommended a worldviews approach. Since then, the Religious Education Council has been active in exploring the implications of this change, publishing a range of resources. This webinar will explore the implications of this shift to a worldviews approach for RE in MATs, looking at how it offers a scholarly up-to-date approach which is academically rigorous and personally inspiring for all students, whatever their own background.

Presenters:
Dr Trevor Cooling Is Emeritus Professor at Canterbury Christ Church University. He has been involved in RE for his entire career spanning 50 years. He is widely published in both academic and professional books and journals. Between 2015 and 2021 he was Chair of the RE Council and has been intimately involved with the Religion and Worldviews initiative.

Dr Kathryn Wright is chief executive of Culham St Gabriel’s Trust, an endowed charitable foundation which promotes a broad-based, critical, reflective education in religion and worldviews. Kathryn leads their strategy and works with a range of partners. Kathryn is a former local authority and diocesan education adviser. She sits on the Board of the Religious Education Council of England and Wales.

To reserve your place, please contact: info@religiouseducationcouncil.org.uk

To download a flyer click here

Last term we ran a pupil competition to find out what difference an education in religion and worldviews makes to children and young people. From next week you will be able to read and listen to some of them talk about this, but here I want to give a few reflections of my own based on some of the fantastic entries we received. You can also find a list of all the winners and those highly commended at the end of this blog.

An education in religion and worldviews changes attitudes and promotes positive values

Children and young people who entered our competition spoke of the ways in which it increased their sense of empathy towards others, as well as respect and openness towards differing perspectives. Some stressed an even stronger notion that their lessons can promote social justice, dispelling stereotypes and showing that freedom of religion or belief is vital to uphold in our society. Bea and Laurie used a lovely phrase ‘treasuring people’, going beyond a sense of tolerance to deep appreciation of others.

An education in religion and worldviews increases our knowledge and understanding of the world

We live in a complex world, one which is hard to navigate. Children and young people see the value of an education in religion and worldviews in terms of understanding human beings and the world in which we live. They talk about history and meaning, understanding symbolism, learning from great minds, and exploring the nature of wisdom itself. Chloe talks about the way in which her increased knowledge and understanding led to a more enriched experience on a holiday trip where she could apply her learning practically and reflect upon it.

An education in religion and worldviews inspires young people to think critically and make a difference

A common thread through many of our entries was the idea that lessons enabled pupils to think and act in new ways. Zara says her ‘brain was about to explode’; whilst Amelie says her lesson was ’eye opening’ and ’boggled her mind’! There was a sense of emotional engagement by many pupils, particularly when lessons had an element of mystery or surprise. Some talked about the way they had been inspired by people who had made a difference to the lives of others; this had led them to consider how they might make a difference in their local community, society or the world.

I will end with a quote from Zara (Key Stage 3), who sums up for me why an education in religion and worldviews can make a real difference:

This lesson taught me the importance of asking important questions to not only have a better understanding of yourself and the nature of the world around, but to be able to use that knowledge to build a better world.

Winners

Alexander, Felton CE Primary School

Bea and Laurie, Broomwood Hall Upper School

Harriet, Felton CE Primary School

Ramya, Warren Road Primary School

Zara, Felton CE Primary School

Chloe, St James Senior Girls’ School

Joseph, Hethersett Academy

Lili, Woodford County High School

Amelie, Kings Norton Girls’ School

Zara, St James Senior Girls’ School

Highly Commended

Finley and Cole, Hethersett Academy

Shreya, Plashet School

 

Thank you to everyone who entered our 2022 competition. The judging teams had difficult decisions to make. Congratulations to all the winners.

This short briefing paper sets out some of the ways in which the RE (religion and worldviews) community can support Teaching School Hubs. This includes providing subject specific knowledge of policy about the subject, content knowledge, pedagogical knowledge and opportunities for teachers to engage with educational theory and research.

The briefing paper has been produced jointly by: The National Association of Teachers of RE, The Religious Education Council of England and Wales and RE Today Services. Their work is supported by Culham St Gabriel’s Trust.

I attended a parliamentary roundtable event earlier this week. One of the aims of the event was to advocate for a National Plan for Religion and Worldviews. There were various speakers at the event including the comedian Paul Kerensa, and Professor Francesca Stavrakopoulou, as well as pupils from two secondary schools. However, the message that came across from all contributors was the importance of an education in religion and worldviews for developing critical thinking and social skills, as well as helping children and young people understand what it is be human within a globalised, ever-changing society.

Alongside this recent Culham St Gabriel’s ‘In conversation’ events this term have demonstrated ways in which the religious and non-religious landscape is continually changing. This is partly due to the Covid pandemic, but also due to increasing diversity of worldviews. People are expressing their worldviews differently and interacting in new ways with members of their worldview communities. I am reminded that an education in religion and worldviews will always be one ‘in transition’. For me, this makes it even more important that we equip children and young people to navigate this complex world.

I am sure we would all agree that at this moment in history there is much uncertainty. There has never been a more significant time to understand one another, to be well-informed, sensitive, and diplomatic in our interactions. An education in religion and worldviews not only has much to offer into this context but is, I believe, a vital ingredient. It is worth noting that most parents in our 2021 survey also grasped the importance of the subject.

So I’m looking forward to our pupil competition entries (Deadline 14^th March) on the theme ‘Lessons that make a difference’. We believe that an education in religion and worldviews really does make a difference. It not only informs, which is crucial, but enables children and young people to become thoughtful and critical participants in public discourse. As they receive a quality education in religion and worldviews, we hope they will recognise individual needs and be respectful of divergence and diversity of perspectives. We hope they will be discerning and appreciative of the contribution that many worldviews make to society. And we hope that they will also develop their own personal knowledge, becoming more self-aware and mindful of their own worldviews and their effect on actions, decisions and social interactions.

To enter pupil’s blogs and vlogs in our competition please visit:

www.reonline.org.uk/news/pupil-blog-competition-2022/

NATRE are currently recruiting for a Lead Director of Regional Hubs. Details of this part time role can be found on NATRE’s website.

Next week is Chinese New Year, and 2022 will be the Year of the Tiger. It seems quite appropriate therefore to be launching the opening of applications for our leadership programme 2022-23. Those born in the year of the Tiger are deemed to be natural leaders, who are active and ambitious. They are also said to have a sense of justice and fairness and to be very trustworthy. However, they can also be overconfident and get frustrated by failures.

One of the characteristics of our leadership programme is that it doesn’t matter whether you were born in the Year of the Tiger or not, we aim to help you find your own voice as a leader. We help you to identify your strengths, and work through areas of development. I was born in the Year of the Rat (you can work out how old I am, but let’s just say I have a big birthday later this year…). Characteristics of those born in the Year of the Rat are optimism, energy, and stubbornness! I will let others be the judge as to whether this is the case or not! However, one thing is clear, we all bring a different set of gifts and talents to our roles as leaders. In the religion and worldviews community, we need this diverse mix of skills and expertise to bring about the systemic change needed at this important time for the subject.

One of the most interesting books about leadership I have read is Inspirational Leadership: Timeless lessons for leaders from Shakespeare’s Henry V by Richard Olivier. As Olivier tracks Henry’s journey as a leader, he shows how the nature of his leadership changes as he encounters new challenges and issues. At different stages in his leadership journey, he is authoritative and analytical, at others he is building relationships and empathising. He is both a visionary, but also nurtures. He is someone who gets things done, meeting his targets, yet also spends time celebrating victory! Our leadership programme brings participants together through a community of practice. This enables individuals to share their own journeys, their strengths, and personal challenges in a supportive environment.

In addition, those on our leadership programme immerse themselves in an important contextual understanding of the subject. It is politically intelligent to listen to those who have moved (or are moving) in national circles and conversations. I remember doing this myself through conversations with people like Dr Bill Gent. Our participants locate themselves within the story of our subject, engaging with their experienced mentors who in many ways are like storehouses of wisdom, sharing the narrative of our subject over time.

However, there is one characteristic of leadership I believe to be vital. This is a sense of service. And by this, I mean a desire to serve the common good, to leave the world (of religion and worldviews) in a better place. When we have this at the heart of leadership we value diversity of thought, we create a culture of trust, and we aim to empower and foster the leadership of others. So are you ready to serve?

Find out more and apply for the leadership programme: https://www.reonline.org.uk/leadership/leadership-programme/

The Religious Education Council of England and Wales (REC) is a national charity which campaigns and advocates for high-quality education in religion and worldviews. Their vision is for every young person in England and Wales to experience academically rigorous and personally inspiring Religious Education (RE).

After a strategic review, the REC Board of Trustees now needs an Executive Officer to report to the Chair of the Board and to lead the delivery of their new strategic plan.

Full information can be found on the REC’s website here

Advent (which began officially on 28^th November) is traditionally a time of waiting, although the actual word comes from the Latin, adventus, or ‘coming’. This time of year, there are many festivals, including Hanukah, Bodhi Day and the Winter Solstice many of which feature the concept of light overcoming darkness. RE:ONLINE’s festival calendar provides some useful information on these celebrations and seasons, as well as links to resources.

As I write this blog I’m beginning to look ahead to next term and Culham St Gabriel’s plans for the New Year. It feels very much like a time of waiting before we launch new things in January. So, I thought I’d give you a bit of a preview, so you know what is coming!

We have a very exciting line up for our ‘In conversation…’ events. Although it happened largely by accident, there is a distinct society and culture theme to the research being shared next term. We will be hearing about research undertaken in different worldview communities during the pandemic and how this has impacted on expressions of belief. We will be hearing about digital expressions of worldviews, decolonising teaching about Jesus in primary schools, and learning more about how we might map ‘sacredness’. Lastly, the Jewish Museum London will be sharing more about their project exploring diversity and inclusion in curation.

We have just published details for most of these on our website and you can sign up here.

 

 

At the end of January, we will be opening up applications for our leadership programme and our Masters scholarship programme (both beginning September 2022). We will share more details about these in our newsletters, and on our websites. We are delighted that some of the leadership programme team and participants will be sharing more about what is involved at one of the Strictly RE twilight events.

 

Lastly, after much consideration we are going to hold a second RE:ONLINE Competition! More details to follow, but the theme in 2022 will be ‘Lessons that make a difference’. We will be accepting both written and audio-visual entries this year. If you’re a teacher, you may want to plan in some time for your pupils to enter next term!!

So, you will now have to wait… but at least you know some of the things that are coming!

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