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Culham St Gabriel’s welcomes the publication of Ofsted’s RE Research Review today. This review clearly articulates the importance of understanding what we mean by substantive knowledge, ways of knowing or becoming scholarly in RE, and personal knowledge. We support the call for the effective sequencing of knowledge enabling pupils to build towards subject-specific end goals. The review reminds leaders that RE is to be taught in all schools and in all key stages, and that an ambitious curriculum is to be delivered. We believe that this review supports our own vision for a broad-based, critical and reflective education in Religion and Worldviews contributing to a well-informed, respectful and open society.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/ofsted-publishes-research-review-on-religious-education

Voices of children and young people.

This was the question that many teachers posed to their pupils last term for our inaugural Blog Competition. We had an amazing number of entries and it is clear that everyone has a view on Religion and Worldviews (or Religious Education). At the end of this blog you can see the names of all the winners, but here I want to draw out some of the key themes and creative ways in which pupils want to advocate for our incredible subject.

An education in Religion and Worldviews enables us to understand diversity in our world.

The diversity of our complex world was a recurrent theme. Bloggers spoke of everyone being different, having different worldviews and the importance of appreciating this. Many felt that studying Religion and Worldviews brought a genuine, real and authentic understanding of the lived experience of being a religious or non-religious believer. For many blog writers, Religion and Worldviews is about the nature of humanity; understanding who and what we are as human beings with all the complexity and divergence that this brings.

An education in Religion and Worldviews increases our knowledge, providing global and historical perspectives.

The importance of knowing about and understanding religious and non-religious worldviews came through very strongly in many of the blogs. Young people spoke about the importance of understanding historical contexts to comprehend the way things are today. They highlighted the interweaving of history with religion. Many felt that knowledge acquisition led to respect and to challenging some of the media stereotypes of some worldviews.

An education in Religion and Worldviews supports development of positive values.

Bloggers talked about the many values they felt an education in Religion and Worldviews promoted. These included peace, respect and empathy. A number talked about the way in which this was modelled in their schools by safe spaces being created to talk about controversial issues.

An education in Religion and Worldviews helps you with your future career.

From the youngest to the oldest, bloggers highlighted the value of Religion and Worldviews in terms of future career paths; professions highlighted included law, international development work, counselling, mental health services, diplomatic roles and journalism. Many more spoke about the importance of the subject for simple daily interactions with people they meet.

An education in Religion and Worldviews offers something more…..

For many of our bloggers though the subject offers something more…. It sparks the imagination and curiosity, it empowers and opens doors of communication, it unlocks a tapestry of ideas and enables young people to develop their own patchwork of views. It gives each one of them confidence to talk about religious and non-religious worldviews in the public sphere.

For our bloggers, an education in Religion and Worldviews is considered vital so they are prepared for the real, complex society in which we all live. They want to be able to navigate this world and begin to make sense of it. They want to have knowledge, understanding and skills, but also values and attitudes which will enable them to be confident, free- thinking participants in this ever-changing global landscape.

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OUR WINNERS!!

Key Stage 1

Winners

Areilla, Newbold and Tredington Primary School

Abhijot, Clifton Primary School

Harnoor, Clifton Primary School

Highly Commended

Namanpreet, Clifton Primary School

Ishana, St Andrews (Barnsbury) Church of England Primary School

Key Stage 2

Winners

Soha, Old Trafford Community Academy

Catherine, Lythe Church of England Primary School

Nancy, Newbold and Tredington Primary School

Emily, St Andrews (Barnsbury) Church of England Primary School

Highly Commended:

Sohani, Clifton Primary School

Farzad and Idris, Old Trafford Community Academy

Avineet, Clifton Primary School

Hunter, Pickhurst Junior Academy

Key Stage 3

Winners

Matthew, Thomas Gainsborough School

Abby, Saint Francis Xavier School

Arwen, St James’  Senior Girls School

Maxwell, The Bishops’ Blue Coat Church of England School

Cara, King’s Rochester Preparatory School

Highly Commended

Skye, Prenton High School for Girls

Maisie, The Morley Academy

Brooke, Prenton High School for Girls

Niamh, The Bishops’ Blue Coat Church of England High School

Vanessa, Goldington Academy

Ella, Lincoln Christ’s Hospital School

Olivia, St Mary’s Catholic School

Key Stage 4

Winners

Scarlett, Fulston Manor School

Caitlin, Goldington Academy

Lucy, Cox Green School

Maisy, Hagley Catholic High School

Highly Commended

Meadow, Saltash Community School

Jordan, Saint Francis Xavier School

Lily, Albany Academy

Pennie, St Hild’s Church of England School

Zama, Bradford Academy

Key Stage 5

Winners

Ashton, Old Hulme Grammar School

Ella, Highworth Grammar School

Jessica, Highworth Grammar School

Anna, Hagley Catholic High School

Megha, Langley Grammar School

Highly Commended

Reva, Langley Grammar School

Philippa, Old Hulme Grammar School

 

Kathryn Wright, on behalf of the Judging Team 2021

Culham St Gabriel’s are inviting expressions of interest for two new self-employed consultant roles from September 2021, for one year in the first instance.

• Lead Consultant: Advocacy – Communities.
• Lead Consultant: Advocacy – Education Networks.

Details of the roles are available to download below.

To express an interest in one or both of these roles please email your CV, and short covering letter (maximum 800 words) to Kathryn Wright,  ceo@cstg.org.uk by noon on the 14^th May 2021. Kathryn also welcomes informal conversations about these roles prior to an expression of interest being submitted.

I’m beginning this blog with another great quote from Kung Fu Panda! As a family we have watched all three movies during the last lockdown!

‘If you only do what you can do, you will never be more than you are now’ Master Shifu

As I write this our pilot leadership programme is coming to an end. The excitement is building as we receive applications for our second cohort which will begin in September. One of the characteristics of those who took part in our pilot programme was the sense that for many they were gently (some may say it was a bit stronger than gently!) being challenged to ‘be more than they are now’; to push beyond their comfort zones. Sometimes it is gentle encouragement that helps us take the next step, and then we realise how much more we can do and become. The other realisation for many, was that they didn’t have to be a particular kind of leader, again the words of Master Shifu spring to mind:

‘I’m not trying to turn you into me, I’m trying to turn you into you’ Master Shifu

Our leadership programme has enabled some to pursue their curriculum design dreams whilst others have undertaken action research projects; others have written blogs and articles for the first time; some have got new roles and positions nationally; some have begun postgraduate courses and others have spoken at regional or national events; but all have found their own voice as a leader.

Being a leader means many things, and we all lead differently. I think leaders create opportunities for others around them to change and grow. I think leaders live by their values, understanding that sometimes we get things wrong. I think leaders know when to wait, when to act ‘now’ and when to say, ‘I don’t know’.  I think leaders are visionaries who also ask questions such as ‘is this working?’ or ‘can we find a solution together?’.

The leaders who took part in our programme show these qualities and it has been absolute pleasure working with them over the last 12 months.

Our Stage 1 Leadership Programme Graduates are:

Emma Fletcher

Laura Harris

Nicola McGee

Debbie Yeomans

Our Stage 2 Leadership Programme Graduates are:

Wayne Buisst

Catriona Card

Martin Cobbald

Katie Freeman

Katie Gooch

Liz Pope

Adam Robertson

Saima Saleh

Lucy Still

Huge thanks to Claire Clinton our Lead Consultant for this programme; for her passion and dedication, as well as to the amazing team of mentors she supports. I am really looking forward to working with our new cohort in 2021-22.

https://www.reonline.org.uk/leading-re/leadership/leadership-programme/

 

Seasons are ever-changing. Within the space of just over two weeks we experienced temperatures of -9°C and +17°C in my village. With the recent government announcements too, it can seem that just as you begin to navigate a course, things change again. We seem to be constantly presented with unforeseen obstacles and challenges. However, at Culham St Gabriel’s we have tried to see these complexities as opportunities too.

Firstly, our In Conversation events have become very popular. We have been a bit surprised if we are honest!! We seized an opportunity to build on the RExChange 2020 conference, and to nurture the researcher – teacher relationship. We are now planning for these to take place into the summer, and probably autumn terms.

This year we took the opportunity to reimagine our Masters Scholarship programme, and it has gone from strength to strength. We have a vibrant online community of practice and have developed a parallel PhD community. We will be showcasing the research from these two groups on our new research area of RE:ONLINE next month, as well as at an event in July. We will share more details on this soon.

Earlier this term, we saw an opening to promote religion and worldviews, as well as to support teachers with remote learning, through our first ever pupil blog competition. This tiny seed of an idea was planted during our strategic review and we hope it will bear much fruit as entries are submitted in the next few weeks. There is still time! We can’t wait to read blogs from pupils about why studying religion and worldviews matters to them.

Our pilot leadership programme comes to an end next month. The challenges of lockdown have not deterred our dedicated group. We have continually adapted the programme to meet the ever-changing context. Applications are open for our new cohort who will begin a reshaped programme in September, so do consider whether this is something for you.

Finally, we have developed a programme of support and interaction for our current project grantees. We have shared ideas on dissemination, measuring success and will be thinking about media engagement together. We would never have thought about doing this if it hadn’t been for lockdown.

So reflecting on all this, to make the most of the current season and seize the opportunities open to us, it seems to me that flexibility and being willing to adapt, innovate, amend and change are vital.

 

In Conversation Event Booking https://www.cstg.org.uk/activities/events/in-conversation/

In Conversation Recordings https://www.reonline.org.uk/research/in-conversation/

Masters Scholarship Programme https://www.cstg.org.uk/grants/individual/masters-scholarship/

Personal Professional Development Grants (for PhD)

https://www.cstg.org.uk/grants/individual/personal-grant/

Pupil Blog Competition https://www.reonline.org.uk/news/pupil-blog-competition/

Leadership Programme https://www.reonline.org.uk/leading-re/leadership/leadership-programme/

At Culham St Gabriel’s we are really interested in why an education in Religion and Worldviews matters. This is why we have recently launched a new pupil blog competition with this theme.

I’m biased of course! Working for a charity which is all about advocating for a high-quality education in Religion and Worldviews clearly means I think it matters! However, young people can give us unexpected answers to this question and that’s why our competition is so exciting. Here are two examples…

We will begin with Nutan. During the late 1990s I was involved with a research project about the implementation of agreed syllabuses. As part of this project my pupils were interviewed about the difference that RE made to them and why they thought it was important. Nutan announced that it was the skills she had learnt in RE that had enabled her to write better evaluative and analytical essays for English. She also felt the knowledge she gained helped her to understand some of the religious references in GCSE English set texts. She could see the transferable nature of her studies and the benefits of the subject in terms of broadening her understanding and cultural development. As a young teacher I confess I was a bit surprised!

Secondly, here is an example from closer to home:

This blog is from my youngest son Ben. He  wrote it for my personal blog site in 2016. He is now 15 and I have asked his permission to use it here! I was intrigued by Ben’s response at the time because he used the term wise, and also because he connected studying religions with learning about human rights. I asked him today if he wished to update his thinking… he said that the most important reason for studying Religion and Worldviews is to understand others. He stressed the importance of learning about the diversity of different religious and non-religious worldviews. He also felt that it would help him get on well with others and enable him to identify prejudice or bias in society.

So why does an education in Religion and Worldviews matter? Why not ask some children or young people you know and see what they think?!

Details of our blog competition can be found here:

https://www.reonline.org.uk/news/pupil-blog-competition/

In my last blog I wrote about looking back and looking ahead… today I want to talk about the present! During the Christmas holidays we watched as a family the first Kung Fu Panda film, it is one of my boys’ favourite films even though they are now older teenagers. There is a line in the film when Master Oogway says,

‘Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, and today is a gift… that’s why they call it present’.

At the moment with shifting sands beneath us, changing rules and criteria, living in the present is all we can do. Tomorrow is very much a mystery I think at the moment. It can be hard though to see today as a gift. For many Christians around the world gifts are at the forefront front of their minds this week too as they celebrate Epiphany. Whilst the festival has a complex history[1], the root of the word epiphany is in the Greek ‘to reveal’ or ‘manifest’. So perhaps a way to think about each day at the moment is to consider what it might reveal or show us? What does each day give or offer to us?

For example, what can a new piece of reading reveal to us about a shifting paradigm from RE to Religion and Worldviews?

What can a new blog or article reveal about a new classroom or home learning strategy to use?

What can we learn from someone else through online learning, CPD or conversation?

And on the flip side, what can we gift to others? Can we share our experiences to encourage others at the moment? Can we offer support through social media networks? Can we share a helpful resource?

At Culham St Gabriel’s we are trying to see each day as a gift at the moment. We are thinking about what we can learn from our ever-changing context as well as continuing to give our time and resources to support all those working in education and beyond. Do get in touch to chat through how we can support you at this really challenging time.

www.cstg.org.uk

www.reonline.org.uk

www.teachre.co.uk

[1] https://www.reonline.org.uk/festival_event/epiphany/ Read more about the history of Epiphany here.

 

As a charity which works in the education world, we feel the rhythm of the terms. This term has been unusual in many ways.  I have travelled a lot less. I have only been to our Oxford office a handful of times, and at the end of term we moved to new premises. Travelling less has allowed more flexibility in what we can offer our beneficiaries. We have run more online support events for potential and current grantees, we have hosted more sessions for teachers and researchers. I have had more meetings this term than I think I have ever had in my career! This means I have been able to connect more easily with key partners and organisations, individual influencers and policy makers. In terms of our strategy, it is enabling us to prepare the groundwork more effectively.

The challenging times have also provided new opportunities for our programmes. Viewing all we do through a virtual or digital lens first has changed the way we do things, and also presented creative possibilities. The new Masters Scholarship Programme Community of Practice and the In Conversation series have been two particular highlights for me this term. The free Teach:RE courses continue to grow and since September each has seen around 200 sign up. Initially, a direct respond to a specific need in the first lockdown, both courses are now well established and being utilised particularly in Initial Teacher Training.

What does the new year bring for Culham St Gabriel’s?

Firstly, we will be utilising our new website. We will also be supporting new grant awards as they begin in the new year. A new grant round is also now open if you are interested in applying. You can find out about all our new awards here: https://www.cstg.org.uk/grants/projects/grants-awarded/

Secondly, we have a new series of In Conversation events planned on the theme of Religion and Worldviews. I’m thrilled that we have such a range of researchers sharing their expertise including Trevor Cooling, Celine Benoit, Lois Lee and Lynn Revell. You can sign up to these free events here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/culham-st-gabriels-trust-29215580451

Thirdly, we will be inviting applications for our Leadership Programme 2021-22. Applications will open in January with a new area on RE:ONLINE dedicated to the programme.

Lastly, next term we will be bringing the ‘ResearchforRE’ website into RE:ONLINE, but completely reimagined and with great new opportunities to engage with and in research.

In the meantime, I hope you have a restful and peaceful Christmas- whatever that looks like for you this year.

I’m delighted to launch our new Culham St Gabriel’s website. www.cstg.org.uk In this blog I will highlight some of its new features which particularly reflect our values as a Trust.

Increased openness and transparency

It is really important to us that everyone understands who we are as a charity. What our vision is; what our strategy looks like; who our trustees are, where our income comes from and so on. This is why we have some new areas on our website which explain more about our governance as well as direct links to our annual reports. We also explain how our funds are invested and how we aim to be responsible in our stewardship. You can see some lovely new biographies of our trustees too!

Improved service and empowerment

Our two main strands of work are grant giving and our own activities and programmes. We have reshaped the website to make it easier to find out about these. We hope this will serve you better whether you are a teacher, school leader, adviser, fund raiser or an interested partner. You can now quickly find out about what we fund and our criteria as well as explore case studies about previous projects. We have created a section for events so there is one place to go if you want to find out what we are offering. We hope our new focus on events will help to build confidence, disseminate research and support those who want to apply for grants. We are also supporting our current grantees through a new section on our website specifically for them.

Enhanced focus on collaboration

We aim to foster positive relationships and partnership working. In light of this we have areas dedicated to partnerships and to campaigns which we are currently working on with others. We have included more detailed information on teacher recruitment and our promotion of the Commission on RE (2018) recommendations. We hope these areas will expand as we develop new partnerships and campaigns.

Why not take a quick look over a cup of coffee today?

The last few years have been an interesting journey for me, not only in terms of my career, but also in terms of my thinking. When the Commission on RE’s Interim Report came out in 2017, I admit to being rather sceptical about a change of name for RE. However, I reflected, read and reflected more. I used to find the train or car journey’s useful for thinking about these matters!! Now I have to carve out time in the week to do this. It is important, because I believe what is being suggested in the Final Commission on RE Report (2018) regarding Religion and Worldviews is a vital paradigm shift, and not just a name change, and a potential game-changer for our subject.

On a personal level this has been a challenging and enthralling journey so far, and it is not at an end. My thinking is fluid, I am trying to see possibilities, to continue to read more and to learn from others across the diversity of our Religion and Worldviews community.  At the launch of a recent Theos report Dr Lois Lee talked about being part of a meaningful process. For me, this described not only my personal journey, but also what I think is happening in our subject community at the moment.

This is why I welcome two recent reports. The first is a literature review entitled ‘Worldview: A Multidisciplinary Report’.  This review was commissioned by the Religious Education Council of England and Wales working in partnership with TRS-UK. It aims to provide clarity as to the historical and contemporary use of the term ‘worldview’ in a number of disciplines. This report raises questions and at the end there is an invitation to engage; to be part of the conversation.

The second report, alluded to above is an independent academic report authored by Cooling with Bowie and Panjwani, entitled ‘Worldviews in Religious Education’ and published by Theos. One of the most powerful chapters in this report comprises three autobiographical reflections that illustrate the impact of worldview on academic development. The interaction between personal worldviews and what we might call worldview traditions in this section illustrates to me the educational potential of the worldview concept.

For me both these reports emphasise the fact that as a subject community we are in a meaningful process. These reports are not in themselves destinations; they are to be engaged with, discussed and reflected upon. They provide vital tools to help us work through what the new language means. Alongside these reports I have noticed  conversations opening up; I have observed and read about teachers sharing what a paradigm shift might mean for the curriculum; I have taken part in a media discussion where journalists asked questions about what Religion and Worldviews means; I have listened to Ofsted’s Dr Richard Kueh, talking about new ways of understanding knowledge within this paradigm shift…. All these moves are part of a meaningful process of engagement. The question is, will you be part of this process?

 

https://www.religiouseducationcouncil.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/20-19438-REC-Worldview-Report-A4-v2.pdf Literature Review

https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/research/2020/10/21/worldviews-in-religious-education Theos Report

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAK1lCS2_y0 You Tube Recording of Theos Report Launch Event

https://www.reonline.org.uk/news/opening-up-conversations-about-religion-and-worldviews/ Includes teachers and other professionals discussing Religion and Worldviews in a series of blogs