No. You need to be teaching religion and worldviews (RE) in a primary, secondary or special school or academy in the UK, and you need to be a qualified, serving teacher, Teaching Assistant or HLTA.

You can choose any classroom-relevant part-time Masters course which provides an opportunity for you to focus on religion and worldviews either through module work and/or as a dissertation. A small number of Masters programmes offer specific religion and worldviews (RE) pathways. Other Masters courses are more generic focussing more widely on education, or educational leadership, or theology and religious studies. You will be required to show clearly how your chosen course aligns with the Culham St Gabriel’s vision, mission and strategic objectives on the application form. These criteria are set out in Appendix 1.  Many part-time Masters courses are delivered through twilights, weekends or distance learning to support teachers who are also working full or part-time.

Our understanding of religion and worldviews is aligned with the proposed Statement of Entitlement in the Commission on RE Report (2018) p.12-13. The Trust advocates for the importance of education in religion and worldviews because it prepares pupils for life in a complex world. It enables them to become free thinking, respectful, critical participants of public discourse, who can make academically well-informed judgements about important matters of religion and belief. To secure funding you need to be able to demonstrate that you share this understanding.

There are a number of different reasons why you might want to undertake Masters study for your own professional learning. For example, to:

• Develop your subject knowledge to be more confident in teaching religion and worldviews;
• Use research perspectives to improve the quality of religion and worldviews in your school;
• Undertake your own action-based research to improve the quality of religion and worldviews in school;
• Understand how the purpose, planning, teaching and assessment of religion and worldviews have changed in the light of national and international developments;
• Work and network with other professionals in religion and worldviews, and other subjects;
• Develop your CV and prepare for greater responsibility as a subject coordinator or head of department.

In 2020-21 we set up a virtual community of practice for Culham St Gabriel’s Scholars. This is a forum to share/discuss your research and/or ask questions about others’ research. The group includes those in their second/third year of a Masters course so you can learn from them as you begin your course. You will receive details about this once you are accepted onto the programme. In addition to this, you will be supported by our Lead Consultant for Research, Dr Kevin O’Grady. Kevin will have brief one-to-one conversations with you to offer support, encouragement and sometimes challenge about once a term.

As the Trust is providing grant funding for you to undertake a Masters programme the Trustees will want to see the impact your studies have. What outcomes are you expecting? Do they relate to you, your school and the wider education community? How will you measure the extent to which you have achieved these outcomes? We realise that when you complete the application form your ideas around this may be tentative. However, it is important that you have considered these questions carefully. In addition, think about how you can utilise current networks and hubs that you are involved with to disseminate your research, as well as new ways that you may not have considered before such as through RE:ONLINE blogs or RE Today Magazine.

You will be asked on the application form to give some ideas about your dissertation. We realise that these ideas are not fully formed when you apply. Usually the dissertation is agreed at the beginning of a second year of a part-time Masters, although this can vary from University to University. In addition, we are aware that your context might change or that your school may have particular priority areas. For this reason, you will be asked to confirm your dissertation title with the Trust prior to beginning work on it. As long as your title is related to religion and worldviews, and aligns with the Trust vision, mission and strategic objectives any change would normally be approved. If the focus of your dissertation is not about religion and worldviews funding may be withdrawn.

We hope of course, that you will get your Masters qualification, but in addition you will receive a certificate from Culham St Gabriel’s stating that you have become one of our scholars. Your name will also be published on our website as someone who has been part of the scholarship programme.