Religious Education
Religious Education continues to undergo significant transformation. Consequently RE teachers need to keep well informed, and have opportunities to ask questions and explore opportunities.
FAQs:
- What is the New Framework for RE, and how can it help?
- What can we do to integrate and enhance RE through Citizenship Education?
- How might Thinking Skills be developed within RE?
- What support is available for the teaching and learning of Philosophy or Ethics?
- How can Philosophy for Children be integrated with RE?
- How can achievement and motivation be raised in RE?
Courses:
Courses on offer can be customised to suit the specific needs of RE teachers, LEA advisers, pupils, and related organisations. Whether it's INSET, day courses or conferences, educators in the RE field can find support for:
- The New Framework for RE
- RE & Thinking Skills / Philosophy for Children
- RE & Citizenship Education
- RE for one or all Key Stages
Will Ord & RE:
Will Ord has been a Head of RE, an RE author and an RE trainer for the last four years. Delegates have found his courses inspiring, challenging, and practical. Will also produces a number of resources and articles that teachers will find useful; download some free samples of these form the RE resources section on the right!
Will's approach to RE runs on a few basic principles:
- Thinking and communication skills are essential for quality RE, especially at Key Stage 2 & 3. Concentration on these can significantly raise achievement and pupil motivation in RE at all levels of ability and with any age
- Time must be given for children to explore their own ideas and questions to generate motivation and excitement (using Philosophy for Children techniques)
- RE works best with a pupil-centred approach, one that generates curiosity and connects directly with pupils' lives and understanding
- An emphasis on thoughtful dialogue (not merely 'class discussion')
When Will left Cockermouth School (1200 pupils, non-selective comprehensive), his RE Department had grown to 170 pupils opting to take the full RS GCSE, and 80 (1 in 3 of the 6th Form) taking RS AS & A2. Pupils' results were, on average, 10% higher than comparable results in their other subjects.
If you'd like to find out more about this RE approach, please click on the 'From raisin to grape' article (written for the PCfRE) in the resource menu to the right. If you would like to discuss training possibilities, please contact Will.
