RELIGIOUS EDUCATION


Celebrating RE is a month-long celebration taking place


in March which aims to showcase RE at its best. Sharon Artley explains


ultimate meaning, the purpose of life, beliefs about God, issues of right and wrong, and what it means to be human. RE offers occasions for personal reflection and spiritual development. Religious education can develop pupils’ knowledge


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and understanding of world faiths and world views that offer answers to such questions. It also makes contributions to other parts of the school curriculum and its ethos, for example, by giving pupils the knowledge, skills and understanding to be able to discern and evaluate, or to make judgements about right and wrong. RE also has a local and a global dimension. It


provides a context in which pupils can explore a diversity of beliefs, values and cultures, on the school’s doorstep, nationally and also by investigating the impact of beliefs in the wider world. In March 2011, the Religious Education Council of


England and Wales is holding a month-long event to celebrate RE. Celebrating RE month aims to showcase RE at its best and publicise the value and importance of RE for every child and young person. This month is for everyone and provides an opportunity for all those involved in RE to share its impact with a wider audience. The main work of RE is in schools with pupils and teachers, but Celebrating RE month is encouraging parents, members of the local faith communities or belief groups or politicians to become involved. A new website, a treasure chest of resources, has been developed (see further information). A series


Independent thinking Drowning in regulation


IT IS the first week of term and of the new year as I write – I should be feeling fresh, invigorated, bubbling with new ideas and ready to be a truly inspiring leader. Well, part of me is, but part of me is already weighed down with dread and anxiety. From my conversations with fellow independent


school heads in recent days, it seems that I am not alone. You may wonder what is causing this – it is, of course, the thought of impending inspections, worries about the small print and quirks of some 400 independent school regulations, and about new legislation concerning employment and other such areas. Is this why I became a head? In the second week of January


I will also have an audit visit by a representative from my local authority’s Safeguarding Children Board. Actually, this is usually a very positive and useful experience and I value it, but later that same day a representative from the UK Boarders Agency has booked themselves in for a visit as our school has been “selected at random” and there is no escape. I am uncertain as to what this will be about as we don’t have any boarders or overseas- recruited staff. Meanwhile, our last visit from the


Independent Schools’ Inspectorate was in February 2008, so we could be visited again at any time and at almost no notice. The mass of material that needs to be in perfect order for this is quite mind-boggling. Moreover, things change all the time. For example, the Equality Act 2010 is


being gradually phased in – how many of you are fully familiar with the new requirements for recruitment procedures which do not discriminate against those who have undergone or are undergoing gender reassignment? Interestingly, the Equality Act does not include


age discrimination, as this would have, apparently, required further secondary legislation – so another whole set of age discrimination information needs to be tracked down and mastered. Self-evaluation is a great concept, but it is hard


ever to feel that it is finished and can be left alone, as things are always changing in schools – we are living, growing communities. We are asked to grade our school in a number of aspects. I have just re-read our last inspection report, something I confess I have not done for quite some time, and amazingly we seem to have achieved the independent school equivalent of outstanding in every category. I think we have worked really hard since the last inspection and have improved in lots of ways, so in theory I should grade us outstanding in every area – but that seems rather immodest and might perhaps alienate the inspectors? Then, of course, as it is January, we also have the joy of the Annual Census to complete. As an independent school we are lucky enough to have to complete two of these complex forms – one for the Department for Education


(DfE) and one for the Independent Schools’ Council. This year, the DfE has made it


explicit that it wants the full details of every member of agency or contract staff who has passed through the school during the last year. Our bursar is currently grappling with the paper trail on the large number of casual agency catering staff which we


have seen in recent months. Without any shadow of doubt I want


our children to be safe in school and their welfare to be protected, but the sheer weight of these many different types of bureaucracy and red tape are enough to weigh down even the most ebullient of headteachers. Did not the


Conservative Party promise us some relief? I am yet to see it. I would certainly rather spend my time on real education and trying to provide inspiring leadership, then fretting about checklists; sadly, that still seems to be a distant dream.


• Marion Gibbs is headmistress of the independent James Allen’s Girls’ School in London.


Make time in 2011 to get financially fit


ELIGIOUS EDUCATION is part of the basic curriculum and is an entitlement for every pupil between the ages of five and 16. At whatever age and ability, good RE provides opportunities to ask challenging questions about such themes as


Celebrating RE


of “What can we do?” articles provide a range of stimulating ideas and activities for every age group and ability. There are downloadable articles from Foundation


Stage right up to post-16 and also for those involved in initial teacher training. Different abilities are catered for too, including SEN and gifted and talented. Local community involvement is encouraged in inter-faith articles and for schools linking and working in partnership. Social media is not forgotten and Celebrating RE has a


Facebook page and Twitter feed as well as an article with a plethora of ideas for using Web 2.0 applications. There are many other “What can we do?” resources including ideas for schools with a religious character, activities for learning outside the classroom in RE, or how to publicise or raise funds for a Celebrating RE event. Through the generosity of faith and other groups, throughout March, there will be a series of Celebrating


RE events nationwide. These can be found in the What’s On section of the website. These range from places of worship running special weeks or workshops for pupils, through to exhibitions, meeting “faith neighbours” or debates and lectures for adults. At some of these events, prizes will be awarded


to the winners of the competitions which Celebrating RE is organising. Most are for pupils and there are competitions for all ages, but there are also some for teachers. These provide opportunities to explore a particular facet of faith, belief or practice as well as making personal responses and reflections. There are competitions for individuals and groups


and submissions can be sent in a wide variety of digital media including photography, art, audio storytelling, video, collage, posters, music, creating an exhibition or a trail. The competitions invite both pupils and teachers to be challenged and to think outside of the box. There


are cash prizes, visits to various centres, RE books and DVDs and other resources, religious artefacts and even a master class with a storyteller. A subscribable monthly newsletter helps to keep


people abreast of what is happening during Celebrating RE. Following March, the legacy of the month will be showcased through a series of photo and text cameos which will show the variety of Celebrating RE events which took place around the country together with the prize-winning entries for the competitions. In this way, it is hoped that these ideas will be a lasting inspiration to others.


SecEd


• Sharon Artley is a consultant in RE and ICT and a project support officer for Celebrating RE.


Further information www.celebratingre.org


Making time for adequate financial planning can be difficult when you work long hours and lead a hectic lifestyle.


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* Terms & conditions: For any teacher or related profession booking a no-obligation financial review by 28 February 2011. Offer based on one voucher per person and only 1 appointment can be booked during this particular promotion. No purchase is necessary. No alternative is available. Employees of the Wesleyan are excluded. If a meeting is cancelled you will not be entitled to the vouchers. You will be required to complete and return a confirmation card after your first meeting and £20 of Marks and Spencer vouchers will be sent to you within 14 days of the card being received by Wesleyan for Teachers.


Wesleyan for Teachers is a trading name of Wesleyan Financial Services Ltd, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority. Wesleyan Financial Services Ltd is wholly owned by Wesleyan Assurance Society. Registered No. 1651212. Head Office: Colmore Circus, Birmingham, B4 6AR. Fax: 0121 200 2971. Website: www.wesleyanforteachers.co.uk. Telephone calls may be recorded for monitoring and training purposes.


We can guide you and answer your questions in many areas including the following:


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WFT-AD-55-12/10


SecEd • January 13 2011


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