Join the biggest virtual RE event - Strictly RE 2024

A1: Hermeneutics simple enough for 5-7s

RE is about interpretation, right from the beginning. Instead of just helping the infants to remember information, this session will present six ways of encouraging 5-7s to think for themselves search for meanings, decode symbols and think about hidden messages in RE materials. Expect to enjoy some great classroom examples of deep children’s work.

Julia Diamond Conway

A2: Demonstrating Diversity

Worldviews are internally complex and diverse. Within one religious or non-religious worldview, there will generally be a range of ideas and practices. How do we portray worldviews in an authentic rather than a stereotypical way? How do we show the internal diversity? How do we make this accessible to pupils in primary classrooms? This session will allow us to share ideas on ways in which to answer these questions and look at how to make the most of existing resources in order that our primary pupils can begin to build up a realistic view of the landscape of religions and worldviews.

Angela Hill

A3: Philosophical RE

RE and philosophy may often be seen as one and the same, but this is not strictly true. Philosophy is a distinct discipline - a way of knowing - that has potential to enliven and RE in a variety of ways. In this session we will explore philosophy as a discipline of great value in RE. We will consider practical ways of engaging with philosophy in RE and we will also consider whether too much emphasis philosophy in RE can have its pitfalls.

Stephen Pett

A4: Explaining atheism and non-religion: New research and how to examine it in RE

Following the Understanding Unbelief programme, a new international research project is under way. Explaining Atheism is looking at causes of atheism in a diverse range of contexts. This session will introduce some of the interim research findings and offer some practical strategies for examining them in the RE classroom.

Secondary

Naomi Appleton

A5: Thinking through the Buddha

There are many ways of viewing the Buddha: ancient philosopher, spiritual guide, meditation teacher, storyteller, monastic preceptor, object of devotion, social reformer and more. In this session we will explore different ways in which the Buddha features in Buddhist belief and practice and think through how this might enrich classroom teaching at secondary school level.

Secondary

Dr Rachael Jackson-Royal

A6: Creating a worldviews curriculum at KS3

This session will be aimed at those of you who teach in the secondary phase. It will look at how I engaged with the worldviews approach when creating a KS3 curriculum. There will be a focus on intent, implementation and impact as well as practical examples of some of the units and individual lessons.

SLT's

Carrie Alderton

A7: Parental engagement: what works, and why it’s needed

With 1 in 6 parents/ carers withdrawing their child from religious education in primary schools, a clear barrier to high quality RE (including the local diversity of faiths and cultures) is the deficit of parental engagement. Join the Faith & Belief Forum’s Education & Learning team, as we share learning from our pilot project in 10 London primary schools, exploring: what worked, and why parental engagement is important now and for the future of RE.

Julie Childs

B1: Faith visits and visitors-face to face, virtual and beyond…

Representing lived diversity within faiths can be challenging, especially in some geographical areas. This session will help you make the most if what diversity you may have locally and give you practical and creative ideas to combine these with some of the very best virtual, digital and free resources to support pupils understanding of diversity and lived faith in the primary RE classroom.

Primary

Katie Neill

B2: Crafting a curriculum across a MAT

In this session I will share the struggles and successes of creating an RE curriculum for a MAT across two localities (East London and Suffolk).

Cross-Phase

Dr Martha Shaw and Katie Freeman

B3: 'Personal Knowledge’ - What is all the fuss about

This session will explore the idea of 'personal knowledge' and reflect on how this is being understood in theory and in practice. Drawing on experiences from research in and out of the classroom, we will suggest ways of supporting pupils to develop their personal knowledge through a worldviews approach.

Steph Chadwick, Zoe Higgins and Ian Jones

B4: Strengthening Learning and Teaching about Religion & Worldviews and Environmental Crisis through Action Research

The RE:Connect Teacher Fellowship Programme aims to strengthen RE teachers’ understanding, confidence and skills in teaching of religion, worldviews and the environmental/climate crisis by connecting academic research, environmental activism and classroom practice. RE:Connect Teacher Fellows discuss developing their own curriculum projects on climate change in RE, sharing examples from their work and its reception.

Joanne Harris

B5: ChatGTP - Friend or foe? How I use ChatGPT in RE

Whether we like it or not, the future of teaching and learning will change with the development of AI. This session will look at ways that teachers can help pupils engage with this technology, whilst still using their own cognitive abilities - and how it can reduce teacher workload.

16-18

Secondary

Ian Nicholson

B6: Beyond Iman and Ibadah - deepening the links for A Level Islam

This session will help you to build on your students’ knowledge and understanding of Islam by making clear the links between the content of the specifications to show a clear and developed view of this key Abrahamic faith.

Shammi Rahman

B7: Antiracism in RE– what you need to know

This session will take you through an introduction to antiracism and why RE plays a pivotal role in reflecting race equity in the classroom. You will leave with many ideas and confidence that will enable you to engage in challenging conversations that will empower you to give all pupils, regardless of their background, an honest reflection of the global world through religious education.

Katie Freeman

C1: Six ideas to invigorate your primary RE

Katie will share her recent experiences of travel to Israel and writing Curriculum ready resources for RE Today to share some ideas to support your teaching.

Expect a focus on environment, Judaism, pilgrimage and time saving strategies as well as a peek at curriculum ready resources she has created.

Primary

Lat Blaylock

C2: Adaptive learning strategies in primary RE

This session will respond to current concerns about matching work to pupils’ needs and enabling progress for each pupil by showcasing six dynamic approaches to good primary learning that can be adapted to a range of learning needs. Expect to enjoy taking these ideas into your classroom.

Cross-phase

Molly Acharya

C3: Multi-Disciplinary Approaches to teaching Hindu Pilgrimage

Join me as I share a range of teaching approaches that can be used across a SOW for the teaching of Pilgrimage within Hindu Dharma. We will travel across India, and the UK visiting a range of sacred sites that Hindus make pilgrimage to. We will consider why Hindus visit certain sites, what they do once there and which sites are connected with deities, and the stories that link these aspects together.

Research

Rachel Buckby

C4: 'Bitten by the R.E. Research Bug!'

This seminar aims to show how as a primary classroom teacher, I developed my engagement in research linked to religion and worldviews and how through participating in a research project on 'Freedom of Religion or Belief' I have now been bitten by the research bug!

11-18

Joe Kinnaird

C5: Using scholarship in the classroom

It is important for pupils to learn about the tools of scholarship to develop their understanding of the complexity and diversity of religious traditions. Scholarship can be used to support pupils in their understanding of both substantive content and 'ways of knowing'. Moreover, scholarship can serve to make pupils aware of the types of conversations which academic communities have about religion and non-religion. This session will look to explore the value of scholarship in the curriculum and a range of ways in which we can utilise scholarship in the classroom.

C6: Revolutionaries for your classroom

Stories are the beating heart of great RE, but often we just read them through a theological lens. In this session, Nikki will take some of the most familiar stories from the Dharmic and Abrahamic faiths and read them through a sociological lens to ask how these stories can become drivers of change that challenge power structures in society. The session will focus on modern movements and thinkers who have been inspired by sacred texts to become religious revolutionaries. This session is primarily aimed at KS3 but could also be useful for the GCSE themes units.

Claire Clinton

C7: National development and opportunities in RE/RVE/R&W

This session will provide school leaders the opportunity to learn more about national development and opportunities in Religious Education/Religion, Values & Ethics, Religion & Worldviews. Using RE Hubs UK as our launch pad we will see how this new website can link your school to high quality support, from free e-learning courses for ITTs & ECTs/NQTs to the leadership programme. From Kitemarked local speakers and places of Interest to local networks.

Michelle Sullivan

W1: What does challenge look like in RE?

Tuesday 23 January (5-6PM)

Showing Michelle’s journey embedding ‘high quality RE’ through the three pillars of progression, and how she caters for challenge for all learners, with a structured modelling approach to textual analysis.

Jane Yates

W2: Old Friends and Mysterious Strangers: A playful approach to building vocabulary

Tuesday 23 January (7-8PM)

Jane will share her 'tool for thinking' about vocabulary and concepts in the RE classroom. Attendees will have the opportunity to use the tool in the session and see examples from research with primary and secondary pupils. Jane's research was carried out as part of the Culham Leadership Programme.

Angela Hill

W3: Ready to Write for REtoday?

If you have ideas and practice, you’d like to shout about from the rooftops, then why not consider writing a piece for REtoday Magazine. In this informal session, meet new REtoday magazine editor, Angela Hill, who will give you ‘behind the scenes’ insight into what it takes to write a good article, and how to get published in REtoday Magazine.

Jennifer Harding-Richards, Carrie Richards, Ceris Sauro

W4: Developing ethical and religiously informed citizens

Wednesday 24 January (7-8PM)

Explores the construction of a bespoke local RVE/ RE curriculum that meets the needs of learners, as well as supporting the development of learners’ religious and ethical literacy. This fast-paced session will share a variety of curricula approaches that reflect and respond to the individual school context, incorporating the rationale and thinking behind their development as we seek to ensure high challenge, purposeful RVE for our learners. The session will be full of ideas and examples of learners work and honest reflections around the challenges and opportunities of crafting our own RVE/ RE curriculum.

Julia Diamond-Conway

W5: RE Leaders: Moving Your Subject Forward

• What do I do next with RE?
• What should I prioritise on the action plan?
• Is everything going OK in my subject?

As a leader, knowing where you are going with your subject is important and knowing that you are going in the right direction is more important still. This session looks at how you can ensure you have a good understanding of the RE happening in your school and ways in which you might decide to move it on. It will also look at how to make good use of NATRE’s Primary Subject Leader Toolkit and a variety of other resources to support you in your role as a leader of RE.