Making links with universities
Making links with a university Religious Studies department can have enormous benefits for you and for your students. Below are details of universities who work with schools. Some of them run student events in university, some send undergraduate and postgraduate students to work with schools, some offer teacher subject knowledge support.
| University (Department/Unit) | Academic contact and a departmental email | School Activities | Teacher Subject Knowledge Enhancement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bath Spa University | Dr Paul Reid-Bowen schoolofhumanitiesadmin@bathspa.ac.uk | - IGNITE - Interactive Curriculum Workshops 'Encounters with Ideas' for local schools. - University Experience Days for A-Level students from local schools. | - Learn, Teach, Lead RE Conference for West of England, June 2019. - Farmington Scholarships for RE teachers to undertake research. |
| Canterbury Christ Church University | Dr Maria Diemling trpe@canterbury.ac.uk | Undergraduates visiting school Lecturers or post-graduates visiting schools Hosting school visits Teacher subject knowledge conferences | TBC |
| Durham University | Christopher Insole
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| Edge Hill University | Dr Chris Greenough SFESupportTeam@edgehill.ac.uk | Initial Teacher Education; Visits to schools and colleges; Visits to campus; Trainee teachers visiting schools/on placements. Visits; invited talks/webinars; trainee teacher placements; partnership. | CPD for teachers; MA in Educational Inquiry; MRes/PhD by research; Support for NQTs. Religion Now seminar series; MA/MRes/PhD. |
| Lancaster University | Dr Brian Black b.black@lancasater.ac.uk | School Visits Zoom Visits Hosting campus visits Student conferences Podcasts on Hinduism and Buddhism | Teachers' conferences on Hinduism and Buddhism |
| Leeds Trinity University | Dr Suzanne Owen hello@leedstrinity.ac.uk | Please contact the university for details. | See https://www.leedstrinity.ac.uk/study/information-for-teachers/ |
| Liverpool Hope University | Patrice Haynes humanities@hope.ac.uk | Theology, Philosophy and Religious Studies taster lectures (visiting schools or hosting school visits) School conferences hosted on campus or at schools. | MA in Theology, Philosophy and Religion MA in Bible and Pastoral Contexts MA in African Christianity MRES (in the areas of Philosophy, Theology and Religious Studies) |
| Newman University Birmingham | Prof Susan Docherty | Learning days for students in Years 12 and 13 Staff visits to schools and FE Colleges Hosting school visits | Annual CREDO Day - staff development for RE teachers in Catholic schools Programme of events hosted by the Newman Research Centre for the Bible and its Reception |
| St Mary's University, Twickenham | Dr Jeremy Pilch jeremy.pilch@stmarys.ac.uk | School visits by staff and students Mini-lectures in schools by staff A level conferences Hosting school visits to campus National Y13 A level Essay Competition | MA Theology MA Catholic School Leadership MA RE |
| The Open University | Paul-Francois Tremlett FASS-SSGS-ReligiousStudies@open.ac.uk | Talks/lectures HE Taster sessions | CPD for teachers Teaching resources |
| The University of Glasgow | Scott Spurlock Scott.Spurlock@glasgow.ac.uk | Campus visits | Workshops for RE teachers |
| University of Aberdeen | Tom Greggs divrs@abdn.ac.uk | A level resource page on faculty website Faculty School Visits Master Class Days Gifted and Talented Days School Visit Days for Scottish Highers Invitation to Gifford and other public lectures | CPD Website resources on faculty website Full day workshops for teachers 'Leading from the Front' conference Availability to provide subject enhancement Invitation to Gifford and other public lectures Articles written in education and school journals |
| University of Birmingham | Dr Karen Wenell study-theology-ug@contacts.bham.ac.uk | Undergraduates visiting school A level/GCSE conferences Lecturers or post-graduates visiting schools Presentation at progression conferences Hosting school visits Teacher subject knowledge conferences | Theology and Religion MA Theology and Religion MRes Religion, Politics and Society MA/Diploma/Certificate Islamic Studies MA Philosophy of Religion and Ethics MA/Diploma Philosophy of Religion and Ethics MA by Distance Learning Practical Theology Doctorate (DPT) Theology and Religion PhD/MA by Research (on campus or by distance learning) |
| University of Bristol | Dr Lindsey Askin | Access2Bristol Hosting school visits | TBC |
| University of Cambridge (Faculty of Divinity) | Dr D Redhead outreach@divinity.cam.ac.uk | Online resources for teachers and pupils Undergraduates visiting school GCSE and A level conferences Lecturers or post-graduates visiting schools Hosting school visits | Teacher subject knowledge conferences Professional training for teachers |
| University of Chester (Department of Theology and Religious Studies) | Dr Wendy Dossett | A level conferences, Symposia and Summer Schools A Level Webinar Series Lecturers or post-graduates visiting schools Undergraduates visiting school Hosting school visits Teacher subject knowledge conferences NATRE Student Ambassadors National A level Competition What’s the Big Idea? | Culham St Gabriel’s Masters Scholarships MA Theology MA Religious Studies Standalone modules available |
| University of Edinburgh | Professor Jolyon Mitchell Divinity@ed.ac.uk | Academic staff visiting schools Annual Discovery Days for Highers RMPS pupils across Scotland Hosting school visits | Teacher CPD days Online resources, including dedicated blog for Buddhism teaching resources Various postgraduate degree options |
| University of Exeter | Dr Susannah Cornwall theology@exeter.ac.uk | Lecturers visiting schools Schools subject study-day on campus Essay competition Exeter Scholars. Exeter Scholars programme. Annual schools conference day. A-Level/IB student essay prize competition. School-based and campus-based activity. Guest lectures. | Schools subject study-day on campus. See resources for teachers on topics such as uses of the Bible in environmental ethics, at exeter.ac.uk/theology |
| University of Leeds | Dr Jasjit Singh | Visits to schools/HE taster sessions Subject-knowledge enhancement/CPD for teachers Presentations on Religion, Media and Representation Presentations on Sikh ethics and worldviews Presentations on South Asian migration to Britain | CPD for teachers on South Asian Migration to Britain Hindu migration to Britain Muslim migration to Britain Sikh ethics and worldviews Happy to work with teachers to meet individual needs |
| University of Manchester | Sonja Bernhard sonja.bernhard@manchester.ac.uk | Undergraduates visiting school Lecturers or post-graduates visiting schools Hosting school visits Discover Days (KS5) Collaboration with OxNet (KS5) | Teacher CPD workshops |
| University of Nottingham | Tim Hutchings tim.hutchings@nottingham.ac.uk | National A-Level Essay Contest (David Garlick Prize for Best A-Level Essay in Religious Studies, Theology, and Philosophy) Ways To Study History talks (on-site and at schools) Staff Visits to Schools and Colleges Hosting School Visits | happy to work with teachers to meet individual subject knowledge needs |
| University of Winchester | Dr Marika Rose marika.rose@winchester.ac.uk | HE Taster Sessions RE Revision Sessions Lecturers or post-graduates visiting schools/colleges | MA / PG Dip / PG Cert Death, Religion and Culture (distance learning) MA / PG Dip / PG Cert Reconciliation and Peacebuilding (distance learning) |
| University of Worcester | Prof. Stephen Parker s.parker@worc.ac.uk | Visits to schools/HE taster sessions Guest lectures A-level conferences Subject-knowledge enhancement/CPD for teachers Staff coaching and mentoring, career and professional development | Masters modules in religious education within an MA/PGDip/PGCert |
| York St John University | Professor Esther McIntosh / Dr Mark Dawson | HE taster sessions RE revision sessions GCSE/A level topic input/debates | CPD modules/conference input MA, PGDip, PGCert Religion in Society |
Why not contact them and see how you can develop a partnership?
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Promoting RS at university and as a career
Becoming a RE Teacher - Beyond the Ordinary
Do you want a challenging and rewarding career helping young people engage with the big questions in life? Visit Culham St Gabriel's website to find out more how to become an RE teacher!
Religious Education Teaching - Beyond the Ordinary
These documents give suggestions about how to become a teacher and the benefits of teaching RE.
Promoting the teaching of RE with undergraduates
This short article gives an account of how a secondary school in Cambridge promoted the teaching of RE through the Faculty of Divinity at the University of Cambridge. It provides a possible template for other university departments to consider.
Theology Taster Day Article
This short article was written by a secondary school pupil about how a school and university are working together to promote theology as a degree course.
The value of RE for careers
Studying RE at GCSE and A Level can provide invaluable life skills, offer opportunities to further education and enhance careers.
What can I do with a degree in TRS?
Theology Religious Studies UK, the member organisation for those lecturing in Theology, Religious Studies and its related disciplines, have produced a PowerPoint for secondary RE teachers to use in the classroom. This presentation showcases why taking the subject at A level and for a degree is a wise choice.
The presentation can be downloaded from our website.
The TRS website has more details and links to graduate videos.
Supporting ITT applications, especially subject knowledge enhancement
Slideshow ITT
This PPT can be used to promote the TeachRE course with undergraduates and graduates who want to boost their subject knowledge before and/or during a PGCE or other QTS programme. It provides a summary of the TeachRE Subject Knowledge course and how to apply.
Introduction Trainee Handbook Subject Knowledge
This is the handbook given to TeachRE trainees when they begin the course. This could be given to students when you show the Slideshow about the TeachRE Course, or given to students who feel they need a subject knowledge enhancement programme in order to apply for teacher training.
