Introduction

RE in schools

Many people still think that RE in schools is about ‘converting people’. Parents – and some teachers – don’t know about the legislation and teaching that makes RE in Britain a unique subject, concerned with both learning from and learning about religions, enshrined in statue, obligatory in schools, yet not part of the national curriculum.

There can be confusion, too, about the role of faith communities, and what it means to teach RE in a multi-cultural climate.  The same legislation applies to all schools, whether  tiny rural primary schools or the largest inner city secondary school, but it is moderated locally by specially appointed committees. Every school is also expected to have an RE co-ordinator.

Into all this, willing or otherwise, steps the church representative. Members of the clergy will find that there are certain expectations about their presence and purpose in school settings. Of course, not all these expectations are either informed or reasonable! But at the same time, the rewards of becoming involved with the local school can be immense for all parties – a situation that more and more clergy and schools are recognising. Since this website was first published, we have been able to edit it with a much more positive message; awareness has grown significantly in the last five years.

The Clergy and RE website is designed as a reference point for clergy who go into schools. However, feedback tells us that many other people also use it. Existing training courses can use it to complement or focus their work. Teachers and Head Teachers can find ideas for developing a creative relationship with their local clergy. It is a resource for governors, too. This kind of mutual understanding is a key to the successful partnership of clergy and schools.

Included for the first time in the new edition of the Clergy & RE website is a collection of video clips from a whole range of practitioners together with some classroom images, and updated information about inspection.  We hope you enjoy using the resource and will visit the website again.

Please send your comments to us at enquiries@culham.ac.uk

Diana Lazenby
Producer
Clergy and RE