2005 Conference Report
When: 1st – 2nd October 2005
Where: Wokefield Park Conference Centre, near Reading
Who: 200 RE Teachers – half primary and half secondary
What: A residential conference providing varied and topical CPD and opportunities for meeting colleagues across the country in a relaxed and sociable environment.
From a large range of seminars taken by a total of 30 experienced top RE professionals, each delegate was able to choose five seminars to attend over the course of the two days. The seminars were split between those solely for primary co-ordinators or secondary specialists to those that offered guidance for both. The topics covered varied from statutory areas like assessment to focused specialised areas such as RE, Spirituality and Gardens. For a full range of the seminars offered and their appropriate leaders please follow the links below:
See the List of Leaders for the 2005 weekend.
In-between the seminar sessions, delegates were able to continue collecting information and resources by shopping at the bookshop facilities provided. SPCK and RE Today attended the conference with a range of material to be purchased and many other publishers/companies had sent along examples of their materials with numerous leaflets and catalogues.
Most importantly, alongside all of this delegates had the invaluable opportunity to meet fellow colleagues from all over the country (& further in some cases!) and exchange experiences and ideas, thus promoting a real sense of a professional community.
Break times brought doughnuts and cakes a-plenty and for those feeling a tad guilty there was the full use of the conference centre’s sport and leisure facilities. On Saturday night, there was a formal dinner function. A seating plan based on regional areas gave the delegates even further opportunities to ‘network’ and make contacts. After dinner one could relax in the bar, head back for a quiet night before Sunday’s seminars began, or just ‘let your hair down’ and dance the night away!
Sunday brought the two final seminars and a splendid buffet lunch before everyone headed off on their separate ways – brimming with new ideas, motivations and a sense of professional value and importance.
Feedback: Below are some of the comments we received for this years conference. Generally a good time was had by all and the Weekend served to inspire and enthuse the delegates.
"Lovely setting, lovely welcome, a wonderful, relaxing weekend - & I have learnt so much!"
"Great chance to focus on RE & step back & think about the bigger picture of the subject & what is going on nationally."
"An incredible weekend that I would not have missed!! Thoroughly enjoyable, informative & inspiring."
