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REC Newsletter February 2010 Print E-mail

REC Newsletter February 2010

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STRATEGIC NEWS FOR RELIGIOUS EDUCATION NATIONALLY

At the end of January the DCSF published three key documents for religious education:

1. New Guidance for Religious Education. The final version of government guidance on RE in schools and academies is  now available and can be downloaded from http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/teachingandlearning/subjects/re/guidance  It has been developed in partnership between the DCSF and member organisations of the RE Council.

 

2. New Religious Education Primary programme of Learning. RE is expressly identified as a distinct area of learning with the new primary curriculum programme as published by the QCDA

      http://curriculum.qcda.gov.uk/new-primary-curriculum/areas-of-learning/religious-education/index.aspx

     

     3. Research Report on Resources for Teaching RE.  This research by the Warwick Religions and Education Research Unit was commissioned by the DCSF as a key component of the RE Council's RE Action Plan: http://publications.dcsf.gov.uk/default.aspx?PageFunction=productdetails&PageMode=publications&ProductId=DCSF-RR197&

RE Council's response to the review - http://www.religiouseducationcouncil.org/content/view/152/45/

 

4. Letter from Schools Minister.  Diana Johnson has set out her public appreciation of the importance of religious education as a fundamental component in the primary and secondary curriculum and her encouragement that the partnership between the DCSF and the RE Council should continue to pursue its strategic efforts to strengthen the quality of RE.  http://www.religiouseducationcouncil.org/images/stories/pdf/letterschoolsminister.pdf

 

OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN DCSF CONSULTATIONS

It is possible for anybody interested in doing so to take part in any or all DCSF consultations on proposed educational developments and to hear reports on responses received.  You can arrange this by first registering on the DCSF website and identifying your areas of interest: http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/consultations/index.cfm?menu=3&ti

COURTING CONTROVERSY? TEACHING THEOLOGY AND RELIGIOUS STUDIES IN THE 21ST CENTURY

This conference will take place at the University of Leeds, 8-9 July 2010.  Keynote speakers: Anthony Reddie (The Queen’s Foundation) and Dan Cohn-Sherbok (St Mary’s University College, Twickenham.  For further details see http://prs.heacademy.ac.uk/view.html/prsevents/460


JAIN NEWS

The Bedford Council of Faiths organised its second annual Faith Fest at the Newnham Middle School, Bedford, where 9 major faiths had set up their stands to explain their beliefs to the visiting school children and answer their questions.  The JAINpedia banner was displayed prominently and brochures and information on were handed out to teachers and supervisors for use in their schools. Further information is available at   http://www.local-news.tv/your_townvillage/bedford/ 

A ten session Foundation in Jain Studies course was delivered by Dr Harshad Sanghrajka between September and December 2009 under the auspices of the Oshwal Association of UK.  Over 50 students participated and were awarded Institute of Jainology certificates.

A training day was organised by Rajiv Anand – Museum Consultant to the Jainpedia project on 9th January, 2010. 25 Volunteers turned up at the V&A Museum where they were given a tour of the Objects of Worship in Jainism, Buddhism, and Hinduism.  The V & A will be holding a Jainpedia Exhibition from April 2010 for two years.


CHURCH OF ENGLAND NATIONAL SOCIETY CONFERENCE

 The first national residential conference for Heads of RE in secondary Church of England schools, organised by the National Society, will take place at Warwick University on July 14th and 15th. There will be an opportunity to hear stimulating lectures and take part in workshops lead by Heads of RE with innovative practice to share concerning Religious Education. There will also be a presentation of the findings  of the case study  by the National Society, in parnership with the SSAT, on the impact on RE in Humanities specialist Church of England schools. Further information can be found on https://register.livegroup.co.uk/event/RE.


‘LOVE YOUR LOCAL SCHOOL’ DAYS

The Baptist Union of Great Britain Mission Department will be holding the first of these days on Thursday 4th March to help churches to develop links with their local school.  The speakers will be David Skinner from RE-Inspired, Paul Haynes from RE-Inspired and Martin Sweet from the Spinnaker Trust. The day will enable participants to learn about the various resources and materials which might be helpful in their church as they support schools and those who work in them. Click here for more details and a booking form.


DEA GLOBAL LEARNING CHARTER

The Development Education Association has developed its Global Learning Charter with a wide range of stakeholders as a way to bring together all those who believe that education and learning can help tackle the big issues that we collectively face such as climate change, intolerance and poverty.  The Charter makes the argument that the global challenges we face can’t just be left to technical and policy fixes, but needs a mass campaign of education and citizen involvement, and that this is a challenge for all of society’s institutions. A broad coalition of signatories to the Charter are committing to play their part in helping society to innovate and respond to global issues such as international poverty and climate change through helping citizens learn more about the issues and how they can do something about them.  More information available at: http://www.dea.org.uk/global_charter

 

FACE TO FAITH PROGRAMME

Face to Faith is a global schools programme which connects 11-16 year olds of different faiths and none through video conferencing technology, allowing students to learn directly with, from and about each other.  Since its launch in summer 2009, Face to Faith has grown rapidly and now operates in 12 countries: India, Pakistan, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, Jordan, Palestinian Territories, Lebanon, Australia, UK, US and Canada. Video conferences have already taken place between students in Jordan and the Palestinian Territories, Singapore and the US and within India.   For further information see www.tonyblairfaithfoundation.org/pages/schools  

 

NEWS FROM HINDU COUNCIL UK

The HCUK continues to offer an informed Hindu voice on many contemporary issues through educational establishments as well as temples.  On 3rd February it will participate in a debate on the issue of Science and Faiths at Imperial College. On 4th February it will present a Hindu outlook on issues like euthanasia and abortion to year 13 at St Michael’s Grammar School, Finchley.  On 11th February it is running a training day for the Police and Fire Department in Brent at a Hindu Temple in Cricklewood.

 

RE-SILIENCE PROJECT

Recent work has focused largely upon preparation for the pilot study and the development of the website, details of which may be found on www.religiouseducationcouncil.org  The REsilience website will be launched in February and will contain all future updates.

 

CONFERENCE FOR BAHA’I SACRE MEMBERS

The Baha'i Religious Education Agency (BREA) will be holding a day conference for Baha'is serving as SACRE members on Saturday 17 April 2010 at the Liverpool Baha'i Centre. Different workshops will be offered and BREA's new website will be launched. For more info: email 

 

THREE FAITHS FORUM

Shared Futures has started a second year of school linking and our first term has included an exciting variety of activities exploring faiths and beliefs within partner schools. Our schools are a mixture of Muslim, Jewish, Christian and non-denominational schools and each link is unique. Teachers come together once a term for training and planning purposes and create link days around a religious theme, incorporating activities into the curriculum. www.threefaithsforum.org.uk.  For more information about school linking, contact    

 

CELEBRATING RE

Preparations are well under way for a month long celebration of religious education across England and Wales in March 2011.  Schools and colleges, faith and belief communities, local communities, museums and libraries are invited to plan activities to celebrate the unique contribution of RE to the education of children and young people.  The website will be launched in mid-February. We will send out a further mailing when the site is launched.


MAKE THE FUTURE

A new video looking at ideas drawn in the main from research commissioned under the Beyond Current Horizons programme, is now available. The video, entitled Make the future, considered futures for education in the light of social and technological change over the next two decades. The video aims to inspire education leaders to think differently about the future of education and to consider the challenges and possibilities for 21st century schools. The video is available to watch at www.futurelab.org.uk/resources/multimedia/video/Video1589 .

 

VISION MAPPER

 

Another source of information to help plan for the future is www.visionmapper.org.uk,  a free web resource designed to help examine the future of education beyond 2025. The resources provided are designed to support education leadership, including headteachers, department heads, local authorities and school redesign consortia to approach long-term planning and decision making with an informed view of the future.

 

UPDATE ON PREVENT DEVELOPMENTS

The issues which the goverrnment’s Prevent agenda addresses and the activities linked to it are relevant to the work of faith communities and inter faith organisations and also for educational institutions and RE. The IFN office has therefore provided its own member bodies at intervals with briefing on its development and associated funding programmes. The latest such compilation will be available on the IFNET web site from 5 February: www.interfaith.org.uk

 

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Religious Days
for England and Wales
March
Christian: Ash Wednesday
March 09, 2011

Zoroastrian: Farvardigun
March 10, 2011

St Patrick's Day
March 17, 2011

Japanese: Shunbun No Hi
March 18, 2011


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