Religious Education Network

Working Together for Outstanding Religious Education

Religious Education Network

This is a new association, formed in 2023, following a series of meetings hosted by the Ian Ramsey Centre for Science and Religion, in the Faculty of Theology and Religion, University of Oxford.

For further information about joining this growing network, including subscription rates, please email [email protected].

REN Conference 2024: A Feast of Faith

Put this date in your diaries: Saturday 23rd November 2024

The REN is delighted to announce its inaugural conference, with high-profile keynote speakers, led by Sir Anthony Seldon, themed on AI and the future of education, and the place of faith literacy in future schooling.

Join in with your choices from eight interactive workshops on all aspects of RE teaching including the launch of the draft of the new Theology, Philosophy and Religion curriculum, visit displays and enjoy networking and sharing opportunities. The venue is The Broadway Academy, The Broadway, Perry Barr, Birmingham, B20 3DP. The Broadway Academy is rated ‘good’ in all categories by Ofsted and provides excellent facilities for our conference.

Full details will appear very soon on this website and for our mailing list of members.

Applications may be made via: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdxIX_G7V_G2vBnWaypyXFwUgEBQg88X7Tjiel5G28rnZLXog/viewform?vc=0&c=0&w=1&flr=0&usp=mail_form_link

Deep and meaningful? The Ofsted religious education subject report, April 2024

The Religious Education Network welcomes this Ofsted Report, and we hope that its Recommendations can now form the basis for positive action by Government ministers. Some 50 schools agreed to be surveyed from 2021 – 2023, half primary and half secondary (of which 15 had sixth forms). This might be considered unrepresentative granted the 25,000+ schools and colleges in the country, but readers will find the Report’s conclusions do reflect the wider picture well.

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Religion and Worldviews. REALLY?

Do you know that the current extensive promotion of Religion and Worldviews by major resourcers and providers of RE has no Government support and it is not a part of Government policy?

The Department for Education does not advise schools on what the content of their RE curricula should be, nor does it endorse the National Content Standard and views it in the same way as any other curriculum-related document produced by a non-statutory body i.e. it is a view shared by some key RE stakeholders which schools may form their own opinions of, but the NCS requires no particular action by the DfE.

See the REN response to the National Content standard on the News and What’s On page, and Professor Keith Ward’s article.

Check the new list of upcoming events on the News and What’s On page

Latest news

Personal Knowldeged analysed

Richard Coupe gave this talk at the June conference of the Association of University Lecturers in RE and the Assocaition of RE Inspectors, Advisors and Consultants

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Religion and Worldviews

Have you got your copy yet? If you are a thinking and reflective teacher of RE you need to read this book: Religion and Worldviews: The Triumph of the Secular in Religious Education

Are you a member of a SACRE? Thinking of becoming one?