Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Ofsted announces report on RE

The long-awaited triennial Ofsted report on RE is due for publication in early October.  The report entitled Religious Education: Realising the Potential is a summary of Ofsted’s inspection survey findings of RE between 2009 and 2012. It includes a series of key findings and recommendations about improving RE. The report can be found on the Ofsted website

Update: 4/10/13 - LBC radio will be reporting on above report at 7am on Sunday 6th October. The 2007 report Making sense of religion and the 2010 Transforming religious education reports are here and here.

Source: RE Council Newsletter October 2013

Saturday, July 6, 2013

Chris Street presents 'Humanism and Animal Welfare' to Wareham Middle School


Wendy Dimmick, an RE, Music and French teacher invited Chris Street to present to 3 classes at Wareham Middle School in Dorset on 3rd and 4th July 2013.

Wendy had already given 6 lessons on Humanism to three Year 8 RE classes of 20 pupils each class. 

Chris presented arguments for and against stunning animals before killing. Halal and Kosher meat has exemptions in UK laws so that animals are not stunned. The children discussed in pairs what they thought about a recent YouGov opinion poll about religion and non-religious beliefs in England.

Chris presented what Humanists believe and answered questions that the some of the 60 year 8 children aged ~12 had pre-prepared.

Questions included:-
  • Do Humanists approve of Gay Marriage?
  • Are you a vegetarian?
  • Do you like not having to follow rules in Holy Books?
  • If you had to join a religion which one would you join? (FSM was my choice!)
  • Do Humanists believe in Demons and Spirits?
  • Do you respect religious people?


Thursday, June 20, 2013