| Our Executive Officer, Paul Smalley was recently invited onto the Voice of Islam radio station to join a panel discussing RE. He was joined by Waqar Ahmedi, a teacher, Ruth Marx from AREIAC and Charlotte Newman of NATRE. In the interview, Paul outlined the role of NASACRE as supporting local SACREs. He explained that SACREs bring together teachers, faith representatives and other LA representatives to advise and support Religious Education and Collective Worship within their local areas. NASACRE’s role is to provide training, guidance and professional support to SACREs, enabling them to help schools deliver high-quality Religious Education and Collective Worship across England. He argued that Religious Education is particularly important in today’s rapidly changing and increasingly diverse society. Young people are more likely than ever before to encounter people from different religious and non-religious backgrounds and therefore need the knowledge and skills to understand a complex, multi-faith and multi-secular world. He emphasised that religion and belief continue to shape the lives, values and actions of millions of people and that an understanding of religion and worldviews is essential for making sense of both global events and local communities. Religious Education, he suggested, contributes to social cohesion, interfaith understanding and informed citizenship while enabling pupils to engage thoughtfully with life’s big questions. In discussing effective practice, Paul proposed that high-quality Religious Education should be academic, authentic and applicable. It should be academic in its use of rigorous disciplinary approaches such as theology, history, sociology and textual analysis. It should be authentic by engaging pupils with the lived experiences and diverse realities of people of faith and belief. Finally, it should be applicable, equipping young people with the knowledge, understanding and communication skills needed to interpret religion and worldviews, reflect on their own perspectives and navigate adult life in a diverse society. You can listen to the broadcast at https://soundcloud.com/voislam/drive-time-show-podcast-14-1?utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing with Paul’s part beginning at 1h27. |
