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On 27 February Nick GIbb, schools minister, was asked a question in the Hosue of Commons concerning RE and the EBacc. Why not include it in the EBacc?

Hansard records the Minister speaking firmly of the value of RE and the important place it has in a broad and balanced curriculum.

T8. [96415] Hugh Bayley (York Central) (Lab): To be topical, just a moment ago the Minister of State, the hon. Member for Bognor Regis and Littlehampton (Mr Gibb), rightly pointed out the importance of the English baccalaureate in encouraging young people at secondary school to learn modern languages. In order to gain the baccalaureate, young people also have to do well in maths, science and a humanities subject—history or geography. Why not also include religious education as a possible subject here?

The Minister of State, Department for Education (Mr Nick Gibb): There has been a large written campaign about religious education and I should make the point that we regard RE as a very important part of the curriculum, as it provides a rigorous subject. However, its study is compulsory until 16 and we were concerned that if we had included it as part of the humanities element, weaker schools would have dropped history or geography and focused only on RE. We want a broad and balanced curriculum taught in our schools, including not only a humanities subject, such as history and geography, but RE.

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Details of Farmington Fellowships for 2012-2013 are now available. They are open to Secondary and Primary school teachers, teachers of RE to children with Special Educational Needs, and Headteachers.

The brochure below provides information about the nature and purpose of the Fellowships. Further details can be found on the Farmington Institures’s website. 

Fellowship_Leaflet_2012-13.pdf

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The Impact of Christian Ethos on Teaching and Learning is a unique opportunity for Church and other Christian Secondary Schools and Academies to participate in a school-based, ubniversity-led action research project. The project starts in September 2012 and will be completed by July 2013.

Full details and an application form are given below.
nicer-impact-on-schools-booklet.pdf
nicer-electronic-application-form.doc

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RE Today’s second email newsletter of the year is available now! Each newsletter contains news of new resources, publications, courses, conferences, competitions, updates on national issues and initiatives and much more. 

The newsletters are free - all you need do to receive them is sign up on the home page of the RE Today website. There is a primary and a secondary newsletter - so just let us know which you want when you sign up. Newsletters are delivered as a pdf direct into your mailbox.

W: www.retoday.org.uk
E: courses@retoday.org.uk
T: 0121 472 4242

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Amazing Grace is an exciting new religious education show from Little Sapling Theatre – a Berkshire based children’s theatre company passionate about education. Aimed at Years 3 and 4, Amazing Grace provides an engaging and enjoyable means for learning in RE.

The show tells the story of eight year-old Grace who has become interested in RE thanks to her new teacher. Through story, song and audience participation, the production explores many essential concepts in RE. For example, Grace’s discussion of belief is a starting point for exploring the subject in greater detail in class, and the investigation of spiritual qualities, such as truthfulness and kindness, reinforces every school’s moral code. A variety of religions are covered.

Each performance is accompanied by a Teacher’s pack, with pre-show activities that enhance pupils’ involvement in the play and post-show activities which reinforce the concepts learned about during the show. A CD of all the original songs is also included (one for each class group).

To ensure a unique learning experience for each child the show is performed for a maximum of 35 pupils (or one class group) at a time.

The cost is £80 per show, plus travel, with a maximum of two shows being available in one day. Multiple bookings receive a reduced rate.

If you are interested in inviting Little Sapling Theatre Company into your school see the website below for further details.
W: www.littlesaplingtheatre.com

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