RE News Welcome to the fourth edition of RE News. Thank you to everyone who has contributed so far. We would love to hear about what is going on in your school and welcome any feedback about the newsletters. If you have any ideas for future editions of RE News or you would like your school to feature, please contact either Olivia Seymour [email protected] or Celia Roberts [email protected] Our Feature School Egton CE (VA) Primary School We are a small Voluntary Aided primary school high on the Moors near Whitby. We pride ourselves on being a ‘Family’ and having a close relationship between governors, staff, pupils, parents and the community. We have particularly strong links with our churches, St Hilda’s Egton and St. Matthew’s Grosmont. Our Vicar, the Reverend Christine Haddon-Reece, makes regular visits to the school and our children often contribute to services at both churches. Recently we made a beautiful Advent Bag with help from a Foundation Governor (and village resident), Carolyn Pittock. This bag contained Mary and Joseph figures, a Nativity Story and a note book to write in thoughts and prayers. During Advent, the bag spent one night in each of the homes of the children of our school, symbolising Mary and Joseph’s journey to Bethlehem. Families really engaged with the project and there were some wonderful comments written in the book. Mrs Pittock has also been helping us design and make our table cloths

for Collective Worship. The cloths reflect our local area and the special times in the church year. We may be small with What’s inside? only 32 pupils but we are always up to something! Primary feature 2

Secondary feature 2

Mrs. Liz Orland Spiritual Development feature 3 HeadTeacher Local and national updates 3

Network Groups 4

Aspiring Leaders training Collective Worship workshop day 10 February 2010 Training and Events update Tickton Grange, 16 March 2010 Bishopthorpe Palace, York Bishopthorpe Palace, York 18 March 2010 Leader: Various Spring 2010 Leader: Various Ministry through schools 9 March 2010 Respect through RE 28 April 2010 (Christian Governors serving community schools) (RE and community cohesion) Diocesan House, York Bishopthorpe Palace, York Leader: Diocesan Education Team Leader:Lat Blaylock For more details please contact our administrator Anita Ranyell at [email protected] or go to www.dioceseofyork.org.uk Primary RE Focus REthink Days

The REthink Days were a great success again this year. Over 400 children took part in the recent REthink days at , St Augustine’s Church Hall, St Francis of Assisi Church and Parish Centre and also at St John’s Drypool Hull. The theme for the REthink days was ‘Light and Dark’, thinking in particular about Jesus being the light of the world. Here are some accounts from schools that took part.

Carlton and Faceby CE (VA) Primary School

During the RE Action day held by York Diocese the children were fully engaged in a range of exciting activities that all focussed upon the theme of light and dark. One highlight of the day for the Carlton and Faceby children was the team building exercise in which they had to cooperate with each other to make their group into shapes of lighthouses, candles. The children still months later are able to recite the passage from the Bible taken from John. A thoroughly worthwhile experience for the children. St Francis of Assisi CE (VA) Primary School

Initially the children were very excited about the proposed activity day and it lived up to their expectations. Every child was actively involved in each session which led to a very busy, exciting and tiring day. The drumming and percussion session was very active and the children were enthused by it. The opportunity to use the large drums and different cultural percussion instruments as part of a larger group was challenging and rewarding. The children enjoyed the chimes and singing session, especially being able to alter the words to the songs to make them more personal – and relevant to their lives. The Art sessions allowed a quieter time for the children to reflect on their lives in relation to the objective of shining like stars for God. The children found the new experience in Godly play interesting. Exploring the Nativity in terms of a journey gave a different slant to the Christmas story and the opportunity to ask questions afterwards was much appreciated by all the children. The games sessions were excellent. The mix of physical activity and humour from the team won the children over and provided a very clear message which they were eager to hear. Overall the children had an enjoyable day with a wide range of different experiences and opportunities. It is definitely something which we would be interested to take part in again. Thornaby on Tees CE (VC) Primary School

We arrived at St Francis Church and were warmly welcomed. We began the day with a fun activity involving a bible quote and balloons and we were soon word perfect on the quote from the Gospel according to St John. Then, all the children were dispersed to the various activities. Every activity focussed on RE and helped the children to think of others in a fun and interesting way. We played a variety of instruments and sang, we heard the Christmas story and drew pictures, we made hand prints and stars. We also played games to help us work together. Finally, all the groups came together for the final performance. It was TERRIFIC ! Many many thanks to all concerned. Secondary RE Focus Church Secondary Schools National RE Conference

Making Religious Education Even Better 13/14th July 2010 University of Warwick, Coventry This is the first national conference for the Heads of Religious Education (RE) in Secondary Schools and Church of England Academies. Guest speakers include Andrew Wright, Professor of Religious and Theological Education at Kings College London and George Brooke, Professor of Biblical Criticism and Exegesis at the University of Manchester.

To register and for more information please visit the conference at https://register.livegroup.co.uk/event/RE

Please note the conference is generously supported by St Gabriel's Trust. There is a minimal £25 per delegate fee to support the operating costs of the conference.

Spiritual Development Focus

St Martin’s CE (VA) Primary School, Fangfoss Prayer Day

The children were buzzing with excitement about Pray Day. Everyone had been involved in writing a Prayer to go on their prayer person that they would send up on their balloon. Each class had looked at different ways and reasons to pray. Foundation had made prayer plates that were divided in four and pictures drawn to show prayers of thanks, love, sorry and help. KS1 made wax prayer flowers where they had written their prayer of thanks in the centre of the flower. The magic was that the children didn’t know what would happen to their flower when it was placed on water until the day! The children are still talking about how “brilliant” it was. Some have even gone home and made more at home. Lower KS2 made & decorated prayer beads looking at different ways of praying. Upper KS2 made prayer hands and wrote their own or chose a prayer from a given selection, that they felt expressed thanks, forgiveness, help and awe & wonder. There were some truly heartfelt prayers that showed some deep thinking. All this work culminated with our balloon launch. The sun shone, the wind was blowing a lot and the children took a moment to think about what was on their prayer person, then we had a count down and released our balloons. It was a spectacular sight and one I’m sure the children will remember for a long time.

Theresa Brindley RE Co-ordinator Network Groups

Dates for future network meetings: New Group

South Kilvington – Wednesday 24th February 2010 1.30-4.00. Visit to Middlesbrough Hindu centre & Mosque, Waterloo Road. An opportunity to meet members of the faiths and discuss taking children on visits -learning outside the classroom. (contact Celia Roberts for further information)

Ledston, Lady Elizabeth Hastings Thursday 25th February 2010 3.30-5.00. This is the first meeting of this new group (contact Celia Roberts for further information)

Egton – Tuesday 2nd March 2010 4-5.30 This is the first meeting of this new group (contact Olivia Seymour for further information)

Escrick/York - Thursday 25th March 2010 3.30-5.30 Visit to Madhyamaka Kadampa Buddhist Centre, Pocklington. Start with tea at 3.30pm in the Peace Café. We are then free to wonder at our leisure and ask questions of anyone we meet. No charge but teachers will have to pay for their own refreshments. (contact Celia Roberts for further information)

Secondary RE and chaplaincy network - Thursday 27th May 2010 (contact Olivia Seymour for further information)

In order to book a place at any of the above meetings please contact Anita Ranyell our administrator, but if you have a query regarding a particular network meeting please contact the adviser responsible for that meeting in brackets above.

Canon Dr Ann Lees: Diocesan Director of Education Viv Todd: Assistant Diocesan Director of Education Simon Quartermaine: School Buildings Officer Anita Ranyell: Team Administrator & PA to the Diocesan Director of Education Celia Roberts: Education Adviser Olivia Seymour: Education Adviser

Diocesan Board Dr Bob Duerden: Education Consultant of Education Who’s Who? email: [email protected] phone: 01904 699511 fax: 01904 699510