Annual RE Conference 2024: Let's talk about race
First published 31st January 2024The Annual Diocese of Bristol Religious Conference 2024 was held in January with the title 'Let's talk about race - the power of RE to make a change'
News
Interfaith RE Day for South Gloucestershire Schools
First published 1st January 2024We have now run two Interfaith RE days online for South Gloucestershire schools, in association with the local SACREs.
New free Relationship, Sex and Health Education materials launched
First published 16th July 2020Goodness and Mercy, the new website and resources aimed primarily at Church of England Schools, is launching this week.
Latest news from DBE 2019/20 - Term 3
First published 9th January 2020Please click the link below to download the latest Diocesan Board of Education newsletter for Term 3 (2019/20).The newsletter is for heads, teachers, governors, church school workers, clergy and anyone else who may benefit.
DBE Newsletter Term 2 2019-20
First published 8th November 2019Please click the link below to download the second Diocesan Board of Education newsletter of the year.
Deanery Academy welcomes first students
First published 4th September 2019Pupils have been welcomed to the Deanery Church of England Academy as it opened its door for the first time. The school in Wichelstowe, Swindon, saw 120 Year 7 children arrive for their first lessons on Wednesday morning.
Prayer day at Deanery Academy
First published 29th July 2019Churches from across the Swindon Deanery joined members of the wider community at the new Deanery CE Academy in Swindon to 'pray in' the school earlier in July.The school, which is due to open at the beginning of September, has already been welc
Become a member of the Diocesan Board of Education
First published 22nd May 2019The Church of England has a vision for education so that all may have life in all its fullness. The vision describes:educating for wisdom, knowledge and skills.
Mentors to support churches engaging with schools and colleges
First published 21st May 2019Thirteen trained Inspire mentors are now available to support churches to explore the ways in which they might engage with, serve and support their local schools or colleges.
Liz Townend appointed next Diocesan Director of Education
First published 13th December 2018Liz Townend has been appointed as the next Diocesan Director of Education and will take up her post on 1 March 2019, following the retirement of John Swainston.
Have your say on plans for growth at Frenchay CE Primary
First published 16th August 2018South Gloucestershire Council is asking for comments on plans to expand Frenchay CE VC Primary School and transfer it to a new site.There are currently proposals to increase the number of places available at the school from 140 to 420 with
Become a governor at a Church of England School
First published 9th August 2018Could you volunteer and become a school governor? Do you want to make a difference to the lives of children, young people and your local community? Do you enjoy working as part of a team? Are you willing to challenge and ask questions?
Horfield Primary named Literacy School of the Year
First published 16th June 2017Horfield Church of England Primary School in Bristol has been named as the 2016-17 UKLA Literacy School of the Year.
Foundation Governor case study: Christ Church Infants School, Downend
First published 23rd March 2017In my working life as a primary school teacher I had never expected or wanted to be a governor.
Foundation Governor case study: Bristol
First published 23rd March 2017Being a Foundation Governor at St Michael on the Mount Primary is, first of all, enjoyable and stimulating, above all through meeting and getting to know the staff and some of the pupils.
Foundation Governor case study: Stoke Bishop CE Primary
First published 23rd March 2017I became a Foundation Governor for the first time when I became Vicar of St Mary's in Stoke Bishop.
Foundation Governor case study: St Michael's-on-the-Mount
First published 23rd March 2017I had little idea that people became foundation governors outside their own parishes until a colleague asked me to replace him at St Michael's-on-the-Mount as he was moving away.
Statement regarding St Mary Redcliffe Primary School
First published 29th November 2016It is clear from this Ofsted report that there are areas of weakness at St Mary Redcliffe Primary School.
The vital role of chaplains in education
First published 1st September 2016Are you an existing chaplain who needs to reflect on your role? Are you someone who might consider this an area of voluntary work which you could fulfil?
Educating to Challenge Hate Crime
First published 23rd August 2016In August 2016 The Home Office published their Action Against Hate.
Church schools need Church people
First published 11th August 2016Church schools emphasise educating the whole child but need the support of Foundation governors can you help?
Exploring Beliefs Through Art
First published 4th August 2016isay:usay:wesay is an interactive teaching resource for RE/Citizenship at Key Stage 3 & 4, which explores beliefs through art.
Christmas Through the Keyhole
First published 21st July 2016Christmas Through The Keyhole
Church of England Professional Qualification for Headship (CofEPQH)
First published 21st July 2016What is the CofEPQH?
Simply Collective Worship
First published 27th June 2016Simply Collective Worship is a fully planned four year scheme of assemblies and thoughts for the day.
Church of England Vision for Education
First published 27th June 2016Please see the below document produced by The Church of England Education Office and endorsed by members of the House of Bishops.
Children of Bristol, just like me
First published 18th May 2016Children of Bristol, just like me,is a project that was initially conceived and inspired by PeterOverton, Head teacher at Easton CE Academy in conjunction with Bristol Schools Connection (a charity that is passionate about creating intentional spaces.
HM the Queens 90th Birthday Celebrations
First published 13th May 2016To celebrate HM the Queens 90th birthday every parish church and Church school are being encouraged to organise some sort of celebration or event to mark the occasion.
Multi-agency statutory guidance on female genital mutilation
First published 12th April 2016The new 'Multi-agency statutory guidance on female genitalmutilation' document is available to download.
Schools RE Newsletter, Spring 2016
First published 12th April 2016Download and read our newest RE Newsletter.RE Newsletter, Spring 2016.
Choosing a Church School - A Guide for Families
First published 16th March 2016This is a guide, created by St. Peters CofE Primary School, to inform parents what to expect when sending their child to a church school and what they can get out of it.
New School: Ridgeway Farm CE Academy, Wiltshire
First published 15th March 2016The Diocese of Bristol Academies Trust is opening a new primary school for the beginning of September 2016.
Involving Pupils in Collective Worship
First published 7th December 2015Case Study of Good PracticeSutton Benger and Langley Fitzurse in the Draycot Benefice, along with Kington St Michael who is part of the Chippenham Deanery, are schools which all have a school worship council.
Church Schoolmasters and Schoolmistresses' Benevolent Institution
First published 20th October 2015The CSSBI is a charity that provides financial support for teachers, both current and former, at the point of need.
Strengthening our church-school links
First published 16th September 2015As thousands of children and young people across the Diocese begin a new academic year.
How to create a reflective area
First published 13th August 2015RE Coordinator Samantha Fletcher shows how an infant school in Oldham transformed a corner of a room into a reflective are and transformed the quality of children's reflection as well.
Similarity and Difference Triads
First published 13th August 2015A skill-tool for thoughtful analysis of ideas, beliefs, concepts, practices and other stuff in primary and secondary RE.
FS/KS1 How and why do others celebrate?
First published 13th August 2015Mantle of the expert script to use with Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 children on the subject of 'How and why do others celebrate?'
KS1 Caring for Myself, Caring for Others
First published 13th August 2015A lesson plan to support the teaching of the KS1 AMV unit 'Caring for Myself, Caring for Others'.
Combatting extremism
First published 10th July 2015Following the highly successful conference 'From fear to belonging' run by Bristol and South Gloucestershire SACREs, resources are now available for you to use in school.
Trinity Sunday
First published 20th April 2015The Trinity is the key idea of Christianity - that God is revealed in the three persons of Father, Son and Holy Spirit.Teaching the Trinity Collective worship resources
Shavuot
First published 20th April 2015Shavuot, also called 'The Feast of Weeks', is the Jewish festival celebrating the time God gave Moses the Torah - the biblicalbooks ofGenesis, Exodus, Leviticus Numbers and Deuteronomy.Information on how Jews celebrate
Pentecost
First published 20th April 2015Pentecost is celebrated 40 days after Easter when Christians remember the descent of the third person of the Trinity - the Holy Spirit.
Isra and Mi'raj
First published 20th April 2015These are the Muslim celebrations of the Prophet Muhammad's 'night journey' from Mecca to Jerusalem on an amazing horse and then up to heaven.
Ascension
First published 20th April 2015Ascension Day is one of the main Christian Holy Days. It celebrates the human body of Jesus (God the Son) going up to heaven to join God the Father 40 days after the Resurrection.
Peace Education
First published 16th April 2015Peace education covers a range of work with young people, from inner peace and mindfulness to an understanding of issues of global justice, and is inextricably linked to the fundamental British values of the rule of law, mutual respect and tolerance.
Faith and dance
First published 16th April 2015Want to offer pupils a different way to engage with faith?
Christian Concepts Unpacked
First published 11th November 2014The Christian Concepts Unpacked resources have been developed to support the teaching of Christianity in schools under three main themes: 'Prophecy', 'Salvation' and 'Trinity'.
'Reconciliation in action' - Archbishop of Canterbury on church schools
First published 10th November 2014Archbishop Justin Welby recently addressed a conference of church school leaders and Chairs of governing bodies in the Diocese of Birmingham.
KS2 RE - Christianity in Action
First published 3rd November 2014This award winning resource is a creative, innovative way of opening up and applying Christian belief and teaching. The entry follows fictional 18-year-old Jim on his gap-year journey to Uganda.
Body Prayer Movements
First published 10th September 2014A great way to engage a class at the same time as stilling the pupils.
Foundation Governor: case study
First published 1st September 2014Sally Sibley has been a Foundation Governor at St. Barnabas Church of England Primary School near Bristol for two years and explains the positive impact she makes to the development of the school and the education of its children.
Teaching the Trinity
First published 29th July 2014A collection of thirty ideas for teaching at Key Stages 1 and 2 about the distinctive Christian understanding of God.
Excellent Christianity lesson plans
First published 25th July 2014These lesson plans for KS1 and KS2 are from Christian Concepts Unpacked' which has been developed by Sailsbury Diocese.
Schools encouraged to Open the Book
First published 31st March 2014Bishop Mike and senior church leaders from across Bristol are encouraging congregations to form new links with their local schools through the Open the Book Bible stories programme
Schools in your parish
First published 11th February 2014In 2013, Archbishop Justin Welby stressed the centrality of schools to the Church's mission to the nation.
Schools fight food poverty - case study
First published 29th November 2013The Loaves and Fishes project, run by The Sisters of the Church, is a well known food bank in inner-city Bristol.
Transforming minds with distinctive values
First published 22nd October 2013What does Christian education look like and how is it better?
Local RE - John Wesley and Bristol
First published 16th October 2013Awareness, Mystery and Value: Key Stage 2 Unit 9 How should we live and how can John Wesley inspire us? This series of approximately 7 lessons is intended to provide a set of learning activities in RE for a Year 5/6 class. It was written by Rev Dr Jack.
Bring faith to life in schools
First published 15th July 2013Its not always easy to know how to make the Christian faith known and real to children and young people in their school context.
Schools central to Church's mission, says Archbishop
First published 5th July 2013Archbishop Justin Welby asserted the centrality of schools to the Church's mission to the nation as he hosted a seminar called Church of England: Education and our Future.
Lesson plans: What does it mean to belong to a religion? ISLAM
First published 14th May 2013This unit explores aspects of festivals, celebrations, practices and communities and the beliefs to which they relate.
Lesson plans: What does it mean to belong to a religion? HINDUISM
First published 14th May 2013This unit explores aspects of festivals, celebrations, practices and communities and the beliefs to which they relate.
Lesson plans: What do people believe about life?
First published 14th May 2013This unit explores ideas about the natural world and our place in it, and relates them to religious and other beliefs.
Lesson plans: How do people express their beliefs and identity?
First published 14th May 2013This unit explores how religions and beliefs employ signs, symbols and the arts to express aspects of human nature.
Lesson plans: Why do religious books and teachings matter? THE BIBLE
First published 14th May 2013This unit explores how the Christian religion and beliefs express values and commitments in written form and how value is attached to the writings.
Lesson plans: What does it mean to belong to a religion? SIKHISM
First published 14th May 2013This unit explores aspects of Sikh festivals, celebrations, practices and communities and the beliefs to which they relate.
Sowing seeds: church/school links
First published 13th May 2013The Department for Children and Young People is refreshing its initiative to encourage congregations across the Diocese to take the fruitful but sometimes neglected opportunity of engaging with schools in their communities.
Lesson plans: What can we learn from the life and teaching of Jesus
First published 10th May 2013This unit explores aspects of the person, life and teaching of Jesus and how they relate to Christian life, practices, celebrations and the pattern of Christian festivals.
Lesson plans: How should we live and who can inspire us?
First published 10th May 2013This unit explores positive examples of how to live, values and commitments of faith founders, how actions of people of faith have changed the world.
Lesson plans: How do we make moral choices?
First published 10th May 2013This unit explores how religious beliefs affect approaches to moral issues. This series of 9 or 10 lessons is intended to provide a set of learning activities for a Year 4 class (and may be adapted for a Y3 class).
Lesson plans: What is important to me?
First published 10th May 2013This unit explores ideas of what it is to be human and relates them to religious and other beliefs.
Sanctity of Life / What does it mean to be a human?
First published 6th March 2013These two fun exercises are useful starting points for many discussions about how we value different life-forms and how we decide which are better than others.
Persona dolls - Elizabeth the Christian and her Church
First published 6th March 2013Persona dolls are a great way to introduce young children to ideas like other religions.
Home School Values
First published 7th February 2013A fantastic new resource, Home Schools Values helps schools communicate their Christian values to their parents or guardians and communities.
MP sees RE makes sense of the world
First published 5th December 2012The MP for Bristol West, Stephen Williams, visited Bristol Cathedral Choir School in November at the invitation of teachers campaigning for a proper understanding of the value of RE.
Poetry Emotion
First published 26th October 2012Poetry Emotion contains a treasure trove of original poems to stimulate a child's observation and deep thinking; to affirm individuality and a sense of belonging; to express a myriad of feelings; and to develop meaningful skills for living.
Primary School Assemblies for Religious Festivals
First published 26th October 2012Here you will find 37 fun and thoughtful assemblies that celebrate the multi-faith make-up of British schools today.
Harvest ideas for Early Years and Foundation Stage
First published 19th September 2012A Wet and Windy Harvest for Puddles is a must to support topic work on Harvest celebrations in school or nursery settings.
New Diocese-sponsored Academy opens in Bristol
First published 6th September 2012On 2 September, the new Fishponds Church of England Academy in Bristol became the first Academy sponsored by the Diocese, opening its doors for the first year of its new status.
Creative prayer - 'lectio divina'
First published 25th July 2012This article from the Youth Ministry and Spirituality Project looks at the practice of 'lectio divina' - a forever fresh way of reading scripture and praying.
Bristol schools competition winners 2012!
First published 28th June 2012BRISTOL SCHOOLS COMPETITION WINNERS CELEBRATE 350TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER
Models of Partnership
First published 11th June 2012The attached document provides a brief overview of different ways of working in partnership with other schools to support, amongst other things, sustainability, school improvement and financial stability.
Persona dolls - Joe the Jewish boy and his Synagogue
First published 16th May 2012Persona dolls are a great way to introduce young children to ideas like other religions.
Persona dolls: Rita the Hindu and her Mandir
First published 16th May 2012Persona dolls are a great way to introduce young children to ideas like other religions.
Persona dolls - Malkit the Sikh and his Gurdwara
First published 16th May 2012Persona dolls are a great way to introduce young children to ideas like other religions.
Persona dolls - Hassan the Muslim and his Mosque
First published 16th May 2012Persona dolls are a great way to introduce young children to ideas like other religions.
Church and Primary Academy in Westbury-on-Trym
First published 14th May 2012In Westbury-on-Trym, the parish church and CofE primary school (the first in the diocese to convert to academy status) are working together to provide a distinctively Christian education and ethos for local families.
Early Years RE - Persona Dolls
First published 29th April 2012Many teachers speak of the power of having familiar persona dolls in the classroom and the imaginative way in which young children can exercise their curiosity about difference.
The Church School of the Future
First published 25th March 2012On Friday (23rd March) the Church of England called for church schools to robustly assert their Christian ethos and foundation.
Hinduism lesson plans for Key Stage 2
First published 23rd March 2012Download ten lesson plans to coverKS2 Unit 10:What does it mean to belong to a religion? HINDUISM for the Awareness, Mystery and Value agreed syllabus.
Key Stage 2 lesson plan: What can we learn from the life and teaching of Jesus?
First published 22nd March 2012Ten lesson plans to cover KS2 Unit 2: What can we learn from the life and teaching of Jesus? for the Awareness, Mystery and Value scheme of work.
Key Stage 2 lesson plan: How should we live and who can inspire us?
First published 22nd March 2012Six lesson plans to coverKS2 Unit 9:How should we live and who can inspire us?
Spiritual Development - progression in spirituality
First published 28th February 2012Inspectors also evaluate how well the school promotes the pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.
RE and Reasoning Skills (Key Stage 3 / Key Stage 4)
First published 6th February 2012This presentation by RE specialist Dilywn Hunt explores reasons and reasoning, and how to help pupils marshal an argument.
Raising the profile of RE in your school
First published 6th February 2012A presentation on raising the profile of RE in your school from the 2012 SACRE conference by Dilwyn Hunt.
Teaching Christianity Well: The Key Ideas behind the Christian Story for Key Stage 2
First published 6th February 2012Ideas and resources for Key Stage 2 on explaining key themes in Christian belief and practice.
RE Through Games and Drama: the role of the RE Co-ordinator EYFS + KS1
First published 6th February 2012A presentation on RE through games and drama and the role of the RE-cordinator at EYFS and KS1 from the 2012 SACRE conference by Margaret James.
Assessment for Learning in RE (Key Stage 3 / Key Stage 4)
First published 6th February 2012Three presentations on Assessment for Learning in RE from the 2012 SACRE conference, by Esther Messinger, Julian Selman and Leah Osborne.
Getting to grips with AT2 to raise attainment in RE
First published 6th February 2012A presentation on getting to grips with AT2 to raise attainment in RE from the 2012 SACRE conference by Dilwyn Hunt.