The Launch of the RE Agreed Syllabus 2013 What’s new? What’s good? What can happen?

RE, more than before, is focused on the questions pupils ask about the biggest issues of life. An investigative subject drawing on curiosity

Questions for God This activity enables a close connection between AT1 and AT2 It asks pupils for their own thoughts in mysterious areas and deepens theological engagement (with 6 year olds and others) The work shows progression, range and variety. It’s not very dependent on literacy skills It exemplifies the power of spiritual thinking skills and good structures to energise RE

Questions for the all-knowing: If your pupils could ask ‘the person who knows everything’ five questions, what would they ask? How do they think the ‘all-knowing’ would reply? This activity is an opening to wondering like no other in RE and can be used in any age group. Set the process in 4 steps: – Every child make up 3+ questions – Lay them all out round the class, and each choose the best one. – Say why it is puzzling, interesting, hard to answer – Suggest three ways in which ‘God’ might reply to the question

This task, to ask the questions you’d like to of ‘the person who knows everything’ is versatile across many levels. Aaron is able to work at level 2. In the RE context, he asks questions about things that matter to him. This is a high achievement for Aaron, who is in Year 1.

Why are we here? We live to die Why do we have feelings? To express our heart Is there such a thing as hell? Hell relies on your mind What is God? God is the building of our souls

The task was to suggest questions to ask of ‘the one who knows everything’. This piece of work shows that Duncan can work at level 3. Duncan can ask important questions about religion and belief. Next steps might be to suggest answers that might come from religions studied.

Zoe (9) gives evidence of achievement at level 4 – suggesting a range of answers to her puzzling religious questions and applying religious ideas for herself

Wenxin is working in one of her additional languages. She has selected ‘the best question’ to ask God / the omniscient, and suggested why it is a good question, why it is hard to answer and three things God might say in reply. She applies ideas well to the topic, and if you think she can express and explain her views in the light of religious ideas (which I do) then you can give level 5 for this piece.

Christopher, 11: can he handle questions about meaning and purpose in the light of religious beliefs he has studied? Can he give views and reasons for views that he holds, aware of others ideas? If so he is working at L5.

The Indian artist Frank Wesley’s amazing image of Jesus healing the Leper. Leprosy is still common in India today. Look at the light in the picture – it comes from the moment of touch. No one usually touches lepers. The crowd are separated from Jesus and the miracle by their fear. What do you think Wesley is trying to say in the picture? What do you like about it?

Place yourself on the blob tree How is your RE currently? What does the school need for every pupil to benefit from respectful, enquiring, spiritual and creative RE?

Religion in Oldham and the region

Islamic art and the understanding of Allah RE teachers know that the Islamic rules for representing Allah are to be taken seriously. No image of Allah could ever capture the reality of God ~ so make no images. This activity and work enables the use of some brilliant Islamic art in exploring the concept of God in Islam It’s ideal and adaptable for thoughtful work in Y5 and 6 Check out Spirited Arts Copyright

Boy, aged 12, answering a question on belief about God. Check out Spirited Arts Copyright

(We reproduce by kind permission) Ahmed Moustapha’s excellent image ‘The attributes of Divine Perfection’. This image is used in this work to support and develop pupils’ understanding of Muslim concepts of God. It incorporates 99 geometric shapes, each written with one of the beautiful names of Allah, thus expressing an Islamic understanding of the divine without making an image. Check out Spirited Arts Copyright

The Kaaba at Makkah: empty of any image since the time of the Prophet, but still full, as is the whole universe, of the presence of Allah. The centre of Islamic faith on earth: a billion face it in prayer.

Check out Spirited Arts Copyright

“I have worked with the concept that “we are created in the Image of God” and that the 99 names or attributes of God are reflected within us. So when the viewer looks at the “99 names” s/he sees the Self reflected in the mirror, and is reminded of the 99 attributes within one’s own self.” Yasmin Kathrada: Check out Spirited Arts Copyright

Muslim artist Ahmed Mater uses iron filings and a magnet block to create the swirling effect of this work of art.

Is it Ahmed Moustapha, or Yasmin Kathrada, or Ahmed Mater, who has best expressed the Muslim understanding of God / Allah? Check out Spirited Arts Copyright

“He in his essence is one, without any partner. Single without any similar Eternal without any opposite. Separate without any like He is one, prior with nothing before him From eternity without any beginning Abiding in existence without any after him To eternity without an end Subsisting without ending Abiding without termination Measure does not bind him Boundaries do not contain him.” Allah: by the medieval Muslim theologian Al-Ghazali Check out Spirited Arts Copyright

The Holy Name of Allah Jade, 8 Jade was inspired to make this by using a repeater pattern from the ICT equipment. Muslims are inspired by the holy name of Allah, Lord of the World. The painting uses Islamic rules, and doesn’t picture the divine. Check out Spirited Arts Copyright

The three progression pyramids relate closely to the 8 level scale – which will be used for the coming 5 years to picture progressions. Look across level 1 Look across level 5 Plan from these skills to the classroom, and the enquiry centre of RE will improve.

Rainbow and Scream Naomi & Faizah, Aged 15 Our work is a representation of human struggle. The face depicts an average person drowning in the problems of life. 'Where are you?' is a for help especially directed toward God as if praying for a miracle. The overwhelming colours represent the vast amount of religions, all claiming to be the truth. This agnostic view represents a number of confusing questions about God asked by many but answered by few; Who are you? Where are you? Are you even there?

Where is God today? M&Ms, Jar, Air Darcy Aged 13 The jar is the vessel of life. It contains all the things that affect and influence human lives. The M&Ms represent the main ones of these. They are: Yellow – Births Brown – Deaths Green – Celebrations Red – Suffering & Evil Blue – Individualities Orange – Disasters There’s a balance of good and bad components of life in the jar. I have chosen M&Ms because they have a sphere shape. This means that they do not fit together in the jar. The air is where we can find God, surrounding each of life's events and influences, He does not control but is never far away. I have also included only one white M&M because I wanted to show that sometimes God has felt that it is not enough to be omnipresent, so he has sent his sons and prophets to walk amongst us. Sometimes I have heard criticism about God saying that if he is omnipotent, omniscient and omni benevolent he wouldn't be allowing human suffering to take place. I do not feel that he has absolute control. He is however loving and forgiving and he ensures good will always prevail.

I am not an animal. Name Madeleine Ireton. When I was trying to leave the zoo The keeper said ‘’stop little “animal.’” I said “who?” “You.” “I am not an animal” “I walk with two legs.” “But a bird walks with two legs too.” “I can sing.” “But a bird can sing too.” “But I can sing with words and I can chatter.” “But a monkey can chatter too.” “But I can chatter with words and I can play.” “Gorillas can play too.” “But I can play at school and I can run.” “But a fox can run too.” “Not as fast as me.” And I ran away. THE END Madeleine Ireton, Age 5

Being Human We are all lights, Flickering lights, Destined to go out, Sooner or later. Together we are strong, A ball of light, In a darkening world. Those who seek to quench our lights will always fail. Our souls are impregnable fortresses. Soaring birds, Unending entities. Every light is different, Brilliant in its own way, With its own ideas and views. Even with death, There is still heat, And our fire will give life to new lights. We are all lights, Flickering lights Destined to go out, Sooner or later. Patrick McNicol, 13