1. This image of ‘the impossible village’ is a focus for work over many hours on the way that a plural village models a better, tolerant community.

2. All Saints Primary School, Sandwell: a special RE week on respect for everyone
All Saints decided to have a special week of work on RE, with a focus on respect for everyone. All age work and learning outside the classroom linked with design and thinking skills activities in a creative and dynamic mix.

3. Pupils were involved in collaborative work for a ‘Respect through RE’ week. Different ages worked together.
Maya: ”So we could understand the concepts we then went on a walk around the local area to see what we could find that represented them. Here are some of our ideas.”

4. Peace
Pupils went out into the local community to take photos inspired by 5 different concepts.
Elisha: “Peace - on our walk we saw a cemetery. As this is a place of rest for people, it represented the peace that comes at the end of life. The cemetery is quiet and a place for reflection and time to think about the past.”

5. Harmony
‘Harmony’ is symbolised by the co-operative activity of these pupils – they are not all the same, but they work together
Sharntay: “Harmony - Our school is a place of harmony where all different people of different walks of life can all come together to achieve to the best of their potential.

6. Kindness
This group chose the Hospital as a place that signals kindness
Mia: “Kindness - Not far from school is Sandwell Hospital, this is an important place of kindness as doctors and nurses help those in need.”

7. Conflict
Pupils picked this as an example of conflict in the community: sometimes traffic accidents cause suffering. Elodie: “We decided that the traffic represents conflict. There are lots of people rushing about their daily routine and we could hear lots of horns beeping because people got in their way. A bit of peace is needed!”

8. Faith
This group chose church and gurdwara to show the place of faith in Sandwell: “In our local area we have lots of religious buildings, such as the church and the gurdwara where people put their faith in religion.”

9. This image of ‘the impossible village’ is a focus for work over many hours on the way that a plural village models a better, tolerant community.

10. Younger pupils were involved in thinking about what makes them special and then about how we are all different

11. Pupils were invited to create the perfect community – in a few sessions they all planned a collective project to show how Sandwell can be better, more respectful.

12. Lots of activities for the 4-5 year olds explored what makes them special as well as what makes us all different. Mati: “Year 1 and 2 have been looking at the Rainbow Fish Story. As they have been looking at the story they have been thinking hard about how we respect other and respect the environment. They have also been thinking about prayers that they could write to pray for respect.”

13. Tyrese: “Reception and nursery have been doing lots of work around the idea of respecting each other. They have been playing circle time games and sharing their new teddy with each other. They decided that it should be called Freddie the Teddy”
Bryn: “Nursery have also been sharing the snack trolley with their new friends and chatting together. They have also been playing lots of games and having fun whilst sharing with their new friends.”

14. Lots of pupils in KS2 created ‘identity images’ for themselves
Lots of pupils in KS2 created ‘identity images’ for themselves. Identity work goes with diversity work.

15. Pupils chose and designed their own buildings for the ‘perfect community’.

16. These two wanted to have a Barnardo’s charity in the local community to help children with problems.

17. Sonia: “Year 3 and 4 have been thinking about respect too, looking at the commitments they make in life to many different things. They have been thinking about the respect they need to show towards a commitment and the hard work it takes. Year 3 and 4 have also been thinking about 'why am I special?”
Amy: “After we had explored the local area to find out about the respect that goes on in our community, we then made our own 'Respectful Village'. Have a look at our pictures to see what we did.”
Alex B: “As you can see from our pictures, we all worked together, respecting each others ideas and opinions to create a village that shows how everyone can work and live together, supporting each other.”
Laura: “Our respectful village shows how everyone can work and live together to help and support each other. All around us are the key concepts of respect, peace, harmony, kindness, faith and hope along with conflict at times.”

18. These three felt that a better way of recycling would improve the community.

19. Everyone was involved

20. Collaborative and co-operative learning, team planning and group work were an important part of the experience

21. Taking pride in the work

22. The streets of the ‘perfect Sandwell’ came together slowly
The streets of the ‘perfect Sandwell’ came together slowly. Jessica: “Our model village which shows how everyone can live and work together in a respectful environment. A lot of the children this week have been doing activities to explore the ideas of respect.”

23. Religious buildings for all the different communities were designed and created

24. Some of the models included inside detail, based on visits to the places of worship

25. Lucy: “As you can see, everybody at All Saints has been able to understand the true meaning of the word respect. We are lucky enough to live in a school that shows respect to everybody around us. We hope you have been able to see the hard work that everyone has put into Respect for Everyone Week at All Saints. Let’s all continue to lead a 'respectful' life.

26. Our Respectful Village

27. Our Respectful Village
This example from a Newham school has every religious building you can imagine in Perfect Town
(Thanks to Claire Clinton)

29. Imagining a perfect future for the place where you live.
Saint John wrote this in the Bible.
“I saw a vision
I saw a vision of the future
I saw the new Jerusalem coming down to Earth from Heaven,
Pure like a diamond, clear like a crystal
Gates of gold, open to all
I saw the River of Life flowing out of the city
There was no sun: God is the light of the whole city
And in the centre of the city I saw the Tree of Life
And every leaf on the tree was for the healing of the nations.
There was no crying there. Every tear was wiped away.”
(Simplified from Revelation 20-22)
Try reading this aloud in some different styles: dreamy and peaceful? Loud and passionate? Precise and sharp? Which seems to fit the words best?

30. Look at the image in the drawing of Saint John’s vision
Look at the image in the drawing of Saint John’s vision. He imagines the city he lived in – Jerusalem – turned into something perfect. Like most cities, in reality is was a stinky, dirty overcrowded and dangerous place.
Imagine your city, town or village, turned perfect. What would it be like?
Write your own vision of the ‘Perfect Town’ for where you live.
What would it look like?
What would light up the place?
What would it be made of?
What would it be similar to?
Would it be like the New Jerusalem?
What would grow there?
What would flow there?

32. Phoebe is 10.