BA (Hons) Secondary
Religious Education with QTS*
A Guide to Starting at Edge Hill University
PRE-PROGRAMME INFORMATION
2016 entry
(* Indicates our recommendation for QTS at the end of your course. Full QTS is only confirmed on successful completion of your first induction year in teaching)
Congratulations on accepting your place on the above course.
Contributing staff
Your Course Leader is:
Paul Smalley BA (Hons), PGCE, MA.
Paul is a Senior Lecturer in Religious Education and SOLSTICE Fellow at Edge Hill University where he leads the Undergraduate Secondary RE course and delivers the Subject application modules. He often also leads the modules on New Testament and Islam. He is currently researching Lesson Study as a way of improving teaching, Religious Literacy and Collective WorshipHe previously taught in high schools in Yorkshire, Lancashire and Cheshire for 12 years, being both Head of Department and Head of Year. He is the vice-chair of the National Association of SACREs and represents them on the Religious Education Council of England and Wales.
The following Senior Lecturers and Associate Tutorsmay contribute to the delivery of the programme:
Dr. Francis Farrell BA (Hons), PGCE, MA, EdD.
Francis is a Senior Lecturer in Religious Educationleads the PGCE Secondary RE course at Edge Hill. He previously taught in Yorkshire, Lancashire and Trafford where he was Head of Faculty in a Grammar School. He delivers the Buddhism Module on the Undergraduate programme and is particularly interested in the theories of learner identity and development of innovatory practice based on conceptual and empirical research and is currently looking at Fundamental British Values.
Maggie WebsterBA (Hons), PGCE, MA.
Maggie is a Senior Lecturer in Primary Education where she is the RE coordinator for Primary programmes and is a year leader for third year part time trainees. She has worked in Newham as an RE and Collective Worship Co-ordinator and then as an EAL teacher. She has also worked at the British library as a museum educator and in St Helen’s as a Literacy Consultant. She is the author ofCreative Approaches to Teaching Primary REandCreative activities and ideas for pupils with English as an additional language. She is currently completing a Doctorate looking at religious and spiritual expression on social networking spaces.
Mike Ashton BA (Hons), PGCE, MA.
Mike is Subject Knowledge Enhancement Co-ordinator for the Faculty of Education but also teaches on theUndergraduate and Postgraduate RE routes at Edge Hill. Prior to this Mike worked in High Schools in Sefton for 12 years – 8 of these as Head of a large Religious Education faculty. He also leads on the Catholic Certificate for Religious Studies. Mike’s interests include Christianity, The New Testament and the Early Church, Judaism, Hinduism, and how Outdoor learning/Forest schools help to develop young peoples’ interest in Spirituality which is a focus of his Doctoral Studies.
Heather MarshallBA(Hons), MA
Heather is an Associate Tutor who undertakes school observations and leads the Research Methods module on theUndergraduate RE course. She taught RE in south Liverpool for 10 years, really enjoying the challenges and rewards of teaching to KS3, GCSE and Alevel. Heather ispassionate about the aims and values of the subject, and has been on the executive committee for NATRE and NASACRE, as well as being the teacher representative on Liverpool SACRE. She helps to organise and run an local RE teacher network in the Merseyside area. Having contributed a chapter toEngaging Religious Education(Schmack et at, 2010), sherecently embarked on a Doctorate in Education focusing on the importance of RE in counter terrorism/extremism agenda. She is also a Reseach Analyst for the Relational Schools Project.
Jason McLaren BA(Hons)
Jason is an RE teacher at Carmel College and an Associate Tutorat Edge Hill. Having graduated with a BA in REfromEdge Hill,heis currently completing an MA in Religion, Culture and Society at UCLan. He leads the ‘Beginning the study of Religion’, and ‘History of Christian Thought and Culture’ modules on the Undergraduate Programme.
On occasion visiting lecturers or associate tutors may lead aspects of curriculum delivery. Recent visitors have included:
Professor Vini Lander, Sue Phillips, Paul Hopkins, Charlotte & Peter Vardy, Waqaus Ali, Emma McVittie, David Arnold, Mayer Hersch, Yunus Chasma, Helen Harrison, Alan Brine, Miranda Rathmell and others.
Individual course preparation
The following pre-programme reading list will give you an overview of the development of this subject area. It is not intended that these titles should be read from cover to cover, but rather used to dip into to gain a flavour of the work. You may find it helpful to acquire these books from your local library (on extended loan, if possible) before term commences. It is not a requirement to purchase the books listed. However, having your own copy will prove helpful as the course progresses.
Holt, J (2014) Religious Education in the Secondary School: An Introduction to Teaching, Learning and the World ReligionsLondon : Routledge.
This is the key text for all trainee RE teachers and will be useful throughout the course.
Chryssides, G. D. & Geaves R. (2007) The Study of Religion: An Introduction to Key Ideas and Methods London:Continuum
Woodhead, L. (2004)Christianity: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford University Press.
Knott, K (1998) Hinduism: A Very Short IntroductionOxford University Press
Ruthven, M (2000) Islam: A Very Short Introduction Oxford University Press
These are key, introductory texts for the modules you will study in the first year.
Current issues in Religious Education are the subject of many articles in journals. Most prominent of these is “RE Today” (The Journal of the National Association of Teachers of RE - NATRE). There is no requirement to join this association, but I would advise taking up a student membership of NATRE: its journal will provide you with valuable and topical information on the subject. See
I use Twitter to keep students and others up to date with current news stories about religion, education and religious education. I would advise following either myself @PabloPedantic or searching for the hashtag #REatEH. Do have a look at the RE department’s blog blogs.edgehill.ac.uk/re to see what we have been up to.
You can also begin to enhance your professional profile in the areas listed below –
- Research the National Curriculum at Key Stages 3 and 4 and read the guidelines for RE in
- Research the revised GCSE, AS and A level syllabuses for religious education using the list at:
- Enhance your ICT skills, to develop confidence in using word processing, databases, spreadsheets, internet search engines and other commonly used packages. The programmes normally used are Microsoft Word, Excel and Powerpoint.
- Look at the document which underpins all of the work which you will do on the course: The Teachers’ Standards:
- Continue to enhance your skills and subject knowledge in all areas of religious education.
- Gain additional observation experience in secondary school religious education departments if possible.
We would like to remind you that as this is a teacher training course attendance on all organised sessions is a requirement. Each course has a course leader who will be your personal tutor. He or she will be able to advise you on all University procedures and where to go for help with specific issues such as finance support, accommodation, child care etc. The First week starts on 19th September 2016 and you may be on placement until mid July 2017. Do not book holidays during this time.
Once again congratulations on securing a place on the degree course. I look forward to meeting you soon. If you need any further guidance, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Paul Smalley
SOLSTICE FellowSenior Lecturer in Religious Education
Faculty of Education, Edge Hill University, Ormskirk, Lancashire. L39 4QP
01695 584383 | 07952884795
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