St Giles' Centre

St Giles’ Centre shares Teacher Voice Survey research at Brighton conference

Tania ap Sion and Libby Jones from the St Giles’ Centre, Wrexham and Lincoln Bishop University attended the British Educational Research Association’s (BERA) conference at the University of Sussex, Brighton (9-11 September 2025), where they gave a presentation on the first findings of the national Teacher Voice Survey: Religion, Values and Ethics (RVE) in the Curriculum for Wales.

This is their second international conference presentation on the Teacher Voice Survey – with the first being given at the Conference of the the International Seminar on Religious Education and Values in Riga, Latvia (28 July – 1 August).

In addition to Tania and Libby, the project team includes: Rachel Samuel (Neath Port Talbot Education Support), Paula Webber (Cardiff Metropolitan University), and Alice Parry (Llanishen High School, Cardiff).

Why is this research needed?

Until recently, statutory Religious Education in Wales largely shared the same legislative framework as Religious Education in England, although clearly differentiated Welsh and English education systems became increasingly visible across three decades when responsibilities for education and training were devolved to Wales. The latest curriculum review in Wales has seen the implementation of the radically new Curriculum for Wales in 2022 for all learners from ages three to sixteen, enabled through the passing of the Curriculum and Assessment (Wales) Act 2021.

Radical features of the new curriculum include: an integrated approach to learning and teaching in which Religious Education (renamed Religion, Values and Ethics) is for the first time legally embedded in the curriculum; and the principle of subsidiarity with a shift of responsibility for curriculum design, progression and assessment to individual education settings, giving teachers new professional autonomy.

At the beginning of a period of great change for religious education teachers in Wales, this research study aims to capture a ‘snapshot’ of teachers’ experience of and engagement with curriculum change through an exploratory qualitative survey of teachers across Wales. Invited participants included teachers from Nursery, Primary, Secondary, All-age School, Special, and PRU schools and settings.

What does the survey explore?

Using an inductive analytical approach , research findings will provide insight into teachers’:

attitudes towards Religion, Values and Ethics within the Curriculum for Wales;
approaches to curriculum design and collaborative working;
experiences of professional agency;
understanding of the Curriculum’s vision and values;
confidence levels and challenges;
hopes for the future.

Plans for the future

A full research report will be published bilingually early in the spring term 2026, and made publicly available on the St Giles’ Centre website and the Wales Association of SACRE’s website.

It is hoped that the findings will support professional dialogue and will inform professional learning at both local and national levels.

Relationships between technology and religious education

Across Europe, more or less simultaneously, the Covid-19 pandemic accelerated (and stimulated) the use and development of technology in education settings, as new ways of teaching and learning had to be created in response to practical constraints introduced by temporary school closures. Although a sizeable body of research has examined this phenomenon from a range of perspectives in education, considerably less research has been conducted in the context of religious education.

The St Giles’ Centre has recently contributed to the research and publication of a new study, which aims to listen to 16 RE professionals in Europe (including Wales) as they reflect upon and critically consider their experiences of technology during the pandemic and its implications for both present and future RE.

Content analyses identified eight inter-related areas of interest and concern for participants, which include technology and RE, alongside wellbeing, life questions, understanding RE, teachers’ situation, relationships, social aspects and wider context. Results show that the RE professionals held strong views about the use of technology in RE, including the challenges and opportunities presented in comparison with in-person teaching practices. Four areas of particular interest emerge, which are concerned with the effects of technology on relationships; technology’s potential for teaching and learning; RE professionals’ attitudes towards technology; and RE professionals’ (un)changed understandings of RE.

The article entitled: “Listening to the voices of Religious Education professionals: the relationship between technology and Religious Education” is part of a special issue of the British Journal of Religious Education, which focusses on integrating technology in religious and moral education.

Article reference:

ap Siôn, T. Cullen, S., Danner, S., Kappelhoff, B., & Kodácsy-Simon, E. (12 August 2025, online). Listening to the voices of Religious Education professionals: the relationship between technology and Religious Education. British Journal of Religious Education. https://doi.org/10.1080/01416200.2025.2543881

For more information:

This research is part of the What Covid Reveals to RE Specialists project.

Let’s talk about progression in RVE – Free professional learning for Wrexham schools and settings

The St Giles’ Centre is offering a free whole day training event for primary practitioners in Wrexham on progression in Religion, Values and Ethics (RVE). The event will take place at the Ramada Plaza Hotel, Wrexham on Thursday, 3 July 2025 (see event flyer below). The event will offer practitioners the opportunity to engage in professional dialogue with colleagues and experts, share ideas, receive useful resources, and consider what progression in RVE might look like for their own learners.

To book a place click on this link:

https://forms.office.com/e/j7tC6i2ut1

Event flyer:

Lets talk about progression in RVE – event fllyer Download

Lets talk about progression in RVE – (C) event fllyer Download

Welsh version of Challenging Religious Issues journal

Welsh version of Challenging Religious Issues 21

The Welsh version of the popular A-level journal, Challenging Religious Issues, has been published on the St Giles’ Centre website. (The English version was published in November.)

Issue 21 contains nine original articles written by subject experts from universities in the UK, the USA and Austria. Articles include:

What Questions Can We Ask about Jesus’ Birth Narratives?
by Jane Heath

Studying the Gospels: A Situational Approach
by James M. M. Francis

Religion and History
by William K. Kay

Ethics and the Climate Crisis
by Robert Song

‘In the Midst of Life we are in Death’: Christian Perspectives on the Meaning of Death and Life in the Assisted Dying Debate
by Sam Hole

After Anselm: St Bonaventure and the Remaking of the Ontological Argument
by William Crozier

Faithful Wives and Fierce Goddesses: Hindu Attitudes towards Women
by Steven Jacobs

Is Buddhism Pessimistic?
by Phra Nicholas Thanissaro

Gender Equality in Islam: Possibilities and Limitations
by Shama Ajoubi and Fariza Bisaeva

You can read the Welsh and English publication below.

To read other issues in the journal, visit our journal page.

Welsh versionl Download

English version Download

Planning for progression in RVE (3-16): new resource

The St Giles’ Centre has published Planning for progression in Religion, Values and Ethics (RVE) age 3-16: an example to support practitioners. The example was created in partnership with the St Asaph Diocese Education Team and in collaboration with five Wrexham primary schools.

The planning for progression resource also includes a section to assist practitioners in nursery settings with their planning for RVE, pre-progression step 1. This was developed in collaboration with expert colleagues working with funded non-maintained nursery settings and schools with nursery provision.

We envisage practitioners using the RVE skills outlined in this example to guide them in evaluating where their learners are and where they are heading at different stages of their learning progression, as well as helping them to make decisions about content and pedagogy in RVE.

As with all resources, the St Giles’ Centre encourages practitioners to critically engage with this example. Practitioners are also encouraged to engage in professional dialogue to support the development of a shared understanding of progression in RVE within their setting.

Download and read about the resource here.

Make your voice heard – The Teachers’ Voice Survey for RVE

Teachers across Wales are invited to take part in the Teachers’ Voice Survey for Religion, Values and Ethics (RVE).

This survey is designed to access directly teachers’ experiences of and engagement with curriculum change in Wales, with a focus on RVE. The aim of the survey is to provide a ‘snapshot’ of teachers’ perspectives on RVE in the Curriculum for Wales, which will help contribute to research-informed professional dialogue and professional learning.

Who can take part in the survey?

The survey is open to practitioners teaching in Wales within a 3- to 16-year school or setting context. This includes teachers in the following schools and settings: Nursery, Primary, Secondary, All-age School, Special, and PRU.

Who is responsible for the survey?

The research project is being led by the St Giles’ Centre and Bishop Grosseteste University in collaboration with staff from Cardiff Metropolitan University, Neath Port Talbot Education Support, and Llanishen High School, Cardiff.

The research has the support of the Wales Association of SACREs / SACs, who are responsible for the promotion of the survey.

How do you take part in the survey?

You may already have had information about the survey from your local advisor, local SACRE / SAC, local authority, consortium, or diocese.

If you haven’t yet heard about the survey, and would like to participate, email Libby Jones (Assistant Secretary to WASACRE) or WASACRE@outlook.com. You will be sent a survey link with further information about the project.

New resource for school Governors in Wales

A new resource for school Governors has recently been published on the Welsh Government Hwb.

The free bilingual resource supports essential professional learning in Religion, Values and Ethics (RVE) for school Governors, and is entitled:
Religion, Values and Ethics: What school governors need to know

The new resource is available on Hwb, and can be found within the existing suite of professional learning resources for RVE by following this link:

https://hwb.gov.wales/repository/resource/eef7e399-93bb-4d7c-ab68-145c93f4c6d3/overview

The St Giles’ Centre has been responsible for the development of the resource, and is pleased to see that it is now more widely available.

Religious leaders in Wales come together to oppose Assisted Dying Bill

Religious leaders in Wales have issued a joint statement to oppose the Assisted Dying Bill on 29 November.

The Joint Statement of Faith Leaders was posted on the Church in Wales website on 18 November and reads:

A bill has been introduced to Parliament which allows doctors to supply lethal drugs to people with an incurable illness, in effect physician-assisted suicide.

As people of faith, we share a common heritage of caring for the vulnerable, the sick and dying. This is why we feel we must speak together against the proposed legislation. Compassion is at the heart of all the great world religions. Life is sacred.

We address our message more widely, to all people of goodwill, because the proposals for physician-assisted suicide are not just contrary to the dignity and sanctity of life, they pose grave dangers to vulnerable people.

Cherishing life means building a society where every person is included and the diversity of individuals is not seen as a burden. If the Bill becomes law, the experience of countries such as Canada, Belgium and the Netherlands shows that the most vulnerable can no longer presume on the balance of healthcare being in their favour. The criteria for assisted suicide become widened to include groups of people who need society’s help, rather than assistance in ending their lives.

We raise our voices to remind legislators of the inherent dignity of every person, especially in relation to those who are disabled, elderly or vulnerable. If this Bill were to be passed, many would feel insecure about the future and conclude that they are a burden on loved ones and the health service. We must treasure and value these individuals among us.

The new Bill marks a very serious moment for our country. It raises serious questions about what sort of society we want to be. Especially of concern is whether we will continue to promote a proper care of the dying, and of those who are vulnerable through disability or age. It is good to see that those opposed to a change in the law includes a diverse group of medical professionals (especially, but not only, from the field of palliative care), disability rights organisations, researchers, carers and a range of other concerned institutions.

We urge you write to, or email, your local MP, to express your concerns about the proposed bill.

Signed:

Representing the Roman Catholic Church in Wales

Archbishop Mark O’Toole, Archbishop of Cardiff-Menevia

Bishop Peter Brignall, Bishop of Wrexham

Representing the Church in Wales

The Archbishop of Wales, Andrew John

The Bishop of St Asaph, Gregory Cameron

The Bishop of Monmouth, Cherry Vann

The Bishop of Swansea and Brecon, John Lomas

The Bishop of Llandaff, Mary Stallard

The Bishop of St Davids, Dorrien Davies

The Bishop of Bardsey, David Morris

Representing the Evangelical Alliance in Wales, Tim Rowlands

Representing the Cardiff United Synagogue, Rabbi Michoel Rose

Representing the South Wales Jewish Representative Council, Laurence Kahn

Representing the Muslim Council of Wales, Dr Abdul-Azim Ahmed

Representing the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in Wales, Imam Usman Manan

Representing the Sikh Council of Wales, Gurmit Singh Randhawa MBE

Representing the Hindu Council of Wales, Dr Sakti Guha Niyogi

The current debate around Assisted Dying in the UK is of immediate interest to Religion, Values and Ethics practitioners, and shows the unique contribution and relevance of the subject to everyday life in Wales.

Assisted dying, Ethics and the climate crisis, and more in Challenging Religious Issues

Issue 21 of the popular journal for A-level students and teachers has been published on the St Giles’ Centre website today. Challenging Religious Issues is packed once again with short articles on a whole range of issues. Find out more about Ethics and the Climate Crisis, Christian Perspectives on the Meaning of Death and Life in the Assisted Dying Debate, Hindu Attitudes towards Women, and Gender Equality in Islam as well as other informed articles.

Details of the articles are summarised below, where you will also find a link to the free journal.

What Questions Can We Ask about Jesus’ Birth Narratives? by Jane Heath

People ask many questions about the birth narratives in the Gospels, but we should be cautious to try to focus on the questions that the narratives can answer. We cannot prove from them what actually happened or how exactly Jesus was conceived, but we can see how early Christians found meaning in the events that had taken place among them, and how that meaning communicated to them God’s interaction with the world in the incarnation of his Son.

Studying the Gospels: A Situational Approach by James M. M. Francis

This article presents a framework for studying the Gospels informed by reflection on human identity, meaning and purpose. The framework is briefly described and then applied to each of the Four Gospels in the New Testament. Working with such a framework arguably contributes to what is sometimes described as doing theology from below.

Religion and History by William K. Kay

Religious history is a branch of general history, and the same types of evidence are used in both cases. Different types of information about the past must be blended into coherent narratives and these narratives will be driven by implicit philosophies of history. Some religions have a much stronger anchorage in historical events than others, but all religions have been influenced by the rise of science since the 17th century CE.

Ethics and the Climate Crisis by Robert Song

This article explores some central issues in environmental ethics. It starts by thinking about what ethical questions we should ask in relation to the climate crisis, and then considers where the responsibility lies for it. Finally, it draws a distinction between optimism and hope, and provides some suggestions for how we might go about living more hopefully.

‘In the Midst of Life we are in Death’: Christian Perspectives on the Meaning of Death and Life in the Assisted Dying Debate by Sam Hole

This article lays out key aspects of the Christian understanding of death and dying, in order to cast new light on contested issues in the assisted dying debate.

After Anselm: St Bonaventure and the Remaking of the Ontological Argument by William Crozier

This article explores the reception of Anselm’s ontological argument within the thought of Thomas Aquinas’ Franciscan colleague, Bonaventure of Bagnoregio, and his attempt to reconcile it with versions of the cosmological argument.

Faithful Wives and Fierce Goddesses: Hindu Attitudes towards Women by Steven Jacobs

This article addresses two seemingly contradictory representations of women. The first is the idea of the perfect wife who is subservient to her husband. This concept of womanhood is epitomised by the story of Sītā, in the epic tale the Rāmāyaṇa, who faithfully follows her husband into exile. However, in contrast, the fiercely independent and macabre goddess Kālī, who is represented as transgressing social norms, seems to be the antithesis of the submissive Sītā.

Is Buddhism Pessimistic? by Phra Nicholas Thanissaro

Early Western scholars equated Buddhism with pessimism mostly owing to its inclusion of ‘suffering’ amongst the ‘noble’ truths. What Buddhists actually mean by suffering is indicated by its categorisation of dukkha – which includes physical suffering, mental suffering arising from the changing nature of existence and suffering inherent in the building-blocks of human existence. Although Buddhism portrays suffering as dire, it is defended against the charge of pessimism by accentuation of positive features of human existence, and the emphasis in Four Noble Truths on the end of suffering and the path to this.

Gender Equality in Islam: Possibilities and Limitations by Shama Ajoubi and Fariza Bisaeva

Already a heated topic, the subject of gender equality becomes even more so when it comes to Islam. Some believe Muslim gender equality an oxymoron because of Islam’s irrevocably patriarchal nature. Others believe that Islam has already given all the rights there are for women and thus is not in need of any ‘modern projects’ like gender equality. Both extreme positions share a view of Islam as static and unchangeable. This article sets out to introduce a third perspective, which aims to focus on the spirit of Islam when it comes to gender equality and asks the question how the realisation of this spirit could look today.

Read the latest issue here:

English issue Download

The Welsh version is available soon.

Yes, Religion, Values and Ethics really matters!

A short film was released on 18 November to promote the value of Religion, Values and Ethics in the Curriculum for Wales. Aimed at young people, schools, parents / guardians, and others with an interest in Religion, Values and Ethics, the film shows how Religion, Values and Ethics really is a part of everyday life in Wales.

Awen, a young girl and star of the film, takes viewers through some of her big questions which are relevant to Religion, Values and Ethics. In her words: “Exploring big questions like these helps us to think critically about our world and the people in it. At the same time, we can develop our own beliefs and values, and be prepared for life and work in this fast-changing and diverse world.”

The film has been created for the Wales Association of SACREs (WASACRE) by Fresh Gecko Productions. Libby Jones and Tania ap Siôn (Co-Directors of the St Giles’ Centre in Wrexham) were both closely involved in the development and scripting of the film, working with teacher and advisor colleagues.

The film is available on YouTube and the WASACRE On Demand Conference resources page.