Research

At the St Giles’ Centre, research underpins all aspects of our work and is central to our commitment to supporting high-quality work in religion and education within Wrexham. As part of our everyday activity, research informs the development of curriculum resources, shapes professional learning for practitioners, and strengthens our engagement with relevant partners working in the field of religion and education. Our particular areas of expertise include religion, values and ethics (RVE), religious studies, collective worship, and education in church schools.

We understand research not as an abstract or distant activity, but as something rooted in local contexts and educational realities. Research knowledge and skills enable us both to deepen current understanding and to generate new, context-sensitive research initiatives that respond directly to the needs of schools, teachers and communities in Wrexham. In the context of the Curriculum for Wales, research is required at multiple levels: to support curriculum design, to inform classroom practice and resources, and to contribute evidence to broader educational conversations.

Our aim is to work collaboratively with teachers and schools in Wrexham to develop meaningful and sustainable relationships between research and practice. By listening carefully to local experiences and priorities, we seek to ensure that our research approaches deliver tangible benefits for learners, practitioners and school communities.

Here, you can explore some of our current larger research projects, access research-informed publications, and follow links to other projects that may be of interest to those working in religion and education.