RE teachers can make a real difference! Deborah Weston

In this keynote Deborah Weston will share her experience of teaching religious education in East London and of working locally and on the national stage to influence the educational experience of individual children, and public policy. She will argue that the well-informed RE specialist, especially in the current global climate has vital knowledge and skills which every senior leader and policy maker should value.

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Religious Studies A level continues to be popular with Universities NATRE served the University of Oxford with a Freedom of Information request earlier this year and the response in February 2016 shows that RS A level continues to be popular with Universities. This evidence is contrary to the myth that only facilitating subjects give students the best chance of admission, irrespective of the course of study. NATRE released an explanation of the reason why this is a misinterpretation of the Russell Group publication, Informed Choices here 90.0 Percentage of students admitted to Oxford in 2015 to study PPE by A level subject 80.0 70.0 60.0 50.0 40.0 30.0 20.0 10.0 0.0 In 2012, applicants to Oxford with A level Religious Studies made up 12.1% of those who were admitted to study English. This made the subject the 11 th most popular subject. In 2015, RS moved up to 9 th place with 11% of those admitted having secured an A level in the subject.

ENGLISH LITERATURE 56.1 HISTORY 43.2 ENGLISH LITERATURE B 27.7 MATHEMATICS 21.3 HISTORY A 20.6 RELIGIOUS STUDIES 20.6 FRENCH 20.6 CLASSICS: LATIN 10.3 ENGLISH LITERATURE A 9.7 BIOLOGY 9 GOVERNMENT & POLITICS 7.1 ENGLISH LANGUAGE B 6.5 GEOGRAPHY 6.5 GERMAN 6.5 SPANISH 6.5 CLASSICS: CLASSICAL DRAMA & THEATRE STUDIES 4.5 MUSIC 4.5 PSYCHOLOGY A 4.5 FINE ART 3.2 MATHEMATICS (MEI) 3.2 ART & DESIGN (FINE ART) 2.6 ECONOMICS 2.6 LITERATURE IN ENGLISH 2.6 GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS 1.9 ART, CRAFT AND DESIGN 1.3 CHEMISTRY A 1.3 CLASSICAL CIVILISATION 1.3 ENGLISH LANGUAGE 1.3 ENGLISH LANGUAGE & ENGLISH LANGUAGE A 1.3 PHILOSOPHY 1.3 PHYSICS A 1.3 WELSH FIRST LANGUAGE 1.3 ART & DESIGN 0.6 ART & DESIGN: FINE ART 0.6 ART & DESIGN: GRAPHIC ART & DESIGN: PHOTOGRAPHY CHEMISTRY 0.6 CHEMISTRY (SALTERS) 0.6 CLASSICS 0.6 CLASSICS: ANCIENT HISTORY 0.6 CLASSICS: CLASSICAL GREEK 0.6 Percentage of students admitted to Oxford in 2015 to study English by A level subject 60.0 50.0 40.0 30.0 20.0 10.0 0.0 In 2012, applicants to Oxford with A level Religious Studies made up 18.1% of those who were admitted to study English. This made the subject the 7 th most popular subject. In 2015, RS moved up to 6 th place, overtaking French with more than 20% of those admitted having studied the A level.

HISTORY 75.3 ENGLISH LITERATURE 30.9 HISTORY A 24.7 MATHEMATICS 24.2 GOVERNMENT & POLITICS 20.2 ENGLISH LITERATURE B 15.7 RELIGIOUS STUDIES 13.5 ECONOMICS 12.4 FRENCH 12.4 GEOGRAPHY 10.7 CLASSICS: LATIN 7.3 SPANISH 7.3 MATHEMATICS (MEI) 6.2 BIOLOGY 4.5 ENGLISH LITERATURE A 4.5 FURTHER MATHEMATICS 3.9 CHEMISTRY 3.4 PHILOSOPHY 3.4 CLASSICAL CIVILISATION 2.8 GERMAN 2.8 CHEMISTRY A 2.2 CLASSICS: CLASSICAL CIVILISATION GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS 2.2 LAW 2.2 MUSIC 2.2 PHYSICS 2.2 SOCIOLOGY 2.2 PHYSICS A 1.7 PSYCHOLOGY 1.7 PSYCHOLOGY A 1.7 ART & DESIGN 1.1 CLASSICS: CLASSICAL GREEK 1.1 DRAMA & THEATRE STUDIES 1.1 ENGLISH LANGUAGE & ENGLISH LANGUAGE B 1.1 RUSSIAN 1.1 ART & DESIGN: FINE ART 0.6 BUSINESS STUDIES 0.6 CITIZENSHIP STUDIES 0.6 CLASSICS CLASSICAL GREEK 0.6 CRITICAL THINKING 0.6 ECONOMICS AND BUSINESS 0.6 ENGLISH LANGUAGE & ENGLISH LANGUAGE A 0.6 ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND FILM STUDIES 0.6 FURTHER MATHEMATICS (MEI) 0.6 GREEK 0.6 ITALIAN 0.6 LITERATURE IN ENGLISH 0.6 MEDIA STUDIES 0.6 PHYSICS B 0.6 PSYCHOLOGY B 0.6 WELSH FIRST LANGUAGE 0.6 Percentage of students admitted to Oxford in 2015 to study History by A level subject 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 In 2012, applicants to Oxford with A level Religious Studies made up 13.8% of those who were admitted to study History. This made the subject the 9 th most popular subject. In 2015, RS moved up to 7 th place, overtaking Economics and French with 13.5% of those admitted having studied the A level.

A window on the extremist narrative? Desire to defend the Muslim community A binary world view: believers and unbelievers What might motivate young British Muslims women to migrate to Syria to join Islamic State? Build the caliphate under an uncompromised Islamic Law Clarity in a female role; carer, wife, mother Belief that it is a Muslim duty to join a jihad The dream of a beautiful afterlife Making a difference as a wife of a noble fighter Belonging to a sisterhood Primary identity as a Muslim

Counter-Terrorism and Securities Act 2015 places a duty on certain bodies [including schools] to have due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism. not just violent extremism but also non-violent extremism, which can create an atmosphere conducive to terrorism and can popularise views which terrorists exploit. Schools should be safe spaces in which children and young people can understand and discuss sensitive topics, including terrorism and the extremist ideas that are part of terrorist ideology, and learn how to challenge these ideas. The Prevent duty is not intended to limit discussion of these issues. Reminds schools of existing duties to forbid political indoctrination and secure a balanced presentation of political issues. (Education Act 1996) Counter-Terrorism and Securities Act 2015 Statutory Guidance effective 1 st July 2015

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