Harris Manchester College, Oxford
Currently deputy head at Reading School and a Methodist minister, I have also worked as a Prison Chaplain, Youth Worker, with young offenders and young people not in education, employment or training. In this report I look at the influence of leadership on student outcomes, and explore the notion of what effective education really is.
My research was inspired by my increasing concern for the knowledge base and varying views on the importance of RE. I studied The Commission on Religious Education (CORE) (2018) to review the recommendations made and to address any gaps in teaching at my setting. I knew through experience as a teacher, the many benefits that RE can have but as I reflected on the suggestions in The CORE, national and local events occurred which gave me a clear direction my research needed to take. We are in the midst of a global pandemic, COVID-19 and following a racist attack, we […]
This study seeks to ascertain whether, and to what extent, xenophobia exists in our student body. For the purposes of this study, xenophobia (and racism) is conflated with negative attitudes towards immigration (though of course these terms have idiosyncrasies). It also seeks to clarify whether the fractious relationship between Britain and immigration as expressed in the media’s narrative is echoed or at least perceived in the students’ mindset. Within the literature review also, clear examples and conclusions of systemic and institutional racism are said to exist in the education system. As such, this research sought to clarify whether such ideas […]
With the introduction of compulsory RSE and with a fragmented cultural climate on sexuality, why is it perhaps more important than ever to teach the full spectrum of Christian views on same sex relationships in the RE post primary classroom? This research includes three sections: The spectrum of Christian views on same sex relationships. The current cultural climate on LGBTQ issues. The role of RE within this wider debate. The report also includes a link to a video presentation (15 mins) which summaries the key findings.
The hypothesis of this case study is that a diverse , primary community school can provide a model for happy co-existence. It tries to identify more precisely some initial themes as to what makes diversity work and to provide a tentative route map for society at large. I was interested in this and also considered it pressing because in the last decade there have been increasing pressures on the idea of a harmonious, diverse Britain. In sharp contrast, from my own experience – having worked until recently in a very diverse school as teacher and headteacher for 21 years – […]
In discussion with Headteachers I have explored the challenges faced in putting their values into practice. The circumstances, the difficulties and the questions arising. These findings are considered in the light of the Church of England’s Vision for Education.
Within our culture, three waves crash together upon our young people: a premature media self-awareness, peer-measurement, and self-promotion, external and internal higher expectations of themselves, and a huge need for healthy mental health to have the resilience to thrive, not just survive. These young people need those they can trust, whether it be a parent, a leader, a peer who has the confidence to help them, and the faith in them to transform lives to journey beyond culture’s dictates, towards self-efficacy. VIVA GO! is a powerful tool to raise a young person’s life chances through listening, relationship and supported encouragement. […]
Podcasts are becoming an increasingly popular medium of entertainment and method by which people access information. Could they be popular in education? During this project I researched how to create a podcast, what information would be most gleefully received for teachers and students from A-Level specifications, recorded and edited a podcast series focused on virtue ethics, and collected feedback on the series to make improvements in the future. All this with a view to looking at the efficacy of podcasts as an educational tool in the future.
In 2016 CCEA introduced a revised Religious Studies A Level specification. A change in specification, combined with a change in Board, meant increased planning to resource this new course. As the teacher responsible for delivering the Philosophy of Religion Unit of the Course, an element many students find academically challenging, I was keen to create simple resources for teaching difficult topics. This inspired me to apply for the Farmington scholarship with the aim of producing engaging and accessible resources for topics such as Life after Death, Religious Language, Religion and Morality and the Synoptic units of Study.
A headteacher has a fair amount of autonomy, in that almost everything comes down to your discretion. However, there is no shortage of input from a range of sources – official and unofficial – informing you what you must, should and could be doing. It is also hard to define the role of headteacher or the expectations on the headteacher; suffice to say that generally “no news is good news” – nothing is said if things are going well, but when things go wrong it is the headteacher’s fault. Being a school leader is a great job – I love […]