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On Wednesday the 23^rd of April, all of Year 8 participated in a Religious Studies Deeper Learning Day, to enhance and broaden their knowledge in RE. This year’s theme was Abrahamic Religions and Community to bring to life their knowledge of Judaism, Christianity and Islam that they have been learning this year.  Students were challenged to find out more about how religious communities in Britain participate in wider society.

Each form class was split into three groups who each visited a different religious site in the morning.

One group went to the Friend’s House Quaker Centre in Euston where they learned about the role that Quakers have played in key historical events such as the Civil War, the abolition of slavery and as part of the Friends Ambulance Unit. They were able to look at sources showing how the Quakers have been persecuted through time as well as asking questions about worship and touring the Friends House building.

Another group visited Willesden Jewish Cemetery. They were given a tour of the cemetery grounds by two volunteers and were shown various culturally significant burial sites for influential British Jewish people. Students then met a retired Rabbi and were able to ask questions about Jewish faith and religion, as well as handling items that are important to the practice of Judaism

The third group visited Al-Manaar Mosque near the site of Grenfell Tower and asked questions about Islam and the mosque’s wider role in the community. Students had a tour of the mosque and handled religious artefacts as well as finding out about their role in supporting victims of the Grenfell tower disaster and as a community kitchen.

Students returned to school at lunchtime and then attended a workshop session in the afternoon where they presented to each other about what they had learned. Having gathered lots of information from asking questions to religious experts, they confidently improved their oracy and public speaking skills to teach each other. The trip helped students understand religious other than their own, as well as learning about the role of religious groups in wider society. Teachers were very impressed with the knowledge that students have of other religions and their ability to talk without prejudice of other traditions.