What we do

What we do

Religious Education Support offers a range of resources and services designed to assist teachers in delivering effective Religious Education (R.E.) programs. Here’s an overview of the support provided:

• Professional Development Workshops Evening workshops, organized by clusters, provide support for teachers in implementing the R.E. curriculum for Junior and Leaving Certificate levels. These workshops, held at local Education Centres, focus on course content, teaching strategies, and encourage peer-to-peer knowledge sharing. Teachers attending these sessions receive new support materials on CD-ROM, with samples later accessible on our website.

• In-School Visits Depending on resource availability, a limited number of school visits may be offered for principals and teachers introducing Junior or Leaving Certificate R.E. Note that substitution cover is not provided for these visits. Schools interested in scheduling a visit must submit a written request to the R.E. Administrator at the Wexford Education Centre.

• Support Query Assistance Teachers are encouraged to use our website’s forum to raise questions related to curriculum content, teaching methods, Journal Work, coursework, assessments, and more. Responses are available from both the forum moderator and other experienced teachers. For administrative inquiries, such as course bookings, contact Angela Thompson at 053 9239121 or email angela@ecwexford.ie.

• Teaching Journal Publication The journal Teaching Religious Education is a valuable resource for R.E. educators. All teachers and even students are invited to contribute articles, news, or insights for publication. Past issues are available for download directly from our website.

• Research and Development of Support Materials Continuous efforts are dedicated to creating and updating teaching materials, with particular focus on resources for Leaving Certificate R.E. A selection of materials developed for cluster-based courses can be downloaded from our site, and full collections are provided on CD-ROM to teachers participating in evening workshops.

• Management of Online Resources Our website (http://www.ress.ie) is regularly updated to support R.E. teachers, including a growing library of resources and a discussion forum for collaborative support and discussions on teaching-related topics.

• Collaboration with Educational Bodies Ongoing communication with the Department of Education Inspectorate, principals, the RTAI, and other educational organizations ensures that R.E. teachers receive high-quality support through appropriate channels.

Each of these services is designed to provide comprehensive and accessible support for R.E. educators across various needs and platforms.