The St Philip’s Centre’s ‘Religion & Belief Roadshow’ rolled into Fleckney Church of England Primary School recently, inviting the children to learn about a range of faiths and cultures in a fun and interactive way.
More than 200 children from years three to six took part in the event, which took the form of a festival, with music, food, clothing, crafts and artefacts set out on a series of stalls around the school hall.
One of St. Philip’s Centre’s aims is to help young people from different backgrounds live well together.
On the day, the centre’s team of faith practitioners were on hand to share information with the children and answer their questions about a number of religions.
Pupils experienced Baha’i, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Humanist, Islam, Jewish and Sikh aspects of faith. A full complement of 10 religions is available as part of the roadshow.
Riaz Ravat, Deputy Director of St Philip’s Centre, believes the Roadshow is an invaluable tool for brokering face-to-face encounter where children and teachers engage with lived religion or belief.
“In many cases, it is the first time they have heard of a belief system - particularly some of the minority faiths we work with,” he explains.
“Whilst textbooks and videos are useful methods of learning, the Roadshow takes place on site and encourages dialogue which builds the confidence of children.
“Our ambition is to prepare children for life – be it in this county, elsewhere in the country or much further afield. We want children to be confident in themselves which in turn boosts their ability to connect with others”.
Feedback from Fleckney Primary not only reflected the value of the day for the school, but also the importance of children learning about a range of cultures and religions, so we can respect and understand other people who see the world differently to ourselves.
The school said: “This was an exceptional experience for our KS2 children. It offered a unique and engaging opportunity to explore nine different faiths in a hands-on, informative and interactive way.
“The children were fascinated by the artefacts, especially the clothes; they enjoyed asking questions and the older ones were able to make connections between different belief systems.
“The facilitators were knowledgeable and helped to make the learning experience fun and memorable.
“The roadshow deepened the children's understanding of diverse cultures and faiths as well as promoting our school Christian values of compassion, respect, responsibility, community, fairness and aspiration. Overall, it was an invaluable learning experience.”
Based in Leicester, St Philip’s Centre offers a variety of programs and workshops aimed at fostering community cohesion and educating people about different religions and cultures.
The Religion & Belief Roadshow has been featured in the local and national media.
Due to the success of the Roadshow and its educational merits, in 2025, they will be taking the concept to South Yorkshire and the East of England.
For more information, contact: education@stphilipscentre.co.uk