A DENTON teacher hopes her first published book can help shape how primary school children are introduced to Religious Education.
Naila Missous, who teaches at Manor Green Primary Academy, saw a need to fill a gap in a subject which has no national curriculum.
Naila hopes her recently-released book ‘Teaching Primary RE’ helps reduce the disparity across the country and a reliance on locally agreed syllabuses – often shaped by teachers, religious leaders and community groups.
Her book is designed as an adaptable toolkit for classroom teachers, offering detailed lessons, customisable outcomes and a question generator for both Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 pupils.
It takes inspiration from existing Religious Education resources for secondary schools but breaks them down into formats which are manageable and suitable for primary school children.
The resource also supports a ‘smoother transition’ between primary and secondary Religious Education.
With formal reviews still to come, the initial response to the book from school leaders has been promising. Indeed, the Vice Principal at Manor Green Primary has already expressed interest in using the book to rethink and reshape the school’s Religious Education curriculum.
Naila, who has both classroom experience and a passion for the subject, said: “I noticed other subjects had comprehensive guides but RE didn’t.
“I wanted to create something consistent, accessible, and engaging for all teachers, whether they’re new to RE or experienced specialists.
“One of the biggest takeaways from writing this was realising just how capable our youngest learners are. This book encourages teachers to stretch language, ideas and thinking.”
Manor Green Primary, on Mancunian Road, is part of Focus-Trust – a charitable primary school trust based in the North West and West Yorkshire.