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Chris Hudson
A Barnabas RE Day is a full day's visit to a school by Chris Hudson, a professional teacher, author, storyteller and musician, providing primary-age pupils and staff with a creative, engaging and inspirational introduction to Christian values on a range of themes, supporting both RE and SEAL aims and objectives.
The day normally involves four pupil workshops and a whole-school assembly, and costs £275. However, thanks to the generosity of some local funders, we are able to offer these days for just £200 each. That's a full day of creative arts workshops for the cost of a supply teacher!
PE and Games sometimes form an unconscious 'hidden curriculum' that celebrates the achievements of the talented few but ignores the less-talented many. Here's a chance to explore the other side of the winning tape! Discover what we can learn for ourselves about the original Greek games - and the biblical authors who saw them at first hand. According to them, there's more than one way to win... Also available is a Who comes first? INSET session, and the Who Comes First? resource book.
400 years ago, the Christian Bible was translated into English. This workshop explores what sort of book the Bible is, and the stories it tells. Through drama, storytelling and music, pupils explore the significance of these stories for themselves and for Christians, discover the struggle to translate the book into English, and its continuing impact. It's active, it's enjoyable - and it's educational! Any school booking this workshop will also receive a free teacher's handbook and training DVD.
Who were Aidan, Hilda, Bede, Oswald and Caedmon? Why are their names scattered across the physical geography, history and folklore of the North-East? This workshop uses folk music, storytelling, games and drama to explore the stories and spirituality of men and women who shaped the growth of Christianity in England - and their continuing impact today. A complete, detailed cross-curricular scheme of work for KS2 pupils is available to accompany this workshop, as a free download.
Are you thankful when you receive a present? How does that relate to a sense of general thankfulness for 'All good gifts around us'? This workshop explores what it means to be thankful - and how we can show gratitude in our lives in the way we treat other people.
200 years ago, slavery was abolished across the British Empire - but it didn't happen without a struggle. Follow the amazing stories of Olaudah Equiano, William Wilberforce, Thomas Clarkson and Mary Prince as they set their minds and Christian faith to surviving and then destroying the Atlantic Slave Trade by creating the world's first popular campaign. Expect an exciting mix of storytelling, music, drama and mapwork! An excellent resource for Black History Month.
Take your class on a journey with Moses, the Prince of Egypt! It's all here in a workshop of storytelling, drama, music and reflective discussion: Moses is 'found' in the bulrushes, adopted and raised as a member of the royal family - but then follow the murder, mystery and suspense of his time in the desert, the burning bush, the challenge to 'Let my people go!', the ten plagues, the flight across the Red Sea, and the giving of the Ten Commandments. Not bad for 50 minutes!
This popular workshop explores issues involved in caring for others, the nature of compassion, and the building blocks that form creative communities. It also discusses moral choices, the responsibility of care towards others, bullying and racism. An additional extension workshop, 'Building my Community' *, develops the theme further for schools who have already experienced the original, and explores the theme of creating a sense of security in a local community.
Explore the life of an extraordinary northern saint in an active RE day that can take place entirely out of doors within your own school grounds! This workshop allows pupils to re-enact key events of Cuthbert's life using your outdoor play equipment, school garden, 'quiet area', playground or field - and finally create a shared piece of artwork using natural materials. Take your RE outside the classroom! Bookings should be made with a view to weather conditions, allowing for at least one 'fallback' date or alternative use of the school hall. (Summer term only)
Storyteller, troublemaker, teacher, leader... 2000 years after the events recorded in the Gospels, Jesus of Nazareth continues to exert a powerful influence on the world. Christianity remains the world's largest 'faith' in its geographical spread, its ethnic and cultural diversity - but who was he? What made him so different? This workshop can explore three different strands: 'Jesus the Powerful', 'The Parables of Jesus' and/or 'Jesus the Healer'. It's up to you!
Explore issues relating to our identity as individuals and human beings, each person's unique and special gifts and how those gifts might be creatively combined in successful teamwork: recognising similarities and differences between people; feeling positive about yourself; recognising your worth as an individual; recognising and challenging stereotypes.
How do we handle the prospect of change? This SEAL-compatible day uses Bible stories to encourage pupils to face up to the fears and opportunities of 'changing classes' at the end of the school year or moving on to another school. David and Goliath will never be the same again!
Relate Bible stories to issues of personal, social and global justice: this day includes material that draws on the dramatic messages spoken by the Old Testament prophets as well as the stories of Jesus, which focus on how we should treat others - especially those who are less fortunate than ourselves. The day will also include consideration of a real-life story related to the issue of fair trade, involving a child of primary-school age from the developing two-thirds world.
Explore the Christian creation story, marvelling at the order and beauty of our world and opening up questions about developing a shared responsibility towards our environment and all those who inhabit it. What kind of attitudes, actions and decisions improve or harm our environment? What personal responsibilities do we have?
Light and Dark have always been evocative. What do we fear in the 'darkness', and how does the story of Advent relate to hopes of a coming Messiah who can dispel 'darkness'? Expect a somewhat different approach to the idea of preparing for Christmas! Alternatively, the Epiphany workshop has a slightly pantomime feel to it as we follow the wise men in their own search for a new king.
How does the story of Lent connect with Easter? This highly praised workshop begins with the story of a young man going out into the desert to face his personal challenges - and then leaps forward in time to the day when he enters Jerusalem at the head of an army of followers. Palm Sunday is recreated with loud drumming and percussion music, and leads into the solemnity of the Last Supper - until we discover what happened next.
* Please note
Please note that some of these Barnabas RE Day themes have been specially produced for the North-East of England, and are thus not available in other areas. Likewise, you may not find support material is available.
For more details about Barnabas RE Days in general, or to make a booking, contact Lynda Ward, Barnabas Team Administrator:
Tel: 01865 319704
Email: lynda.ward@brf.org.uk
You can also contact Chris Hudson:
Tel: 01670 504908
Email: chris.hudson@brf.org.uk
*Please note that Northern Saints, Footsteps, The Life of Saint Cuthbert, What does it mean to Worship, Moving On and What's so special about Jesus? have been especially developed for, and are only available in, the north-east. Support material is therefore not available on this website, but will be sent direct to your school from the time of booking.
