Shane Barratt
After pursuing Business for his undergraduate degree, Shane found himself working from home, discovering his need to find a career that would be the opposite of working alone and at a computer all day.
“I'm not sure how or why, but from somewhere I considered being a teacher. I knew I needed a new venture, a new challenge and something that would give me a sense of purpose, identity and meaning. I did some research, contacted the University of Worcester, and slowly the pieces fell into place.” said Shane.
As someone who had been raised Christian but distanced himself from religion as a teenager, Shane rediscovered a passion for the subject, realising just how important conversations around religion are.
“Young people today are surrounded by so much information and different points of view, that can make it really hard for them to make sense of their own beliefs and values.” said Shane.
It was this realisation which drew Shane to pursuing a career as an RE teacher. He wanted to share his passion with his students, introducing them to the various belief systems around the world, which shape our understanding of our life.
After being accepted onto the PGCE, Shane took our subject knowledge enhancement course and used films, television and books to further learn about different religions and philosophies before starting the course.
“Moral dilemmas are just as common in books and films as they are anywhere else! My stance is, find ways to show people where our subject intersects with the wider world, and then go 'look, RE is all around us, and always has been”, said Shane.
Reflecting on his experience as a PGCE student, Shane shared his appreciation of his mentors and lecturers, whom he found both supportive and equally passionate about religious education, encouraging his own enthusiasm for the subject.
One concern Shane had before starting his PGCE, was whether he could manage the balance between his university and placement work. However, he felt the course was well balanced and especially loved the gradual increase of workload throughout the year. This allowed him to plan, teach and reflect on his work at a pace matched to his needs.
After finishing his PGCE, Shane went back to the school he had one of his placements at and began working as a Teaching Assistant, before being offered the position of a full-time RE teacher. He’s had the chance to take on more responsibilities and feels part of his school community.
When asked about being an RE teacher, Shane said he found his job to be “compelling, challenging and meaningful. I have a blast everyday, having the privilege of talking and teaching about a subject I think is so cool to our young people”.
Shane is now hoping to be an active part of the push to make RE a central part of the national curriculum. He also wants to help evolve teaching and develop creative ways to increase the accessibility of education and influence positive change to learners of all education levels.
If you would like to learn more about our PGCE courses and how we can support you in becoming a qualifies teacher, see our ‘Get into teaching’ webpage.