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Using Census data in RE
This article was first published in teachPrimary magazine 19.6
Making Meaningful Comparisons
Religious Education is a wonderful subject as it allows us to explore the breadth of human belief within our classrooms. With more curriculums using a Religion & Worldviews pedagogy, we are invited to meet the myriads of beliefs within our nation and communities and explore how they view the world. But where to start? How can we introduce multiple faiths in substantive, connected ways?
The 2021 Census
One way to ground your teaching in local reality is to use data from the 2021 Census. The Census showed some broad trends you might expect: Christianity is the most commonly stated religion, followed by No Religion. However there are many more stories to be found within the data.
The data collected on religious identity goes into a surprising detail and you can view all of this within the Office for National Statistics website’s interactive map (https://www.ons.gov.uk/census/maps/choropleth/identity/religion/religion-tb/no-religion). Alongside the “Big 6” religions, respondents could also reply with “Other religion”. This had a write in space that recorded 58 different religious and non-religious identities within Britain from 405,000 people.
Moving Beyond Token Lessons
What do we do with all this data? Before we look at a few ideas it is important to look at what not to do. That is making single, one-off lessons that give a token idea of what an Other Religion is like without making any links to prior learning. Instead, we should find ways to compare and contrast, blending in Other Religions as a point of comparison within a lesson.
The following examples are for Christianity and Wicca but can be used for any of the Big 6 and “Other” religions.
The Nature of the Divine
Christianity is monotheistic, believing in one God who is understood through the mystery of the Trinity as God the Father, the Son (Jesus Christ) and the Holy Spirt. God is transcendent (beyond human understanding) yet also imminent (close in everyday life) giving a complex and nuanced understanding of the divine.
Conversely, Wicca is primarily duotheistic, with two central deities—the Goddess (often understood in her Maiden–Mother–Crone aspect) and the Horned God. Some traditions embrace a broader polytheism. Within the duotheism, different covens or solitary practitioners may place greater emphasis on one deity, and some feminist strands omit the Horned God entirely. At the same time, many Wiccans honour other pagan deities alongside the Goddess and Horned God, and some conceive of all gods and goddesses as manifestations of a single divine.
This substantive knowledge presents many points for comparison. Christianity defines its understanding of God through a codified doctrine; Wicca invites a range of personal interpretations. Wicca often has a female deity as the key divine while Christianity usually presents God as a male figure.
Activity: Venn-diagram comparison. Provide pupils with simple descriptions of the Christian Trinity and the Wiccan Goddess/Horned God. Place aspects that are the same (e.g. both traditions speak of a higher power) in the overlap and differences in the outer sections. Encourage children to explain their choices.
Sacred Texts
Sacred texts are a wonderful way to explore a religion. They give a physical object for children to see and words that can be read and re-read to find deeper understanding of the religion and its worldview. They also give an insight into the history of a religion as these texts are usually written in the earliest days of faith.
The Bible of Christianity is divided into the Old Testament (with much shared with the Jewish Torah) and the New Testament. The text was codified in the 4th Century AD and, bar nuances of translation, has remained unchanged. The Bible not only contains the theology, but also many of the liturgical traditions of the church meaning there are many common forms of worship among the approximately 2.3 billion Christians on earth.
Wicca does not have a single, central sacred text like some other religions. Instead, it relies on a variety of texts and traditions, including the Book of Shadows, the Wiccan Rede, and the Charge of the Goddess. These texts, while not universally agreed upon as scripture, are highly influential within Wiccan practice. The most common, The Book of Shadows, is added to by covens or individual witches with a tradition of their book being burnt upon their death.
Activity: Compare the Bible to Wicca texts. Think about how they are used and read. Explore how Christians and Wiccans tailor their reading to their own lives and personal worldview.
The Golden Rule
The rule we teach children from the youngest age: treat others how you would like to be treated. It is a foundational rule of every society and human interaction. As you might expect, we can find an example of this within every religion and non-religious worldview.
For Christians, this is found in Matthew 7:12 “Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets.”. For Wiccans, this concept is expressed in a line from the Wiccan Rede “"An ye harm none, do what ye will", or to take a modern translation, “If you do no harm, do what you will."
These short phrases show different ways of being mindful of each other while also showing a deeper aspect of the worldview. Matthew 7:12 explicitly links to earlier Jewish Law while the Wiccan Rede emphasises individual freedom within a harm‑none ethic.
Activity: Prepare cards with everyday school scenarios (e.g. “someone takes your pencil,” “friend falls over”). Pupils decide what a Christian might do (Matthew 7:12) and what a Wiccan might do (“harm-none” principle). Share choices and discuss how each teacher cares for others.
When building these comparative units, you can use local census data to show pupils how different beliefs coexist in their own communities. As exemplified, by placing Christianity’s defined doctrine alongside Wicca’s flexible divine framework, you help children recognise both the common human search for meaning and the diverse ways it takes shape. Framing each lesson around core themes ensures every exploration of an “other” faith feels integral to the wider narrative, sharpening pupils’ critical thinking, fostering mutual respect and preparing them to engage thoughtfully with a plural world.
Ultimately, well‑designed comparative lessons equip pupils not only with knowledge of diverse beliefs but also with critical thinking and empathy - key aims of Religion & Worldviews.