Southwark Cathedral Education Centre aims to bring learning to life.  Using the Cathedral as an inspirational resource, we provide curriculum-linked trails and workshops for children and young people that are exciting, engaging and experiential.  We want to ensure that schools enjoy their time here and are eager to return. We seek to play a part in the life of the Cathedral, and bear witness to the Cathedral as a Christian place of worship.

The Education Officer is assisted by an Office Administrator and a team of seventeen part-time volunteers, the majority of whom are experienced teachers who bring their own expertise and interests to the Centre. They are supported on a day-to-day basis by a Management Committee appointed by the Trustees.

Could you bring learning to life at Southwark Cathedral?

Southwark Cathedral Education Centre is looking for volunteers to lead a range ofexciting, engaging and experiential trails andworkshops for children and young people

For more information contact Alex Carton or Karen Greaves at the Education Centre.

How do teachers benefit from a visit to Southwark Cathedral?

The teachers bring children to the Cathedral to participate in trails, workshops and investigations designed to relate to the demands of the curriculum and to be a stimulus for classroom activities. The Education Officer is an experienced teacher, to whom visiting teachers can relate as a professional colleague and with whom they will already have discussed the needs of their group. Since the Education Officer and the Centre team lead the trails, teachers, who are expected to be present throughout, are able to observe and assess their pupils' capabilities.

Teacher INSET

Why not bring your staff to learn more about the activities we offer? You’ll receive a short tour of the building, sample some of our trails and view our wide range of resources.  We tailor-make and deliver subject-specific sessions for example:  

How would you use this space? 
A practical, RE-focussed activity for teachers and students exploring the  opportunities for learning outside the classroom in Christian places of worship. 

Contact the Education Officer for more information.

Teachers who have participated
in this RE INSET said:

• It gave me ideas to do in class and encouraged me to bring children to the Cathedral

• The hands-on element brought it to life – very enjoyable

• We were immersed in a spiritual, supportive environment

• Thank you for an inspiring and useful day

• Good to explore....in a cross-curricular way with specific RE objectives and content

• Content (was) just right and delivered in such a fresh and enthusiastic way

Resources for Teachers

Trails and workshops.

Teaching points sheets which outline the day's activities and include suggested follow-up work in class.

Site visits prior to the school visit.

How do pupils benefit?

It is clear that our work satisfies a number of criteria as prescribed in the National Curriculum, but the trails, workshops and investigations can offer more to the pupils. At the Cathedral the pupils have the chance to work co-operatively and use their verbal, written and artistic skills to complete a piece of work.

In the trails and workshops pupils have an opportunity to exercise skills learned in the classroom and apply them in different surroundings. The differentiation of the tasks allows the less able pupils to shine and develop confidence in their work.

Since the Cathedral is above all else a place of Christian worship, it offers children of different faiths or none some contact with a living Christian community, helping them develop an understanding and respect for religious traditions in a setting which itself often provokes in them a sense of awe and wonder.