Chadderton school students deepen their knowledge on different faiths

Aspiring students from The Radclyffe School have been exploring “Faith in Oldham” - a unit designed to encourage understanding and reflection on the rich diversity of religious belief within the town.

A central feature of the unit was the school’s interfaith panel sessions, where local religious leaders visited the school and shared insights, answered questions from students and offered personal perspectives on their faiths, which the pupils used as part of their research for presentations on the subject.  

This year, the Year 9 Religious Education students were fortunate to engage with four esteemed guests, representing Catholicism, Hinduism, Judaism, and Islam: Father Phil Sumner from The Parish of Our Lady and St Patrick Church, Kumar Sisodia, Adam Hurst of Standing Together, and Imam Molana Akmal from A&A Islamic Tuition.  

Discussions covered a wide range of themes, including the significance of religious festivals, the daily responsibilities of faith leaders, diversity within each tradition and the ways in which personal beliefs shape life in modern Britain.  

This event reflects the Hunt Lane School’s commitment to nurturing an inclusive environment that values the beliefs, cultures, and identities of all its students.   

Their contributions brought the subject matter to life, offering students a meaningful and memorable experience of interfaith dialogue in action.  

Amina noted how powerful it was to see unity across the different faiths, she said: “I enjoyed seeing representatives from different communities coming together without arguing and conflict – hearing everyone’s opinions and respecting them.”  

Maryam said: “Thank you for coming to our school to teach us about each religion. I liked how each answer was very detailed. It gave me a lot of information which is very useful.”  

Amelia appreciated hearing contrasting perspectives, adding: “What I really enjoyed was hearing all four answers to the same question but all the answers being different.  

“I think it is important for young people to meet faith leaders because it creates diversity.”  

The variety of voices and perspectives ensured a rich learning experience for all.  The school believes this initiative has helped students to deepen their understanding of faith, identity, and community in a meaningful way.