Jean Mead and a student take a closer look at the Koran

They may be future primary school teachers - and are allowed to opt out of teaching RE if they wish - but each student must get a grounding in Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Sikhism, Hinduism and Buddhism as part of their degree course.

Jean Mead, senior lecturer in religious education, said it was vital teachers understood pupils' different religious backgrounds, whether they went on to teach RE or not.

"Also, if they are contributing to children's education of the society and world around them, they need to give an authentic, accurate portrayal, rather than perpetuating misunderstanding, stereotypes and superficial inaccuracies," said Mrs Mead.

Facts and attitudes

Mindful of the criticisms of creating better-informed racists, Mrs Mead said her trainees learned to give pupils a grasp of a religion's attitudes, offering them more than just facts and information.

She told a story of one secondary teacher who, after covering Islam in his lessons, was horrified to see some of his pupils taking part in a National Front march.

Jean Mead believes RE can help break down barriers

When challenged, they said they thought it was cruel that goats were slaughtered for the Eid festival.

"So they had taken snippets from their lessons to reinforce their own prejudices," said Mrs Mead.

"The teacher then saw it was important to deal with attitudes as much as facts.

"RE must deal with attitudes as well as information and then you're not creating better-informed racists. You need that balance," she said.

Multi-cultural society

Second year student Alison Salmon said there was little doubt teachers themselves needed an understanding of the major religions if they were to relate to their pupils in today's multi-cultural society.

"The number of schools we go into where all the kids are white and Christian is tiny.

Alison Salmon: "Teachers have a responsibility"

"Almost anywhere you go in this country, you're going to have at least two children in any class you teach who are of a different religious or cultural background and to not know about them and what they believe would be awful.

"It's important to know how other people live and what they believe - teachers have a responsibility, otherwise they can't treat children right," she said.

Alison mentioned a school she had visited where pupils were making sandwiches in a food technology lesson.

No problem on the face of it - but it was during the month of Ramadan and many of the Muslim pupils were fasting.

Living in community

Informed teachers led to informed pupils, better equipped to live in a diverse society, she added.

"The children need to learn to live together. They've got to learn to live in a community where a large minority is not like them."

Children need to learn to live together

Alison Salmon

Mrs Mead - herself a committed Christian - said teaching RE in schools need not conflict with one's own religious beliefs.

"Belonging to one religion and your commitment to one religion doesn't have to be harmed by an understanding of others," she said.

Sometimes she and students celebrated a Jewish Sabbath meal, learning about the importance of families coming together on a regular basis.

"It's an example of how you can learn from other religions and find something that benefits your own spiritual growth, without becoming a member of that religion."

School trips

Student Nicole Harrison said she valued the trips to the mosque and other places of worship.

"Because we've done the visits ourselves, we can see the benefits and will take the children on visits too."

Nita Modha says RE offers an insight into living communities

Nita Modha, who is from a Hindu background, said by visiting places of worship, such as the mosque, pupils and students got an insight into a living community.

"The things you see are not necessarily the things you read in a textbook - it's more active," she said.

And understanding a person's religion helped understand their actions and attitudes.

"It's breaking down barriers, that's the key - we need to establish that there are a minority of people that don't want to go against the teachings of their religion."

Dr Ally Soodin, a worshipper at Watford Mosque, hosts visits from schools on a regular basis and believes they are an important way to put Islam into context.

Dr Soodin says school trips can help put Islam into context

"The problem is lack of knowledge - if they don't have the right information, then they tend to collect the information from the wrong people like the national parties and so on," Dr Soodin said.

So, in the light of recent international events, does Mrs Mead feel her subject is vindicated?

"It makes it more important, although I am disappointed it hasn't had more of an impact so far, what with the riots in Oldham and so on.

"But I don't think we should stop trying," she said.