Inter Faith Week

Inter Faith Week takes place annually in November and many places of worship open their doors to the wider public. But what does ‘interfaith’ actually mean and is there a place for it in our schools?

Interfaith refers to encounters that aim to increase understanding between people of different faith groups. Whilst the term ‘faith’ implies religious belief, interfaith is increasingly inclusive of those with non-religious worldviews. 

Interfaith work supports many schools’ values, especially those that are centred on empathy, kindness, community or diversity.  It’s an opportunity to enrich pupils’ cultural capital and personal development: by learning about the beliefs and traditions of others, we better understand and refine our personal worldview.

This year’s theme is ‘Community: Together We Serve’. Community is always at the heart of Inter Faith Week and our schools are communities too – including staff, pupils and their families. Interfaith activities provide opportunities to explore a wider range of worldviews than the standard RE curriculum allows. They can be both a mirror to reflect pupils who are under-represented and a window through which to encounter unfamiliar beliefs and lived experiences.

One starting point is investigating census data relating to religion. As well as looking at recent statistics, consider previous years and what they might look like in the future. For example, currently 6% of the UK population identifies as Muslim, but this rises to 10% in the 5-15 age range (source: https://mcb.org.uk/resources/censussummary2025/).

Service is also an integral part of this year’s theme. Each year, Inter Faith Week takes place just before Mitzvah Day, a Jewish-led day of social action, which now includes people of all faiths and none. The original meaning of ‘Mitzvah’ is a commandment from God. It has also come to mean an action to carry out the commandment, doing good and helping others. This contributes to Tikkun Olam (repair of the world), which comes from an early Jewish code called the Mishnah.

This year’s theme could inspire you to explore practices rooted in service across diverse worldviews e.g. Sewa (in Sikhi and Sanatana (Hindu) Dharma) and Zakat (in Islam). You could look at examples from religious texts, such as Jesus washing the feet of his disciples at the Last Supper, and non-religious stories, such as The Starfish Thrower, thinking about how these might inspire people’s actions today.

What are the challenges of interfaith encounters?

The most meaningful interfaith work includes holding challenging conversations around areas of disagreement. This needs to happen within a safe space, where participants show respect to those with a different point of view. It is important to ensure such interactions end with repair and reconnection. This could be achieved by returning to shared values and acknowledging each person’s identity beyond their religious or non-religious beliefs. 

It can also be challenging to find authentic representation of different faiths when the school or local community is not diverse. See if there is an existing interfaith group in the area, reach out to local RE advisors and explore online resources such as the RE Hubs website.

Planning meaningful interfaith work in schools

Contact theory (or contact hypothesis) was proposed by Gordon Allport in 1954 and continues to be used to facilitate encounters between members of different social and cultural groups, with the goal of increasing understanding between them. There are four key features of effective practice:

• Equal status of participants

In the classroom, this includes setting expectations for respectful curiosity and recognition that everyone has their own identity and point of view, whether that is informed by a religious or non-religious worldview or not. 

• A common goal

Effective interfaith work has an intended outcome. It’s an opportunity to draw together learning about different worldviews under a theme, allowing differences of beliefs and practices to be acknowledged within a shared context. Outcomes could include artwork, creative writing, oral presentations or action such as fundraising or litter picking.

• Intergroup cooperation

Collaboration and cooperation are essential life skills. Groupings for interfaith experiences should ensure that young people work with those from different backgrounds to achieve together. Depending on the age of pupils, varying levels of adult support may be needed to ensure all members of the group are able to participate and succeed.

• Support of authority beyond the group

Inviting the Head Teacher, a member of SLT or a governor to take part in the session or speak to young people afterwards demonstrates how the school values interfaith work. Young people could also present their experiences and learning to other year groups or to parents.  

Just as schools embed anti-bullying work year-round, so too can interfaith become a regular part of the curriculum. In addition to Inter Faith Week, opportunities include World Religion Day in January, and festivals celebrated by communities represented in the school and local area. 

Further resources

Jigsaw Education Group are please to share free resources to help your school engage in Inter Faith Week.  Visit our website for more information: https://jigsaweducationgroup.com/resources/ 

For additional resources for schools, visit https://www.ifw4schools.co.uk/ 

More information about Mitzvah Day can be found here: https://mitzvahday.org.uk/ 

The census data for England and Wales from 2021 can be found here: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/culturalidentity/religion/bulletins/religionenglandandwales/census2021