Religious Studies

A Tribute to Mr Chris Hayward

Chris arrived at Judd in January 2006 as a former student returning to qualify as an RE teacher through the Graduate Training Programme. When he left Judd in 1986 he had gone up to Cambridge to read Music, but switched to Theology as his commitment to Christianity grew. On his return to Judd it quickly became obvious to Chris that RE wasn't the same subject as he remembered it back in the 80's, when RE at this school was dominated by the study of Christianity. Chris was a devout and evangelical Christian who could never quite square his personal beliefs with presenting the teachings of other religions. He believed that only Christ was the way, the truth and the life and his personal integrity demanded that his actions should always reflect his beliefs. The biggest challenge of his year was coming to terms with the fact that he was really a Christian educationalist at heart. Although he went on to successfully qualify as an RE teacher, it was increasingly to Music that he looked for his future career. He introduced music into all aspects of his teaching as well as singing in the Choir and the Chamber Choir, performing in school concerts, and conducting the Junior Orchestra.

Chris's personality was dominated by his sheer enthusiasm. Initial impressions could be misleading: Chris had strong ambitions and opinions and he tended to be unconscious of how expressing these on a first meeting might rattle cages, but once relationships were established colleagues realised that he had only the best of intentions. His immense good humour, accompanied by appalling puns, and a generosity and regard for everyone he came across, became the Chris we got to know.

Chris taught at all levels during his time with us, but his biggest contribution was to the GCSE set he was responsible for from March until December '06. They were real troupers and went along with him while he organised them into doing activities that were positively cringe worthy to the average 15 year old: singing a rap about the 12 disciples, dressing up as if they were being sent out by Jesus, re-enacting the feeding of the 5000 with crisps and juice - they had a great time! But there were also more serious lessons, like the time he invited Alan Sen, a native of Turkmenistan who came to this country after experiencing religious persecution, to talk to the students about the reality of Christian persecution in the 21st Century: jaws dropped as they listened to his simple testimony.

Chris died just over a week before his students received their final grades. When I saw how outstandingly they had done (49% A*; 83% A* or A grade) the tears started to flow, as I realised how much Chris had contributed to their results and how I would never be able to share their good news with him. Chris was a great Christian educationalist and I believe that, given the right opportunities, he would have made an outstanding music teacher. Most people who study RS GCSE and A Level at Judd these days are not confirmed Christians, but many of them believe that there is a greater presence behind the Universe, and maybe they will do as I did when I heard the tragic news and send a silent prayer that Chris is at peace and that his wife Helen will recover enough from her appalling injuries to be a mother again to their much loved sons, David and Jonathan.

Fiona Barker
Head of Department of Religious Education
GTP Subject Mentor

General

• www.amnesty.org.uk

• www.ipb.org/index.html

• www.paxchristi.net

Year 9

• The Internet Encyclopaedia of Philosophy - Aristotle

GCSE - Mark's Gospel

• www.od.org/oduk

• www.kirche-in-not.org

• www.covenantplayers.org

• www.greenpeace.org.uk

• www.ascension-research.org/teresa.html

• www.corrymeela.org.uk

• www.ionacommunity.org.uk