Places of worship on the web, demons and gargoyles, and online spiritual guidance with a dash of creativity

More than half secondary school pupils now choose religious education as a GCSE subject, and for two consecutive years it's been the fastest growing subject at AS level. The supply of specialist teachers, though, lags behind, and good ICT is a must if children are to have information that motivates and engages them. With ICT, children can meet people, explore ideas and visit places not easily reached in other ways. There's an assumption, for example, that children studying RE will visit a range of places of worship. Even in urban areas that can be difficult, and that's where virtual visits come in.

Religion, however, isn't just about buildings. It's also about helping children understand the spiritual experience. That's why Angel Boy from Shoo Fly Publishing (targeted for key stage 2 but surely well suited at early secondary level) is so intriguing. It's a cross-curricular resource - RE is only one area it covers.

The starting point is a magical and beautifully drawn interactive book (single user £225, site licence £345) that provokes thoughts, feelings and discussion - in the case of RE, about angels and gargoyles on religious buildings. There are whiteboard resources in support, an audio CD and a very elegant handbook with ideas and material for a range of curriculum areas. The teacher who is trying for a style of creativity that's built in rather than stuck on really ought to look at this.

Shoo Fly Publishing: www.shooflypublishing.co.uk