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Religious Education (RE)

RE is not just an academic subject, but, lies at the very heart of the curriculum and has an important role in reflecting and conveying the distinctively Christian character of our school. We follow the Southward Diocesan Board of Education's syllabus.

RE enables pupils to think theologically and explore the great questions of life and death, meaning and purpose; reflect critically on the truth claims of Christian belief; see how the truth of Christianity is relevant today and face the challenge of Jesus' teaching in a pluralist and post-modern society; experience the breadth and variety of the Christian community and become active citizens, serving their neighbour.

We have created Intent, Implementation and Impact statements that reflect how we plan, deliver and assess RE within our school.

Intent:

At All Saints' Church of England Primary School, the aim of our curriculum is to help children to acquire and develop knowledge and understanding of Christianity as well as many other religious and non-religious worldviews represented in Great Britain. We aim to understand the way that religious and non-religious beliefs and values shape our lives and our behaviour, develop the ability to make reasoned and informed judgements about religious and moral issues and enhance our spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

Religious Education is taught throughout the school in such a way as to reflect the overall aims, values, and philosophy of the school. It is both high-quality and sequential, aiming to prepare children for life in modern Britain. As a Church of England school, Religious Education plays an important role, along with all other curriculum areas, particularly PSHE and the teaching of British Values, in promoting the spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development of our children. Strong links are made with our school vision, underpinned by our three Core Values which, alongside our other values, are the bedrock of our provision.

Implementation:

It has been agreed that having taken into account the requirements and guidelines presented in the Agreed Syllabus, the following religions have been selected for study and we utilise the South Diocese Board of Education's syllabus:

  • Christianity
  • Islam
  • Judaism
  • Hinduism
  • Buddhism

As Christianity is the predominant religion in the school's pupil population (62% Christian) and in the community surrounding the school, Christianity is the main faith studied each year with a minimum of 66% of the RE curriculum devoted to it, it makes up a minimum of 10% of teaching time in Key Stage one and 15% in Key stage two. However, all children will experience at least four other major worldviews across their school career, as well as encountering non-religious beliefs too.

There are no presumptions made as to the religious backgrounds, and beliefs and values of the children and the staff. We value the religious or non-religious background of all members of the school community and hope that this will encourage individuals to share their own experiences with others freely. All worldviews and their communities are treated with respect and sensitivity and we value the links, which are, and can be made between home, school, and a faith community. We acknowledge that each religion or worldview studied can contribute to the education of all our pupils. We promote teaching in Religious Education that stresses open enquiry and first-hand experiences wherever possible for both staff and children.

Teachers plan for their individual classes to ensure it is challenging and creative. Our lessons promote self-awareness, respect for all, open mindedness and wonder. We explicitly teach core Christian concepts such as the trinity, and link our core Christian values to Bible story through RE lessons and collective worship.

Impact:

The children at All Saints' Church of England Primary School enjoy learning about other religions and world views and why people choose, or choose not to hold religious or non-religious beliefs. Through their R.E. learning, the children are able to make links between their own lives and those of others in their community and in the wider world. Through R.E. our children are developing an understanding of other people’s cultures and ways of life and worship, and their own which they are then able to communicate to the wider community.

The children’s progress and attainment is high, allowing them to develop religious literacy. Our children are reflective learners who consider the impact religion has in Britain and in the lives of people worldwide.