‘Do everything possible on your part to live in peace with everybody’ Romans 12:18
For many people in modern Britain faith provides them with a firm foundation of beliefs and values which has a profound impact and shapes how they live their lives.
RE should allow children to explore and ask ‘big’ questions about their own ideas, faith, beliefs and practices as well as considering the beliefs and practices of others.
As a Church of England School, children will develop a deep and thorough understanding of the key concepts of Christianity and how this is lived out in practice both through Church and everyday life and how it impacts upon and influences believers.
As part of a multi-cultural and diverse society in modern Britain and as part of an increasingly interconnected world children will explore and develop an understanding of the belief systems and practices of others beyond their direct experience and not only respect but celebrate this difference as well as exploring how people’s faith shapes their lives in 21st Century Britain.
Aims of Religious Education
- To enable children to hold balanced and informed conversations about religion and belief;
- To enable children to have a deep understanding of the key concepts of Christianity and as a living faith that influences the lives of people worldwide and how this impacts upon their interactions with others;
- To enable children to know and understand about the other major world religions, their impact upon society, culture and the wider world enabling children to express ideas and insights;
- To enable children to explore the big questions about what it means ‘to be’ and to contribute to the development of their own spiritual and philosophical convictions exploring and enriching their own beliefs and values;
- To enable children to develop a sense of themselves as significant, unique and precious.
Approach
Religious Education is taught in line with the agreed syllabus for Northumberland.
Units of work are split into half termly units.
Each year children will complete 4 units based upon Christianity and 2 units looking at other faiths or multi-faith units of work.
For the Christianity elements the ‘Understanding Christianity’ programme is used.
This approach ensures that children are taught the key concepts of Christianity, placing them within the larger story of the Bible and exploring their theological significance. These concepts are revisited each year and explored in different ways and contexts, focusing on different aspects building upon what was covered before. Each unit begins with a focus on the children and a key text. This widens out to explore the impact upon Christians today and how this influences their lives and actions before allowing the children time to reflect upon what they have learnt. This model enables the children spend more time exploring key areas meaning that they can learn more and remember more.
Other faiths covered are:
- Hindusim;
- Islam;
- Judaism.
For other faiths Key Stage 1 focus on festivals and stories;
Key Stage 2 explore their lifestyles and what it means to be a person of that faith living in 21st Century Britain. Diversity within faiths are also explored during this work.
Religious Education has a high profile within the curriculum as it is an intrinsic part of the School’s Christian vision enabling all children to flourish as uniquely made in the image of God and equally beloved by God. In addition RE contributes to work on British values as well as Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural development.
Supporting Special Educational Needs and Disabilities
All children with SEND will have equal access and opportunities within the curriculum. The School will support these children to ‘catch up’, ‘keep up’ and experience success in the following ways (where appropriate):
- High quality teaching everyday through Ordinarily Available Provision (formerly Quality First Teaching)’
- Opportunities for pre-learning (particularly new vocabulary) before lessons;
- Appropriately scaffolded or differentiated work or materials;
- Classrooms and materials set up to reduce cognitive load and follow dyslexia friendly strategies;
- Children with SEND have a Pupil Passport which identifies approaches and strategies to be used which will help them to succeed;
- For children with Education, Health and Care Plans there may be 1:1 adult support in lessons.
The School recognises that while a child may have additional needs in one area of the curriculum they may well have skills and talents which allow them to shine and be successful in another and this is to be celebrated.
Legal Requirements
The School curriculum meets the requirements of the 1988 Education Reform Act (ERA) which stipulates that Religious Education is compulsory for all children, including those in the Reception class who are less than 5 years old.
The ERA states that RE should reflect the fact that the religious traditions in Britain are in the main Christian and it should at the same time take account of the teachings and practices of other major religions.
Withdrawal from Religious Education
The School notes the right of parents to withdraw their child from RE lessons as set out in the Education Reform Act (1988). The School must comply with any request from a parent to withdraw their child and parents are not required to give their reasons for wanting to do so. However, parents who choose to send their children to a Church of England School will understand that religion plays an important part in School life, not only as a curriculum area but in shaping the ethos and in Collective Worship.
However, the School is clear that education here is provided for children of all faiths and no faiths and that engagement in the Christian aspects of School life is entirely invitational and that no-one is ever told what to believe. Therefore, the curriculum is designed to be open to all children.
Teachers are asked to refer to the Headteacher any questions from parents about withdrawals. The School asks that anyone wishing to withdraw their child would discuss this with the Headteacher before making a final decision. Requests for full or partial withdrawal from RE should be made in writing to the Headteacher and a record of them will be kept.
To view the Religious Education Curriculum Map please Click Here