Religious Education

Vision

Our Religious Education teaching and learning fully supports our academy values.

Aims of the RE Curriculum

RE is an important part of the school curriculum. We seek to provide a clearer idea of what religion is about, the importance that it plays in many people's lives and how that faith is expressed in their daily lives and routines.

The overall aims are:

• That all children form their own opinions about religious beliefs and customs and that they develop an understanding of people who hold a strong faith.
• That children enjoy learning about religion because it is taught in a stimulating and interesting way that arouses their curiosity and develops positive skills and attitudes.
• That children develop a sense of awe and wonder about the world around them.
• To help pupils understand some of the impact of religion throughout the world, its influences on the lives of individuals and communities and its effect on the cultural diversity of their own and other societies both presently and in the past.
• To support pupils personal and spiritual development by encouraging self-awareness and self- respect.
• To help pupils develop their social and moral development by encouraging a positive attitude and valuing the beliefs of others, however different from their own.
• To know about and understand different religions
• To gain and deploy a range of central skills that are progressively reinforced, and are targeted in terms of depth and sophistication according to the age and abilities of pupils e.g. how to research
• To express and communicate themselves e.g. ask and respond to questions, observe and recount and notice and respond sensitively to some similarities between different religions and worldviews

Principles of Teaching and Learning

RE is taught as part of a cross-curricular approach. Through this, we aim to promote the spiritual, moral, and cultural development; Personal, Social, Health Education and Citizenship (PSHEC), and thinking skills that encompass the ability to reflect, analyse and use a range of balanced arguments (Bloom's Taxonomy) of all pupils.

Within the core curriculum, RE can enable pupils to develop their literacy skills; to reinforce numerical awareness by looking at calendrical reckoning, collecting, recording, presenting and analysing a variety of data; making appropriate use of multi-media sources to investigate, analyse and evaluate different aspects of religious beliefs, in order to communicate a personal response effectively.

Our RE syllabus follows the Bolton Agreed Syllabus for Early Years, Key Stage One and Key Stage Two through the Learning Challenge Curriculum. Click here to see an overview for each year group.

Equal Opportunities

Every child is entitled to be taught RE regardless of their age, culture, gender, background or special need or disability. RE develops a balanced view of the multi-cultural society which we live in without compromising the faith, non-faith or cultural background of any pupil.
(Please see the Equality Policy)

Teaching and Learning

A variety of teaching methods should be used to teach RE, such as role play/drama, stories, poetry, art, and music. Visitors to school should also be encouraged to give children the opportunity to listen to and ask questions about another person's experiences of living/celebrating through different faiths.

The Foundation Stage and KS1 forms the basis of children's future understanding and therefore should begin with children's own experiences and feelings, particularly around 'special' times, people, places and objects/symbols. Many opportunities should be given for thinking, talking, listening and responding to others respectfully. Much emphasis should be placed on valuing and caring for other people in our local community and also for children to relate their understanding to a wider/global community.

In KS2, similar opportunities are offered and children are encouraged to openly discuss their understanding, opinions and attitudes about religion.

Yearly Overview