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Bolton St Catherine's Academy

Bolton St Catherine's Academy
BELIEVE . STRIVE . CARE . ACHIEVE
Achieve

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

Autumn 1 Autumn 2 Spring 1 Spring 2 Summer 1 Summer 2
Year 1

Creation

Who do Christians say made the world?

Incarnation

Why does Christmas matter to Christians?

Judaism

Who is Jewish and how do they live?

God

What do Christians believe God is like?

 

People of God

What does it mean to belong to a faith community?

Gospel

How should we care for others and the world and why does it matter?

Year 2

Gospel

What is the good news Christians believe Jesus brings? Part 1

Incarnation

What is the good news Christians believe Jesus brings? Part 1

Islam

Who is Muslim and how do they live? Part 1

Salvation

Why does Easter matter to Christians?

Islam

Who is Muslim and how do they live? Part 2

People of God

What makes some places special to believers?

Year 3

People of God

What is it like to follow God?

Incarnation/God

What is the Trinity and why is it important for Christians?  

Islam

How do festivals and family life show what matters to a Muslim?

Judaism

How do festivals and family life show what matters to Jews?

 Creation and Fall

What do Christians learn from the Creation story?

Gospel

How and why do people try to make the world a better place?

Year 4

Gospel

What kind of world did Jesus want?

Kingdom of God

When Jesus left what was the impact of Pentecost?

Hinduism

What do Hindus believe God is like?

Salvation

Why do Christians call the day Jesus died ‘Good Friday’?

Hinduism

What does it mean to be a Hindu in Britain today?

Creation and Fall

How and why do people mark the significant events of life?   

Year 5

 Creation and Fall

What does it mean if Christians believe God is holy and loving?

Islam

What does it mean to be a Muslim in Britain today?

Judaism

Why is the Torah important to Jewish people?

Creation and Fall

Creation and science: conflicting or complementary?

People of God

How can following God bring freedom and justice?

Gospel

What matters most to Humanists and Christians?

Year 6

People of God

Christians and how to live: What would Jesus do?  

Incarnation

Why do Christians believe Jesus was the Messiah?

Hinduism

Why do Hindus try to be good?

Salvation

What difference does resurrection make to Christians?

Kingdom of God

For Christians what kind of king was Jesus?

People of God

Why do some people believe in God and some people not?