Religious Education should allow children to share their experiences, learn from one another and the religions and beliefs within the local community to develop their own wellbeing and community cohesion. We aim to provide a safe and nurturing environment to enable children to enquire and ask questions in order to explore their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.
OUR CURRICULUM INTENT FOR RE
Principal aim
The principal aim of religious education is to explore what people believe and what difference this makes to how they live, so that pupils can gain the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to handle questions raised by religion and belief, reflecting on their own ideas and ways of living.
The threefold aim of RE elaborates the principal aim.
The curriculum for RE aims to ensure that all pupils:
- make sense of a range of religious and non-religious beliefs, so that they can:
- identify, describe, explain and analyse beliefs and concepts in the context of living religions, using appropriate vocabulary
- explain how and why these beliefs are understood in different ways, by individuals and within communities
- recognise how and why sources of authority (e.g. texts, teachings, traditions, leaders) are used, expressed and interpreted in different ways, developing skills of interpretation.
- understand the impact and significance of religious and non- religious beliefs, so that they can:
- examine and explain how and why people express their beliefs in diverse ways
- recognise and account for ways in which people put their beliefs into action in diverse ways, in their everyday lives, within their communities and in the wider world
- appreciate and appraise the significance of different ways of life and ways of expressing meaning.
- make connections between religious and non-religious beliefs, concepts, practices and ideas studied, so that they can:
- evaluate, reflect on and enquire into key concepts and questions studied, responding thoughtfully and creatively, giving good reasons for their responses
- challenge the ideas studied, and allow the ideas studied to challenge their own thinking, articulating beliefs, values and commitments clearly in response
- discern possible connections between the ideas studied and their own ways of understanding the world, expressing their critical responses and personal reflections with increasing clarity
At Alfriston Primary School the principle aim of the East Sussex Agreed Syllabus ‘Faith and Belief in the 21st Century’ 2022 – 2027 is at the forefront of all our RE teaching and learning.
Religion and non-religious world views education is taught within a spiral curriculum with three key elements in each unit of study; making sense of beliefs, understanding the impact and making connections. Progression of key skills and concepts is vital and is achieved through a coherent curriculum designed for pupils to revisit with increasing sophistication. We strive to reflect the pupil community by sharing diverse family experiences of faith, beliefs and traditions.
All children have access to high-quality teaching across the key stages. Multiple strategies are implemented to ensure learning is focused and meaningful. Teachers are able to use religious leaders within the local community as a source of subject knowledge and they play a significant role in supporting RE during organised visits, whole school assemblies and festivals.
The use of discrete questioning requires children to repeat and recall RE specific information, whilst also offering some of their own ideas and thoughts. Children are taught knowledge at an age-appropriate level, understanding is built up over time so connections can be made and a rich complex depth of understanding is acquired.
