Love, Laugh, Learn – Walking with Jesus to life in all its fullness – John 10:10

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION CURRICULUM

INTENT, IMPLEMENTATION AND IMPACT

Intent: it is compulsory for all registered pupils’.                                                                                                                                        Our school vision is to Love, Laugh, Learn – Walking with Jesus to life in all its fullness – John 10:10, therefore, in RE we aim to provide a rich and engaging curriculum that is inclusive and challenging for all pupils. RE has a unique place as a central subject in the curriculum of Abbey CofE School. It is neither a core nor a foundation subject; the 1988 Education Act states that ‘Religious Education has equal standing in relation to core subjects of the National Curriculum in that it is compulsory for all registered pupils’.

Through our Religious Education curriculum we aim:

• To engage pupils in enquiring into and exploring questions arising from the study of religion and belief, so as to promote their personal, spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.
• To provide children with knowledge and understanding of Christianity and other principal religious traditions and beliefs represented in Great Britain.
• To develop their understanding of the ways in which beliefs influence people in their behaviour, practices and outlook.
• To enable children to become aware of their own beliefs and values and to have a positive attitude to the search for meaning and purpose in life.
• To encourage children to develop a positive attitude towards other people who hold religious beliefs different from their own.

Implementation                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Legal requirements for Religious Education                                                                                                                                                                                 Religious Education is a statutory subject of the curriculum for all pupils in each year group and ‘should be provided for all registered pupils except those withdrawn at the request of their parents’. (s71 SSFA 1998)

Parents have the right to request that their son or daughter be excused from all or part of the RE provided at school.   

The syllabus should ‘reflect the fact that the religious traditions in Great Britain are in the main Christian, while taking account of the teaching and practices of the principal religious represented in Great Britain.’ (s375 (3) Education Act 1996)   

We ensure that we comply with the legal requirements by following the Warwickshire agreed syllabus for Religious Education and The ‘Understanding Christianity’ scheme as recommended by Coventry Diocese.  We adapt both resources to support the unique needs of our pupils in school.

Religious Education is taught weekly, in discreet lessons. This is combined with a daily act of worship where children learn about our school Christian values of Thankfulness, Respect, Forgiveness, Perseverance, Hope, Friendship, Love and Courage. Lessons are planned and delivered in a variety of ways ensuring that all children can access and participate in lessons. They are interactive and practical activities and artefacts bring the children’s learning to life. We have strong links to our local church and children learn about Christianity through regular visits to church and through strong partnership working with our local church vicar.

Through RE, children are encouraged to discuss their ideas and extend their understanding of difficult concepts and challenging questions. Bible stories and stories from other religions are used as a vehicle to understanding some of the key learning and ideas. Links are made with children’s learning in PSHE to further strengthen and deepen their understanding.

Pupils’ progress in RE is based on the expected outcomes outlined in the Agreed Syllabus and in Understanding Christianity. Teachers make use of formative assessments to make judgements about pupil’s understanding. The carefully sequenced units of work allow teachers to revisit concepts and build on previous learning both catering for children who require further reinforcement and for those who are ready to deepen their learning further. Ongoing teacher assessments and record keeping inform the teaching and learning process.                                                                                                                              

Impact                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Children demonstrate an interest in and fascination about Christianity and other religions. Religious Education at Abbey develops children's…

• Understanding of Christianity through eight core concepts at the heart of Christianity. Through these interconnected concepts the children begin to build a picture of the ‘big story’ of the Bible. The goal is to support children on their journey to becoming theologically literate. By the time they leave KS1, pupils are able to make sense of simple biblical texts and varied interpretations, to understand the impact of beliefs in the lives of Christians, and to make connections to wider learning and to themselves.
• Understanding of Christian values. Children live out these values through the work of our school making links with their PSHE learning;
• Understanding and respect for different religions, beliefs, values and traditions, by exploring concepts through faith;
• Understanding of the influence of faith and belief on individuals;
• Skills of enquiry and response and builds children’s vocabulary which enables them to access and engage in learning about religion.

The high quality of the children’s work is represented through the different forms including, photographic evidence, artwork, poetry, prayer, role play and music. Where applicable, visits and a rich range of practical activities are used to support children’s, knowledge, understanding and engagement.