Religion

Subject Leader - Miss Corkill

Intent

R.E in Banks Road Primary School is taught in a stimulating, interesting and enjoyable way which encourages the children to learn, enquire and evaluate the fundamental questions of life. The teaching of R.E is important to promote the children’s social, moral and cultural awareness.  We want our pupils to appreciate different religions, beliefs, viewpoints and cultures and develop their own views, through questioning and investigation. The values that are embraced at Banks Road Primary School prepare the children with the right skills and attitudes to flourish in the community and be good citizens in a diverse society.

British values are supported by the teaching of the concepts of: democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, mutual tolerance and respectful attitudes.

Implementation

In Early Years and KS1, R.E. is taught following SACRE, the Liverpool agreed syllabus for Religious Education. Our school, is home to a range of religions, cultures and nationalities, each celebrated for their diversity. Our aim is to create an inclusive environment for all our children, as a school we believe that RE provides opportunities to celebrate our diversity. RE is a subject for all pupils, whatever their own family background and personal beliefs and practices.

‘The principal aim of RE is to explore the big questions about life, to discover what people believe and how this impacts the way they live. This allows pupils to make sense of religion, reflect on their own and others ideas and different ways of living.’

• The curriculum is then designed to ensure pupils:
  Know about and understand a range of religions and worldviews, so they can:
  Describe, explain and analyse beliefs and practices.

• Identify, investigate and respond to questions posed, and responses offered.

• Appreciate and appraise the nature, significance and impact of different ways of life and ways of expressing meaning.

• Express ideas and insights about the nature, significance and impact of religions and worldviews, so they can:

• Explain, using reasoned arguments, their ideas about how beliefs, practices and forms of expression influence individuals and communities.

• Express with increasing discernment their personal reflections and critical responses to questions and teachings about identity, diversity, meaning and value, including ethical issues.

• Appreciate and appraise varied dimensions of religion.

Gain and deploy the skills needed to engage seriously with religions and worldviews, so they can:

• Investigate key concepts and questions of belonging, meaning, purpose and truth, responding creatively.

• Enquire into what enables different individuals and communities to live together respectfully for the wellbeing of all.

• Articulate clearly beliefs, values and commitments in order to explain why they may be important in their own and other people’s lives.

In Key Stage Two, our pupils are taught using the Opening Worlds humanities programme, one which is knowledge rich and recognises the uniqueness and background of every child. Our R.E. curriculum covers a range of cultural, historical and ethical backgrounds and offers purposeful and meaningful experiences to apply, share and develop this knowledge. Our diverse, culturally rich, wide-scoping and rigorous/coherent curriculum is underpinned by the teaching of basic skills, knowledge, concepts and values in a rigorous and coherent way. Explicit links to story- telling and creativity are made to ensure children to engage and enthuse learners.  Many enhancement and enrichment activities are used throughout the curriculum to engage learners and create purposeful, high leverage outcomes that give children the opportunity to use and apply their developing knowledge and skills. Our aim is to create an environment that prompts curiosity, critical thinking and allows learners to connect strands of learning across all aspects of the curriculum.

Banks Road curriculum for R.E. aims to ensure that all pupils:

• Learn about the place of religion and belief in their local community – recognising diversity and the influence of those religions and worldviews, and exploring questions about the meaning, purpose and value of life.

• Learn about key features of Christianity (selected from key beliefs, teaching and values behind celebrations and commemorations, patterns of worship, places of worship, and stories) exploring their significance for Christians.

• Learn about key features of at least one other religion or non- religious worldview (selected from key beliefs and, in the case of religion, teaching and values behind celebrations and commemorations, patterns of worship, places of worship, and stories) exploring their significance for followers of that religion or worldview

Impact

The RE curriculum at Banks Road Primary School is of a high quality, well planned and demonstrates progression. The impact of this is measured through:

• The confidence of our children to be able to discuss their learning from past and current topics, being able to make links and apply this to their future learning,

• Assessing children’s understanding through pupil voice interviews,

• Marking of written work in books,

• Photographs of practical learning,

• “Book looks” to moderate the children’s work,

• End of unit synoptic tasks and end of term multiple choice questions.

Through their RE learning, it is our aim for the children to leave Banks Road Primary School with a good understanding of people’s cultures and religion and with a positive attitude to demonstrate respectful behaviour to all.