Religious Education

RE in church schools should enable the children to receive the National Society’s Statement of Entitlement, which outlines that RE in Church schools aims to:

• To know about and understand Christianity as a diverse global living faith through the exploration of core beliefs using an approach that critically engages with biblical text.
  • To gain knowledge and understanding of a range of religions and worldviews appreciating diversity, continuity and change within the religions and worldviews being studied.
  • To engage with challenging questions of meaning and purpose raised by human existence and experience.
  • To recognise the concept of religion and its continuing influence on Britain’s cultural heritage and in the lives of individuals and societies in different times, cultures and places.
  • To explore their own religious, spiritual and philosophical ways living, believing and thinking.

EYFS

During their time in EYFS, pupils are given experiences that encourage them to:

• explore the world of religion in terms of special people, books, times, places and objects and by visiting places of worship, starting with Christianity as the foundational faith of their Church school;
• listen to and talk about Bible stories and stories from other religious traditions, where appropriate;
• use religious words and use their senses in exploring religions and beliefs, practices and forms of expression;
• reflect on their own feelings and experiences;
• use their imagination and curiosity to develop their appreciation and wonder of the world in which they live;

KS1

Through their learning in KS1, pupils will:

• learn what Christians believe about God and the world around them, and be introduced to what Jews & Muslims believe;
• encounter and respond to a range of stories, artefacts and other religious materials, such as art & music;
• learn to recognise that peoples’ beliefs are expressed in a variety of ways, and begin to use subject specific vocabulary;
• begin to understand the importance and value of religion and belief, especially for other children, their families and the communities they belong to;
• ask relevant questions and develop a sense of wonder about the world, using their imagination;
• ask questions and express their own views about what is important to themselves and to others, valuing themselves, reflecting on their own feelings and experiences and developing a sense of belonging.

KS2

Through their learning in KS2, pupils will:

• express their own ideas in response to the material they engage with, identifying relevant information, selecting examples and giving reasons to support their ideas and views;
• make connections between differing aspects of religion and consider the different forms of religious expression;
• consider the beliefs, teachings, practices and ways of life central to religion;
• be introduced to an extended range of sacred texts and other sources and consider their meanings;
• recognise diversity, learning about similarities & differences both within and between religions & beliefs, and the importance of dialogue between them;
• extend the range and use of subject specific vocabulary;
• recognise the challenges involved in distinguishing between ideas of right and wrong, and valuing what is good and true;
• communicate their ideas, recognising other people's viewpoints;
• consider their own beliefs and values and those of others in the light of their learning in religious education.