RELIGIOUS
EDUCATION
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION CURRICULUM OVERVIEW
Please note that the Curriculum Overview will be adapted throughout the year as we move to using the Hertfordshire Agreed Syllabus 2023-2028
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION AT BOURNEHALL
VALUE STATEMENT
At Bournehall Primary School we value RE because:
- in an increasingly diverse society, it is vital for children to explore the views, opinions and connections they have with people whose worldviews differ from their own.
- RE provides space to reflect on ideas and develop thinking around questions of meaning and ethics.
(Religious Education Council of England and Wales)
A THEOLOGICALLY AND RELIGIOUSLY LITERATE PUPIL:
- engages with a range of ultimate questions about the meaning and significance of existence
- asks significant and reflective questions about religion and demonstrates an excellent understanding of issues relating to the nature and value of religion
- understands how the beliefs, values, practices and ways of life within religions cohere together
- thinks for themselves and takes the initiative in asking questions, evaluating ideas and working constructively with others
- responds with originality, imagination or creativity to their learning in RE
- links the study of religion and belief to personal reflections on meaning and purpose
- has a wide knowledge and deep understanding across a wide range of religions and beliefs
Chris Quigley – Essentials Curriculum
DELIVERY OF RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
Religious Education is not part of the National Curriculum, but it is part of the basic curriculum and is compulsory for all pupils in local authority maintained schools.
We deliver the curriculum using the Hertfordshire Agreed Syllabus of Religious Education which both reflects the diverse Hertfordshire community and meets statutory requirements.
Parents have the right to withdraw children on the grounds that they wish to provide their own RE. If you would like to do this, please contact the Headteacher to arrange a discussion.
EYFS
Children:
- know some similarities and differences between different religious and cultural communities in this country, drawing on their experiences and what has been read in class.
Key Stage 1
Children:
- Recall and name different beliefs and practices including festivals, worship, rituals and ways of life in
order to find out about the meanings behind them. - Retell and suggest meanings to some sources of wisdom and stories of faith and belief, exploring and
discussing sacred writings and sources of wisdom and recognising the traditions from which they
come. - Recognise how and why symbols and actions express religious meaning, appreciating some
similarities between communities - Respond to and reflect on what individuals and communities do and why, so that pupils begin to understand what prayer, worship and reflection mean to a religious community.
- Notice and talk about how groups expressed their identity and belonging. Listen to and talk with people including leaders who belong to a faith community about how their commitment affects their lives.
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Explore questions about belonging, meaning and truth so that they can express their own ideas and
opinions using creative media. -
Respond to stories and real-life examples of how and why people show care and concern for humanity and
the world. -
Reflect on ideas about what is right and wrong and consider how spiritual and moral values influence the behaviour and choices of themselves and of others.
Key Stage 2
Children:
- Describe, make connections and reflect upon different features of the religions and worldview studied, discovering more about the significance of pilgrimage, worship and the rituals which mark important points in life, including the joy of celebrations.
- Investigate, interpret and respond to a range of stories sacred writings and sources of wisdom and authority reflecting on the impact of beliefs and teachings as ways of seeing the world in different communities.
- Explore and describe beliefs, practices and symbols and their deeper meanings, in order
to understand different ways of expressing meaning. - Research and explore varied examples of how people of faith communicate their beliefs and receive inspiration through sacred spaces, worship, prayer, reflection, meditation and stillness.
- Explore and describe the challenges of individual commitment to a community of faith or belief. Examine the role of religious leadership and consider why belonging to a community may be valuable in their own lives.
- Discuss and present thoughtfully through creative media, their own and others’ views and challenging questions about belonging, meaning, purpose and truth.
- Consider and apply ideas about ways in which diverse communities can live together for the well-being of all.
- Respond thoughtfully to ideas about values, respect and human responsibility.
- Discuss and apply their own and others’ ideas about ethical questions reflecting on ideas about what is right and wrong and what is just and fair.
CONDITIONS FOR LEARNING
Children tell us that they enjoy RE and learn best when they:
- start their learning with a question
- hear from their friends and other knowledgeable visitors about their experiences
- use role play and their senses to explore objects, stories, foods that are part of the experience of people from religious communities
- go on visits or use videos to explore important places
- value the things they have in common and the things that are different about their beliefs and ideas
- connect ideas and thoughts from world religions to their own experiences, whether they are religious or not
- look for the similarities between different religions
RE:
- starts with a question
- takes into account pupils’ prior knowledge and understanding
- encourages creative thinking and reasoning
- has a context that connects with children’s own lives and experiences
- encourages and develops the skills needed for children to ask their own questions
- includes discussion and debate
- makes good use of resources that are exciting, high quality and avoid stereotypical views of people from different faith backgrounds
- supports children’s application and development of basic skills through communicating their understanding in different ways.
