Curriculum Statement for Religious Education

Rationale

At Kildwick CE VC Primary School, we see Religious Education as a vital element of a broad and balanced curriculum. The study of R.E. helps to build pupils' understanding and appreciation of different beliefs, practices and religions, and how these relate to the modern world.

We aim to inspire and challenge our pupils by:

  • Helping them to develop respect, tolerance and empathy
  • Challenging stereotypes and promoting a positive and inclusive community
  • Enabling them to explore and celebrate the diversity of our local community, the UK and the global community
  • Enabling them to develop their own values and beliefs

Curriculum Intent

As a school, we use a combination of the North Yorkshire Agreed Syllabus, the local diocese syllabus and Understanding Christianity, which all provide the content for our RE curriculum.

The principle aim is to engage pupils in systematic enquiry into significant human questions which religion and world views address, so that they can develop the understanding and skills needed to appreciate and appraise varied responses to these questions, as well as develop responses of their own. 

The curriculum for RE aims to ensure that all pupils:

1. Know about and understand a range of religions and worldviews1, so that they can:

• describe, explain and analyse beliefs and practices, recognising the diversity which exists within and

between communities and amongst individuals

• identify, investigate and respond to questions posed, and responses, offered by some of the

sources of wisdom found in religions and world views

• appreciate and appraise the nature, significance and impact of different ways of life and ways of

expressing meaning.

2. Express ideas and insights about the nature, significance and impact of religions and world views, so that they can:

• explain reasonably 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.

3. Gain and deploy the skills needed to engage seriously with religions and world views, so that they can:

• find out about and 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 beliefs, values and commitments clearly in order to explain why they may be important in

their own and other people’s lives.

Curriculum Implementation

The RE curriculum is delivered using a rolling programme for Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 to enable all of our pupils to receive their full entitlement within our mixed-age class structure.

EYFS

At Kildwick CE VC Primary School, the RE curriculum is taught using the above mentioned syllabus to deliver the EYFS curriculum. The units are linked to the rolling programme for Key Stage 1, taking account of our mixed age classes. EYFS pupils are taught in variety of ways through adult-led and supported tasks and child-initiated learning in provision areas. Practitioners will take into account the Characteristics of Effective Learning when they are planning, leading or supporting learning.

Key Stage 1

The RE curriculum is taught in weekly lessons

Key Stage 2

The RE curriculum is taught in weekly lessons.

Cross Curricular Links

RE provides many links with other curriculum subjects including:

  • Geography: a knowledge of religion in other countries and continents
  • History: an understanding of the role that religion has played in our history, for example, the spread of Christianity to Britain in Anglo Saxon times.
  • Art: the religious subject matter of great paintings;
  • Music: how religion has inspired great works of music such as Handel’s Messiah.
  • RE is integral to the development of Social, Spiritual, Moral and Cultural education and the promotion of British Values.

Enrichment

The RE Curriculum is enriched in a variety of ways including

  • Visits to places of worship (Mandir, Gudwara, Mosque, St Andrew’s Church, Kildwick)
  • Sacred Art – annual project with cross curricular links to Art
  • Religious visitors to school, for example, Rev Julie Bacon.

Progression and Assessment

EYFS Regular observations and assessments of learning are recorded using a class big book and in their learning journey. This contributes to a summative assessment at the end of EYFS using the Early Years Outcomes for The World – People and Communities. Pupils’ learning in RE is assessed using the outcomes from the RE scheme of work.

KS1 and KS2

Pupils' learning is assessed during and at the end of the unit, using the learning outcomes which are part of the sylabus. The assessments contribute to a summative judgement at the end of the year.

Impact

The impact of the curriculum will be reviewed at the end of the year through observations and assessments of pupils’ learning and through pupil discussion