RE | Eye C of E Primary School

Religious Education at Eye C of E Primary School

RE/SIAMS Lead: Mrs Bright

RE Lead: Mrs Pollard

Religious Education in the Curriculum

'RE is an important curriculum subject. It is important in its own right and also makes a unique contribution to the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils and supports wider community cohesion.' (Religious Education in English Schools: Non-Statutory Guidance 2020).

Whilst Religious Education is a non-statutory subject in our curriculum, every maintained school in England must provide a basic curriculum (RE, sex education and the National Curriculum). This includes provision for RE for all registered pupils at the school except for those withdrawn by their parents in accordance with Schedule 19 to the School Standards and Framework Act 1998. As a school we follow the locally agreed syllabus for Peterborough Local Authority and as a church school this is combined with our school's Christian Values to ensure that children learn about the religious traditions of Great Britain, which are in the main Christian, whilst taking account of the the teaching and practices of the other principle religions represented in Great Britain. We also use the Peterborough Diocese Syllabus to augment our curriculum and learning within RE.

The Agreed Syllabus for Peterborough can be found at:

https://www.peterborough.gov.uk/residents/schools-and-education/religious-education

Our vision for RE

To develop tolerant, respectful and inquisitive children who respond with wonderment and awe to the changing world around them.

Aims of R.E at Eye CE Primary School

Our aims our RE align with those of the 2023 Peterborough Locally Agreed Syllabus:

to develop religious literacy;
to acquire and develop knowledge and understanding of Christianity and the other principal religions and world views represented locally, nationally, and globally;
to develop an understanding of the influence of the beliefs, values and traditions on individuals, communities, societies, and cultures;
to develop attitudes of respect towards other people who hold views and beliefs different from their own;
to develop the ability to make reasoned and informed judgements about religious issues, with reference to the principal religions and world views represented locally, nationally, and globally

To do this RE should develop pupils' skills:

to read fluently
to enable them to ask questions
to discover information, to approach new material with empathy
to reflect on their learning. Pupils should not only acquire knowledge but also be able to use their knowledge to understand their world, build community, and develop their personal position.

Throughout the RE curriculum pupils should be encouraged to explore religions, engage with their knowledge, and reflect on their learning and their lives.

Curriculum Organisation

The school’s work in R.E is based on a combination of Peterborough’s Agreed Syllabus 2018 as required by law and the Peterborough Diocese syllabus.

Each Key Stage builds upon the one before, so by the time pupils reach the end of KS2, they should have had the opportunity to receive a broad, inclusive religious education. Teachers considered the religious experience of the pupils in the whole school when planning which religions to look at and in which order.

Christianity is studied in all Key Stages. The choice of which other religions to study in KS1 was based on the experience of the pupils in the class and local demographic. By the end of KS2 all major religions (Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism and Sikhism) and a secular world view (humanism) will have been considered.

We also use Understanding Christianity to support our teaching which focuses on the 8 concepts which help the children understand the Big Story of the Bible.