R.E

We aim, at Thurlbear Primary School, to provide a broad, balanced and relevant curriculum which will promote the moral, spiritual, cultural, mental and physical development of our pupils, thus enabling them to lead happy and useful lives, both now and in the future.  Our School Vision is to create an irresistible Church School, creating learning experiences which lead to great life achievements. 

As part of this overarching vision, we provide an RE curriculum that reflects the Christian foundations and ethos of our school and prepares children for living in a diverse society as well as considering their own worldview and that of others.

Intent: “Know the Way”

We believe that Religious Education is vital for children in developing empathy with others and appreciating the worldviews of a diverse society while also developing their own spirituality and quest for meaning and purpose.  We highly value the subject of RE and deliver this is accordance with the Church schools statement of Entitlement.

Children learn to understand what it means to hold a particular worldview as well as developing understanding about the diversity within religious and non religious worldviews.  They will develop the disciplinary skills of theology, sociology and philosophy and use these to investigate different worldviews.   Our curriculum builds carefully on prior knowledge as children progress through the school and there are opportunities built in to ensure that diversity within religions and cultures is reflected while also making the learning relevant to the particular context of our school community.

RE offers opportunities for personal reflection and spiritual development.  It enables children to flourish individually, within their communities and as citizens in a diverse society and global community.  RE has an important role in preparing children for adult life, employment and lifelong learning.  It enables them to develop respect for and sensitivity to others, and enables children to challenge prejudice.  In these ways it contributes to children's wellbeing and promotes ways in which communities can live and work together.

Implementation: “Show the Way”

We have built our school curriculum around the Church of England resource ‘Understanding Christianity’ and the RE today Primary curriculum.  We have carefully placed the units of study to develop knowledge as children move through the school as well as ensuring children revisit common threads and make connections to other learning where this is appropriate.

We teach RE using a worldviews approach and there are opportunities to develop theological, sociological and philosophical skills across our curriculum.  We relate the learning to our local context and the wider UK and ensure children understand that there is diversity within religious worldviews.  We provide children with clear examples of lived religion.

Each unit has an enquiry question with the learning sequenced into logical steps with retrieval of prior knowledge, a focus on key vocabulary and identification of sticky knowledge.   Opportunity for on-going assessment will be identified through planning and teaching and will be a continuing, integral part of learning.  A portfolio of work will be collated as an on-going record of progression and achievement in RE in individual books from year 2 and in floor book in year R and 1.  Each unit of work has an assessment lesson to review the children’s learning.

Religious Education is planned to engage children through a range of differentiated activities suitable for those of different ages, abilities and backgrounds, to include those with Special Educational Needs and more able pupils. Pupils will be engaged in a variety of activities which will be structured to allow opportunity for reflection, exploration of beliefs and values, questioning and enquiry, investigation and personal response.

Impact: “Grow the Way:

Leaving Thurlbear children who have studied RE will:

1) Know about and understand a range of religions and worldviews, 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 worldviews;

• 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 worldviews, 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 or a worldview.

3) Gain and deploy the skills needed to engage seriously with religions and worldviews, 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.