Religious Education
Cumbrian Agreed Syllabus for RE 2023
Intent
Religious Education (RE) at Levens CE School promotes the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of our children. It prepares pupils for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life.
We aim to foster an attitude of fair-minded enquiry towards a range of religious convictions and encourage respect for those holding different beliefs and none.
There is “a commitment to generous hospitality, being true to our underpinning faith, but with a deep respect for the integrity of other religious traditions (and worldviews) and for the religious freedom of each person.” (Statement of Entitlement 2019)
Our main aim is to enable children to understand the nature of religious beliefs and practices and the importance of these in the lives of believers. We aim to help children learn more about religious tradition and heritage. At the heart of RE in this school, is the teaching of Christianity, rooted in the person and work of Jesus Christ enabling all learners to acquire a thorough knowledge and understanding.
We aim for an open, enquiry-based and reflective approach to learning about Christianity, other world faiths and non-faiths, as well as an appreciation of what it might mean to be a member of a faith community. We aim to explore values by which to live and those aspects of human experience which raise questions about life and our place in the world.
We aim to foster respect, empathy, awareness and understanding of self and others in our teaching. Each child’s world view is welcomed and developed as a source for learning. We are committed to education for wisdom, hope, community and dignity.
Implementation
RE in Early Years is woven into the themes of learning including celebrations and festivals such as birthdays, Christmas, Holi, Easter and Harvest. Children are encouraged to continue to develop positive attitudes towards differences between people and to show an interest in the lives of others.
RE is a core area of the curriculum and is taught for at least an hour every week in both KS1 and KS2. The curriculum is designed to follow a 2-year rolling programme that supports our mixed class structure and seeks to ensure there is continuity, coherence and progression in all school years. The broad content of our RE scheme is taken from the Cumbria Agreed Syllabus for RE supported by resources from 'Questful RE' and 'Understanding Christianity'.
https://www.understandingchristianity.org.uk/
Our RE curriculum is rooted in the disciplinary approaches of theology, philosophy and human sciences:
Theology: thinking through believing. Philosophy: thinking through thinking. Human Sciences: thinking through living.
We study Christianity and Islam in KS1 and Christianity, Islam and Buddhism in KS2. Pupils are encouraged to explore how other religions and non-religious worldviews relate to one another, These may also be taught implicitly or when comparing ideas or as thematic studies. Our RE teaching is person-centred and engages with children’s everyday experience. It presents opportunities for children to learn both about and from religion. We teach using a variety of styles and strategies incorporating periods of quiet reflection, art, drama, music, images, stories, poems, speakers, discussions and interviews etc. RE is planned so children use all their senses and are prompted to think, question, explore, experience, reflect, feel, wonder, enjoy, and value.
Children take part in celebrating the festivals of the Christian year. Christmas, Easter and Harvest are covered with each year group in a progressive manner with different emphasis and depth to avoid repetition. Our strong church connection enables pupils to ‘Experience Church’ in a variety of forms with interactive and thoughtful activities linked to RE learning objectives.
We assess children’s knowledge and awareness of RE by observing their interactions and relationships; by questioning and listening to them; and by assessing individual or group presentations and pieces of work.
Impact
Pupils at Levens School, through our progressive, coherent and broad curriculum, develop a deep understanding of Christianity as a diverse global living faith.
Through the study of a range of other religious and worldviews, they are able to use their knowledge and understanding to appreciate
diversity, continuity and change within modern society. Pupils understand the concept of religious and non-religious beliefs and their significance in Britain’s cultural heritage and in the lives of individuals and societies in different times, cultures and places.
Their learning enables them to develop the skills to ask challenging questions of meaning and purpose raised by human existence
and experience.
They formulate and reflect on their own beliefs and viewpoints throughout their time at primary school; and express their own ideas and insights about the nature, significance and impact of religious and non-religious worldviews.