Intent

The principal aim of religious education is to explore what people believe and what difference this makes to how they live, so that pupils can gain the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to handle questions raised by religion and belief, reflecting on their own ideas and ways of living.

The intent of our RE is to:

Make sense of a range of religious and non-religious beliefs, so that they can:

• Identify, describe, explain and analyse beliefs and concepts in the context of living religions, using appropriate vocabulary.
• Explain how and why these beliefs are understood in different ways, by individuals and within communities.
• Recognise how and why sources of authority (e.g. texts, teachings, traditions, leaders) are used, expressed and interpreted in different ways, developing skills of interpretation.

Understand the impact and significance of religious and non-religious beliefs, so that they can:

• Examine and explain how and why people express their beliefs in diverse ways.
• Recognise and account for ways in which people put their beliefs into action in diverse ways, in their everyday lives, within their communities and in the wider world.
• Appreciate and appraise the significance of different ways of life and ways of expressing meaning.

Make connections between religious and non-religious beliefs, concepts, practices and ideas studied, so that they can:

• Evaluate, reflect on and enquire into key concepts and questions studied, responding thoughtfully and creatively, giving good reasons for their responses.
• Challenge the ideas studied, and allow the ideas studied to challenge their own thinking, articulating beliefs, values and commitments clearly in response.
• Discern possible connections between the ideas studied and their own ways of understanding the world, expressing their critical responses and personal reflections with increasing clarity and understanding

 

By the end of Key Stage 1, our children will learn to:

• Identify core beliefs and concepts studied and give a simple description of what they mean.
• Give examples of how stories show what people believe (e.g. the meaning behind a festival).
• Give clear, simple accounts of what stories and other texts mean to believers.
• Give examples of how people use stories, texts and teachings to guide their beliefs and actions.
• Give examples of ways in which believers put their beliefs into practice.
• Think, talk and ask questions about whether the ideas they have been studying have something to say to them.
• Give a good reason for the views they have and the connections they make.

By the end of Key Stage 2, our children will learn to:

• Identify and explain the core beliefs and concepts studied, using examples from texts/sources of authority in religions.
• Describe examples of ways in which people use texts/sources of authority to make sense of core beliefs and concepts.
• Give meanings for texts/sources of authority studied, comparing these ideas with some ways in which believers interpret texts/sources of authority.
• Make clear connections between what people believe and how they live, individually and in communities.
• Using evidence and examples, show how and why people put their beliefs into practice in different ways, e.g. in different communities, denominations or cultures.
• Make connections between the beliefs and practices studied, evaluating and explaining their importance to different people (e.g. believers and atheists).
• Reflect on and articulate lessons people might gain from the beliefs/ practices studied, including their own responses, recognising that others may think differently.
• Consider and weigh up how ideas studied in this unit relate to their own experiences and experiences of the world today, developing insights of their own and giving good reasons for the views they have and the connections they make.

IMPLEMENTATION

The teaching of this subject is done as a spiral curriculum following Gloucestershire’s Agreed Syllabus supported by ‘The Understanding Christianity’ scheme of work. RE will be adapted as required to enable children with SEND to access this area of the curriculum, in line with their individual needs and through liaison with the school SENDCo. Reception are following the new Early Years Framework.

Year A

	Autumn 1	Autumn 2	Spring 1	Spring 2	Summer 1	Summer 2
EYFS	Why is the word ‘God’ so important to Christians?	Why is Christmas special for Christians?	Being Special: where do we belong?	Why is Easter special for Christians?	Which places are special and why?	Which stories are special and why?
Kingfishers	Harvest 1.2 Who do Christians say made the world?	Christmas 1.1 What do Christians believe God looks like?	1.6 Who is a Muslim and how do they live? Part 1. Easter	1.5 Why does Easter matter to Christians?	1.6 Who is a Muslim and how do they live part 2.	1.8  What makes some places sacred to believers?
Owls	Unit L2.7 What do Hindus believe God is like? [Brahman/atman]	Unit L2.8 What does it mean to be a Hindu in Britain today? [Dharma]	Unit L2.5 Why do Christians call the day Jesus died ‘Good Friday’? [Salvation]	Unit L2.6 For Christians, what was the impact of Pentecost? [Kingdom of God]	Unit L2.10 How do festivals and family life show what matters to Jews? [God /Torah/the People]	Unit L2.2 What is it like for someone to follow God? [People of God]
Eagles	2;2 Creation and science; conflicting or complementary?	2;6 For Christians, what kind of King is Jesus?	2;7 Why do Hindus want to be good? 2	;4 How do Christians decide how to live? What would Jesus do?	2;1 What does it mean if Christians believe God is holy and loving?	2;3 Why do Christians believe Jesus was the Messiah?

 

Year B

	Autumn 1	Autumn 2	Spring 1	Spring 2	Summer 1	Summer 2
EYFS	Why is the word ‘God’ so important to Christians?	Why is Christmas special for Christians?	Being Special: where do we belong?	Why is Easter special for Christians?	Which places are special and why?	Which stories are special and why?
Kingfishers Year B	Harvest/ 1.10 What does it mean to belong to a faith community?	Christmas/ 1.3 Why does Christmas matter to Christians?	1.7 Who is Jewish and how do they live? Part 1.	Easter/ 1.7 Who is Jewish and how do they live? Part 2.	1.4 What is the ‘good news’ Christians believe Jesus brings?	1.8 How should we care for the world, for others and why does it matter?
Owls Year B	Unit L2.4 What kind of world did Jesus want? [Gospel]	Unit L2.3 What is the ‘Trinity’ and why is it important for Christians? [God/Incarnation]	Unit L2.1 What do Christians learn from the creation story? [Creation]	Unit L2.9 How do festivals and worship show what matters to a Muslim? [Ibadah]	Unit L2.11 How and why do people mark the significant events of life?	Unit L2.12 How and why do people try to make the world a better place?
Eagles Year B	2;9 Why is the Torah so important to Jewish people?	2;10 What matters to Humanists, Christians? Christians and no-religious, with opportunities to include other faiths studied.	2;8 What does it mean to be a Muslim in Britain today?	2;11 Why do some people believe in God and some people not? Christians, non-religious.	2;5 What do Christians believe Jesus did to ‘save’ people?	2;12 How does faith help people when life gets hard? Christians, Muslims and/or Jews and/or Hindus, non-religious.

Impact

The impact of RE and the progress made by the children will be measured through:

• Work scrutiny across all year groups and a range of different abilities
• Monitoring teachers’ planning: Are all the units being taught and the three strands of RE planned for?
• Pupil Conferencing: Do they enjoy their lessons? Can they answer the unit question once each topic has been taught? Are they able to recall learning from previous year groups?
• Discussion with staff: Are there any units/parts of RE they are finding difficult to teach? Support can then be given and ideas/resources shared.
• Internal data taken from assessment sheets done at the start and end of each topic
• Displays around the school
• Is the curriculum being enhanced with visits and visitors for the different religions? Are the children being encouraged to think for themselves and apply their knowledge with an enriched curriculum where they are learning RE through different mediums such as writing, drama, art and PE?