R.E

Intent

At Great Sankey Primary school we aim to ensure that  pupils leave our school  with respect, empathy  and tolerance for  people of all faiths, cultures and beliefs. In Religious Education sessions, children learn about the diverse society that they live in and develop their own personal beliefs and values. We aim to deliver an enriched curriculum which will offer children of all abilities the opportunities to enquire and investigate the key beliefs and teachings of World religions. We intend our children to develop the skills of interpretation, analysis and explanation and to be able to communicate their knowledge and understanding using specialist vocabulary. We intend to develop in our children a deep understanding to  enable them to understand ultimate questions and  ethical issues that apply to their own lives.

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Implementation 

At Great Sankey Primary we follow the Discovery RE Scheme Resources with a link to the Lancashire agreed syllabus of work for Religious Education. This is based on learning about religion and beliefs and learning from religion and beliefs. In Religious Education sessions, children learn about the diverse cultures and faiths in the World.

To enhance our learning we have a strong relationship with our local churches with visits at Easter, Christmas and relevant times to support learning. We also welcome Open the Book into school regularly to share Bible stories with the children in EYFS and KS1. Other visitors from different religions are invited into school and planned visits to other religious establishments are used to support and develop learning and offer the children enriched learning opportunities.

The curriculum is led and overseen by the Religious Education Leaders, who ensures a regular programme of monitoring, evaluation and review. The celebration of good practice contributes to the ongoing commitment to evolve and improve further.  The Religious Education Leader establishes the skills, knowledge and vocabulary to be taught at each R.E theme. Use of Chris Quigley's Milestones for each phase focuses the R.E learning to ensure a broad and balanced teaching and planning of skills, knowledge and vocabulary.  Milestone documents are provided by the R.E lead to focus teachers in planning their knowledge and skills. The coverage of R.E learning is organised over a 2-year cycle. Cross-curricular outcomes in R.E are planned for, with strong links between the R.E curriculum and PHSE and Literacy lessons enabling further contextual learning. Lessons develop long term memory by allowing for repetition of learning within the year and year on year through recall and retrieval opportunities. Specific themed and transferable vocabulary is reinforced throughout the year through regular recall and retrieval strategies. 

Our approach towards developing the learning process is from laying the foundations from a basic understanding towards a more developed higher level of deeper learning. The lower-order skills require less cognitive processing, but provide an important base for learning. The higher levels require deeper learning and a greater degree of cognitive processing, once the lower order skills have been mastered. Planning includes B.A.D. (Basic, Advancing, Deepening) tasks to enable this progress. For example, making comparisons and identifying similarities between religions and festivals.

Parents are engaged in their children's learning through information provided through topic webs and class pages on the School website.

To implement the R.E curriculum children will;

• • Reflect upon ultimate questions
  • Develop the skills, attitudes and processes of learning in Religious Education
  • Promote personal respect for pupils’ own world views and those of others
  • Deepen understanding of their own and other people’s beliefs and opinions
  • Foster an enquiring and open mind
  • Encourage the confidence to ask ultimate questions.
  • Develop the skills of listening, communicating and empathising
  • Develop a sense of enjoyment in learning about themselves, others and the world around them.

Right to withdraw from RE lessons

Religion and belief have become more visible in public life in recent years, making it important that all pupils should have an opportunity to engage in RE. However, the parent of a pupil at a community, foundation or voluntary school (or pupils themselves if they are aged 18 or over) may request that they be excused from all or part of the religious education (RE) provided. 

Parents who wish to withdraw their children from RE should be aware of its aims and what is covered in the RE curriculum and that they are given the opportunity to discuss this if they wish. It should be made clear whether the withdrawal is from the whole RE curriculum or specific parts of it. No reasons need be given

Important - limitations to withdraw

• If pupils are withdrawn from RE, schools have a duty to supervise them, though not to provide additional teaching.  A pupil may be required to work in another area of the school, such as another classroom or break out area. 
• Whilst parents or carers have a right to withdraw children from RE, they should note that children may also encounter religions and beliefs and wider aspects of faith in other areas of the curriculum from which there is no right of withdrawal.
• On occasion, spontaneous questions about religious matters are raised by pupils or issues related to religion arise in other curriculum subjects such as history or citizenship (PSHE)  For example, schools promote community cohesion and help pupils to understand ideas about identity and diversity, feelings and emotions within both religious and non-religious contexts. 

Managing the Right of Withdrawal  

If pupils are withdrawn from RE, schools have a duty to supervise them, though not to provide additional teaching or to incur extra cost. Pupils will usually remain on school premises where it is feasible and appropriate.

Where a request for withdrawal is made, the school must comply and excuse the pupil until the request is rescinded. Though not legally required, it is good practice for a head teacher to invite parents to discuss their written request. 

(Section 71(3), School Standards and Framework Act 1998).

Useful Websites:

KS1 Religious Education - BBC Bitesize

KS2 Religious Education - BBC Bitesize

Impact 

Before leaving Great Sankey Primary children will have a sound knowledge of the main world religions. They will be increasingly critical and analytical within their thinking; making informed and balanced judgements based on their knowledge of these religions. Children will be able to articulate their own values and beliefs and those of others. Evidence of this will be through assessment against milestone documents, the use of B.A.D assessment tasks, pupil voice and evidence of a broad and balanced R.E curriculum found in children's books.