Religious Education
Our Vision
- To provide an engaging, inspiring education.
- For pupils to know about and understand Christianity as a diverse global living faith through the exploration of core beliefs using an approach that critically engages with biblical text.
- For pupils to gain knowledge and understanding of a range of religions and worldviews appreciating diversity, continuity and change within the religions and worldviews being studied.
- To engage with challenging questions of meaning and purpose raised by human existence and experience.
- To recognise the concept of religion and its continuing influence on Britain’s cultural heritage and in the lives of individuals and societies in different times, cultures and places.
- For pupils to explore their own religious, spiritual and philosophical ways of living, believing and thinking.
Intent
At Pennington C of E Primary School we aim to fulfil Early Years Foundation Stage and national curriculum requirements in RE, in line with the Cumbria Agreed Syllabus.
Our RE curriculum is underpinned by our school’s Christian values. The curriculum will provide opportunities for pupils to be informed, expressive, enquiring and reflective about what religions have to say about fundamental questions of life. Embracing the explicit teaching of Christian concepts and God’s big salvation story will give pupils a deeper understanding of Christianity.
In addition, through the exploration of all major world faiths and discussion of non-religious worldviews pupils will gain knowledge and understanding that will equip them to encounter life’s experiences in our world today and in the future. It will foster an understanding of the influence of religion and beliefs both locally and globally.
There will be clear progression but will be flexible and responsive to the needs of all learners. It will celebrate progress and help children to know how to move on to their next steps. It will prepare children for life beyond Pennington and provide them with the skills to thrive. It will be assessed regularly.
Implementation
Using the Questful RE scheme we guarantee careful, progressive planning across the school ensuring that the EYFS and national curriculum objectives and requirements are met with high quality first teaching.
Pupils will experience, explore and encounter a wide range of creative and challenging multi-sensory activities that will help them to discover the answers to fundamental questions.
Through an open investigative enquiry approach and questioning we give pupils the opportunity to investigate, reflect, evaluate and make meaning. The curriculum content is a balance of the three essential disciplines of quality RE, theology, philosophy and human social science.
This means pupils will look at concepts through a theological lens, exploring what people of faith believe. Class teachers will have a thorough knowledge of the children in their class so that planning and teaching is responsive to the needs of learning and different learning styles.
It will be consistent, offering challenges to all and be flexible and responsive to the needs of all learners. Pupils are encouraged to celebrate their own successes and those of others. With high expectations of behaviour, the pupils demonstrate our Christian values.
Impact
Children will be prepared for citizenship in today’s diverse society. They will develop sensitivity to, and respect for others.
Pupils will be equipped with the ability to hold an informed conversation about religious beliefs and practices. Pupils will know about and understand a range of beliefs and practices. They will gain and deploy the skills needed to engage seriously with religions and worldviews. Pupils know where they are and what they will learn next.
All children will make expected or better progress in RE and will meet end of key stage expectations.