Religious Education
Being different gives the world colour!
Intent
Religious Education at Lenthall Infant and Nursery School will support children in affirming and developing their own beliefs, values, and attitudes through a variety of experiences and activities. We believe that all children should develop insight into religion and world views by reflecting on their own ideas and ways of living; acknowledging difference and diversity. This in turn will also be linked to the school’s BE PROUD values of believe, equality, perseverance, respect, open-mindedness, understanding, and dreams.
We recognise that in the teaching of RE, it is important that all staff challenge inequalities and discrimination associated with race, religion, culture, gender, or socio-economic group. Where possible the school is sensitive to the social and cultural background of the children and is aware of the range of experiences and faith backgrounds that they already come to school with. The RE curriculum will not just stand alone as it is linked to the behaviour policy and it is encompassed through our use of visits and visitors, diversity assemblies, weekly celebrations, and an annual calendar of events. RE is a key contributor to SMSC.
Implementation
At Lenthall Infant and Nursery School, we follow the Derbyshire Agreed Syllabus. To support our teaching of this scheme, we supplement our lessons with Understanding Christianity and RE Today resources. Through their RE learning, children will explore big questions about life, in order to find out what people believe and what difference this makes to how they live so that they can make sense of religion and worldviews, and reflect on their own ideas and ways of living.
The agreed syllabus requires that all pupils learn from Christianity in each key stage. In addition, children will learn from the principal religions represented in the UK, in line with the law. These are Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism, and Judaism. Furthermore, children from families where non-religious worldviews are held are represented in almost all of our classrooms. These worldviews, including for example Humanism, will also be the focus of study. The main focus of our teaching is built up from the representation of faiths and beliefs within our community and the wider local area.
- Reception: Children will encounter Christianity and other faiths, as part of their growing sense of self, their own community, and their place within it.
- Key Stage 1: Christians and Muslims
In order to deliver the aims and expected standards of the syllabus effectively, the expectation is that there is a minimum allocation of 5 percent of curriculum time for RE.
- In Reception, this equates to 36 hours of RE, e.g. 50 minutes a week or some short sessions implemented through continuous provision.
- In Key Stage 1, this equates to 36 hours of tuition per year (e.g. an hour a week, or less than an hour a week plus a series of RE days).
Due to copyright, we are unable to publish the full scheme on our website.
After reviewing the new syllabus, we have decided to structure our RE curriculum in a progressive way. Units at the beginning of each year will focus on specific religions and their beliefs, whereas units towards the end of the academic year will be thematic in approach, drawing together the knowledge and understanding gained from earlier units in the year and in previous years. Some units have also been split into two parts – this ensures that children will revisit key ideas periodically, embedding and developing understanding further.
ImpactRE at Lenthall Infant and Nursery School is assessed using the following.
- Informal judgements by staff during lessons
- Immediate next steps are provided via verbal feedback.
- Pupil and peer assessments.
- Formal skills and assessment checklists.
Come the end of each Religious Education unit teachers make a summary judgement about the work each pupil has completed in relation to the success criteria. The Religious Education subject leader monitors class assessment and analyses data on a termly basis.
Our Ultimate End Goal:
What will our students be able to do when they leave us?
When our children leave us they will be able to:
- Recall knowledge and understanding of Christian beliefs and practices which enable them to understand the importance of the Bible, and the role of the church and recognise that for Christians their faith provides a way of interpreting life and its meaning.
- Understand the beliefs and practices of some of the other principal religions in Britain, Hinduism, Judaism, and Islam.
- Understand how belief may impact culture, relationships, values, and lifestyle.
- Understand that belief can be expressed in a variety of ways including art, dance, music, ritual celebrations, and in different cultural settings.
- Reflect upon personal feelings, responses, and relationships through their understanding of spiritual, and cultural beliefs, and morality, of Christianity and some other world religions.
- Understand ways in which religious values and teaching have an impact on actions and decisions for people of faith.
Small hands change the world!