Religious Education (RE)

Our intention is that pupils learn about different religions, beliefs, values and traditions whilst exploring their own beliefs (religious or non-religious). We intend to challenge pupils to reflect on, consider, analyse, interpret and evaluate issues of truth, belief, faith and ethics and to communicate their responses.

Our intention is to encourage pupils to develop their sense of identity and belonging to allow them to flourish individually within their communities and society and global community.

Through our teaching in this subject, we aim to adopt an enquiry-based model, which allows the children to develop critical thinking skills, increase their motivation to learn, and enhance their knowledge and understanding.

We teach Religious Education through blocked units of work that meet the requirements of the West Sussex Agreed Syllabus and the vehicle we use to underpin this is Discovery R.E. Every unit (enquiry) is based around a key question and focuses on a particular faith and children will learn about Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Sikhism and Buddhism. To ensure continuity and progression for all of our pupils, the curriculum is carefully organised from EYFS to Year 6 and enables the planning of the progression of pupils’ knowledge, skills and understanding of RE. Teaching builds upon the children's own experiences, links this to the religion being studied then back into the children's understanding of their own world. Religions are revisited throughout the Key Stages so children develop and gain experience of a wide range of world religions, which appropriately increase in complexity and depth in the analytical and critical thinking skills they stimulate. There is a focus on introducing subject specific vocabulary and opportunities to develop oracy and fluency.

We teach Religious Education in the EYFS through Understanding the World, although the statutory requirements for Religious Education do not extend to the children in Nursery classes. In Reception, children explore the religions of Christianity, Judaism and Islam. They learn about festivals from around the world and listen to stories whilst, the friendly Owl from Discovery RE, sets key enquiry-based questions to discuss in Circle Times and Learning Labs. Children have opportunities to make sense of their community by exploring, observing and finding out about people, places, technology and the environment. They learn about similarities and differences between themselves and others and among families, communities and traditions. RE makes a significant contribution to the Early Learning Goal objectives of developing a child’s understanding of the world through activities such as finding out about different places of worship, celebrations and religious festivals.

Key Stage 1 builds upon this teaching as the children look in more depth at Christianity. Judaism and Islam are introduced and the children make connections across religions and worldviews. They explore common themes such as tolerance, patience and kindness as well as making comparisons with their knowledge, e.g., that these religions believe in one God. They also begin to explore differences, such as places of worship and celebrations. They have opportunities to communicate their understanding using specific vocabulary, apply their learning, ask questions, and share their own ideas.

Throughout KS2, children build on these foundations by exploring other significant world religions, including Buddhism, Sikhism and Hinduism. By the end of Upper Key Stage Two, they will be able to compare, contrast and discuss ideas from different religions, articulating how the concept or belief resonates in their own life and explain how this might be different for other people because of their religion or beliefs. Learning activities develop a wide range of skills

including enquiry, analysis, interpretation, evaluation and reflection and children will be learning subject specific vocabulary.

We assess the impact of our teaching on children’s learning in a variety of ways.

Formative assessment is on-going through questioning and engaging the children with learning and teachers assessing, reviewing and planning lessons. Retrieval practice is used to enhance recall of key content and activities are built into teaching to help children retained concepts and knowledge in their long-term memory.

Through our RE curriculum, children will learn from and work alongside each other and listen, discuss issues, share respectful opinions, ask questions, develop a religious vocabulary, have opportunities for artefact interaction and begin to understand how other people choose to live their lives.

Our curriculum for our children will promote inquisitive minds, respect, tolerance and understanding for all those around them including themselves. By the time pupils leave Langley Green Primary School, they will have an understanding of other people’s cultures, religious beliefs and ways of life and be able to make links between their own lives and those of others in their community and in the wider world.