In the RE curriculum, our aim is to enable all pupils to learn from religions in addition to gaining knowledge and understanding about religions. Learning from religion encourages pupils to have respect for other people’s views and to celebrate diversity in society, which then helps them develop open minds to new and different concepts and to form their own opinions based on evidence and argument.
To ensure that all pupils have access to the curriculum, the major faiths are taught in a variety of ways, including discrete RE lessons, circle time, story telling, discussions, drama, preparation for worship, assemblies, major festivals, appropriate visitors and trips to places of worship. It is also important to link subjects and not just teach in isolation. Therefore, where appropriate, RE is linked to science, history, geography or literacy.
Some Religious Education topics have a more general theme. For example, pupils may think about what makes people ‘inspirational’, making comparisons between religious inspirational people and significant political or popular celebrity figures. Pupils may research the lives of Mother Theresa, Nelson Mandela and even famous sporting figures such as David Beckham or Jessica Ennis in order to address the question of what makes a person inspirational.
Our rich and varied curriculum means that our pupils are able to:
- develop a sense of personal identity and self-worth;
- develop a sense of awe and wonder and an ability to reflect on the world around them;
- develop investigative and research skills to enable them to make reasoned judgements about religious issues;
- have respect for other people’s views and develop tolerance and understanding of other world faiths;
- reflect upon their own needs, experiences and questions and to confront what are sometimes referred to as ‘ultimate questions’;
- maintain close links with local churches and other religious communities.