RE
Intent
At St Anne’s Fulshaw, our aim is that the teaching of RE should equip pupils with systematic knowledge and understanding of a range of religions and worldviews, enabling them to develop their own ideas, values, and identities. It should develop in pupils an aptitude for dialogue so that they can participate positively in society with its diverse religions and secular and non-religious worldviews.
Pupils should gain and deploy the skills needed to understand, interpret, and evaluate texts, sources of wisdom and authority and other evidence. They should learn to articulate clearly and coherently their personal beliefs, ideas, values, and experiences while respecting the right of others to differ.
The curriculum for Religious Education should aim to ensure that all pupils:
Know about and understand a range of religions and non-religious worldviews, so that they can:
- describe explain, evaluate, and analyse beliefs and practices, recognising the diversity which exists within and between communities and amongst individuals;
- identify, investigate, and respond to questions posed, and responses offered by some of the sources of wisdom found in religions and worldviews; appreciate and appraise the nature, significance, and impact of different ways of life and ways of expressing meaning.
Express ideas and insights about the nature, significance and impact of religions and non-religious worldviews, so that they can:
- explain reasonably their ideas about how beliefs, practices and forms of expression influence individuals and communities;
- express with increasing discernment their personal reflections and critical responses to questions and teachings about identity, diversity, meaning and value, including ethical issues;
- appreciate and appraise varied dimensions of a religion or a non-religious worldview.
Gain and deploy the skills needed to engage seriously with religions and non-religious worldviews, so that they can:
- find out about and investigate key concepts and questions of belonging, meaning, purpose and truth, responding creatively;
- enquire into what enables different individuals and communities to live together respectfully for the wellbeing of all;
- articulate beliefs, values, and commitments clearly in order to explain why they may be important in their own and other people’s lives.
The three aspects of study linked to the aims above are engaging encounter, reasoned response and connecting communities.
Implementation
At St Anne’s Fulshaw CE Primary School we follow the Cheshire East Agreed Syllabus which was updated and introduced in September 2022 with a permitted transition period for implementation until the end of the academic year 2022-23.
The syllabus has been designed to give maximum flexibility for schools to plan and organise religious education in the light of our own circumstances and context, ensuring we reflect the character of our local community. We are free to plan and teach discrete Religious Education and Non-Religious Worldviews weekly. The syllabus can also be taught in blocks of time or organised to link in with other curriculum areas as appropriate. Cross religious themes or a pure study of specific areas within an individual religion/non-religious worldview can be taught as required.
The statutorily required religions and worldviews can be taught in any order in termly or half termly blocks or smaller units of time if appropriate. Over each key stage, the balance of religions will be taught. Required religious and non-religious worldviews can be combined and taught in themes eg.; God or marriage. A free choice of enquiry has been built into the curriculum plan within Key Stages 1 and 2. This gives flexibility for us to choose our own areas of study.
During all Key Stages, a secular or non-religious world view is taught as appropriate throughout the curriculum, e.g. through topics on Worldviews, Creation or God. The plurality and diversity of religious and non-religious groups is reflected clearly in all units of work we teach and whenever possible we centre our teaching in the context of ‘real lived experience’.
Impact
Pupils meet the end of Key Stage statements and have a secure understanding of:
- Theology – knowing where beliefs come from, how they have changed over time, how they are applied differently in different contexts and how they relate to each other
- Philosophy – finding out how and whether things make sense, dealing with questions of morality and ethics, taking seriously questions about reality, knowledge and existence
- Human and Social Sciences – exploring the diverse ways in which people practise their beliefs, engaging with the impact of beliefs on individuals, communities and societies
- Spirituality – being reflective about their own beliefs (religious or non-religious) and their perspectives on life, having knowledge of and respect for different people’s faiths, feelings and values
