RE

Subject Overview

Religious Education at Pine Ridge and Lorraine Infant Schools (PRL) provides children with the opportunity to reflect on and learn from the faiths and beliefs of those around them.  We hope to provide opportunities for children in our schools to learn about the beliefs and practises people base their lives on, encouraging respect for those around us.  We believe that Religious Education should foster positive attitudes toward others while also enhancing students' spiritual and moral development in an environment where children can grow without prejudice.  It should promote a united community as well as global interaction, preparing children for an evolving environment.

Curriculum Intent

At Pine Ridge and Lorraine Infant Schools, we believe that learning about different religious traditions and values provides a valuable educational, social, and cultural experience for our pupils.  We believe that the teaching of RE should develop positive attitudes towards others and enhance pupils’ own spiritual and moral development in an environment where children can grow without prejudice.  Our curriculum is based upon the National Curriculum and Surrey SACRE (Surrey Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education).

Curriculum Implementation

At Pine Ridge and Lorraine Infant Schools, we strive to provide engaging and informative lessons enabling pupils to achieve their potential and contribute successfully to society.  The RE curriculum is a broad and varied curriculum where we deliver lessons in a variety of ways.  We have an excellent selection of artefacts for all religious education teaching units readily available to support our lessons.  We also use a range of videos and visitors to help share first hand experiences.  At PRL, our RE curriculum has links with art, drama, geography, PSHE, science and English in KS1 and it is taught under Understanding of the World in the EYFS linking with Communication and Language, Personal, Emotional Development and Expressive Arts and Design.

Long-Term Curriculum Plan for RE

Curriculum Impact

At Pine Ridge and Lorraine Infant Schools, we envision the religious education curriculum to prepare our children for living in a multicultural society by developing their knowledge, understanding and thinking around different beliefs.

Religious Education contributes to the general aims of the school in a variety of ways, but in particular by,

Broadening the child’s experience of:

• Awe and wonder about the world

• The mystery and complexity of the natural world

• The children’s own developing identity and self esteem

• How other people live, feel and react

• What is involved in the membership of a group

• Feelings of belonging, responsibility, courage and compassion

• Other cultures and environments.

Developing attitudes which lead to:

• A respect for those with differing views

• A development of empathy and sensitivity.

Developing abilities and skills in order to:

• Recognise that language has a variety of uses

• Know that symbols of dance, drama, music and art are forms of communication

• Express thought and feelings

• Relate to and understand other people.

What a ‘typical’ lesson looks like:

Each teaching unit is based on a key question which is explored through the unit’s content.  Expected attainment is outlined and the skills and attitudes to be developed through RE are explored.

Teaching encourages children to investigate, question and respond, as well as gain knowledge and understanding.  Units will vary in length and depth and may be delivered in different ways.  RE will be taught as a discrete subject and, where appropriate, cross-curricular links will be made.

We plan appropriate activities linked to children’s varying abilities and aptitudes.  A range of activities involving, for example, writing, drama, discussion, questioning and the creative arts are used to focus learning.  Religious artefacts will also be used.

RE is taught in each class.  Different groupings for activities will be used e.g. pairs, small groups.

Teaching & Learning

At Pine Ridge and Lorraine Infant Schools, children develop their understanding of Christainity and aspects of Judaism and Islam.  RE is taught for 1 hour every week so by the end of KS1 children would have been taught 72 hours of RE.

SEND

Children with Special Educational Needs and children for whom English is an additional language are able to gain equal access to the RE curriculum, although some adjustment may be necessary to cater for individual needs through planned differentiation and resources.  This will take into account the need to adapt lessons to account for children’s different learning styles.

Safeguarding

Prevent

From July 2015, all schools (as well as other organisations) have a duty to safeguard children from radicalisation and extremism.  This means we have a responsibility to protect children from extremist views.  Importantly, we can provide a safe place for pupils to discuss these issues so they better understand how to protect themselves.  Many of the things we already do in school through the RE curriculum will help children become positive, happy members of society also contribute to the Prevent strategy.  These include:

• Exploring other cultures and religions and promoting diversity
• Challenging prejudices and racist comments
• Promoting the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils

Home Learning

FREE resources for you and your pupils (natre.org.uk)  

Religious Studies KS1: Religions of the World - BBC Teach

BBC Two - My Life, My Religion - Clips

Blog - TrueTube

Useful Websites / Parent Guides

RE Definitions (re-definitions.org.uk)

Knowledge - RE:ONLINE (reonline.org.uk) Primary RE Factsheets | Diocese of Guildford (cofeguildford.org.uk)

Links to Policies

RE Skills Progression KS1