Religious Education

Curriculum Design

Curriculum Area: Religious Education

Subject Leader: Miss R Little  

Intent

At Brookfield Community Primary School Religious Education is taught in a stimulating, interesting and enjoyable way which encourages the children to learn, enquire and evaluate the fundamental questions of life.

The national curriculum states the legal requirement that:

Every state-funded school must offer a curriculum which is balanced and broadly based, and which:

• Promotes the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of pupils, and
• Prepares pupils at the school for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life.

…all state schools…must teach religious education to pupils at every Key Stage.

Our Religious Education curriculum aims to help children to acquire and develop knowledge and understanding of Christianity and the other principal religions represented in the UK; to appreciate the way that religious beliefs shape life and our behaviour, develop the ability to make reasoned and informed judgements about religious and moral issues and enhance their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. In promoting children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development we will equip them with the right attitudes to flourish in the community and be good citizens in a diverse, multicultural society.

Religious Education is taught throughout the school in such a way as to ensure effective progression across all year groups.

At Brookfield Community Primary School, Religious Education plays an important role, along with all other curriculum areas, in promoting the spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development of our children. It should develop an aptitude for dialogue in pupils so that they can participate positively in our society which is diverse in relation to religions and world views. Specific vocabulary for each unit is taught and built upon and effective questioning to communicate ideas is encouraged.

Our School Mission Statement of ‘Many hearts make a school’ and our Learning Powers, are at the heart of our curriculum and all that we do at Brookfield Community Primary School.

Implementation

In Religious Education, we implement an inclusive curriculum that meets the needs of all pupils including those with special educational needs and the more able. At Brookfield Community Primary School the content of our Religious Education is based on the Lancashire Agreed Syllabus and is taught for an hour once a week.

The curriculum is progressive and based on the needs of our children. It shows continuity and progression of knowledge and understanding of religions, with the main emphasis on Christianity and two world religions studied in depth, which are Islam and Hinduism.  By the end of KS2 children will have touched upon all the six major world faiths. Our short term planning is more detailed and allows for enquiry and a child centred approach.

At Brookfield Community Primary School we acknowledge that each religion studied can contribute to the education of all our children. We promote teaching in Religious Education that stresses open enquiry and first-hand experiences wherever possible.

At the beginning of each unit, children share their prior knowledge, which informs planning and teaching. A series of stimulating lessons are planned, with clear knowledge and skills -based learning objectives and subject-specific vocabulary, which is included on the termly knowledge organisers. End of unit assessment tasks are used to demonstrate progress, knowledge and understanding. Teachers assess learning in Religious Education against knowledge-based and skills-based learning objectives.

Our curriculum is delivered through highly effective ‘quality first teaching’ as described in the Teaching and Learning Policy. Enrichment opportunities, including inspirational visitors and exciting educational visits, provide our children with rich experiences and enhance teaching, learning and knowledge.

Impact

Our well-planned Religious Education curriculum ensures that children are given essential knowledge and skills. All pupils’ learning is progressive, developmental and stimulating. Teaching ensures that children develop learning powers enabling each one to be the best they can be.

Children at Brookfield Community Primary School learn to articulate clear and coherent accounts of their personal beliefs, ideas, values and experiences while respecting the right of others to have different views, values and ways of life. Religious Education prepares children to live in a local society, but also in a region, a national community and the world as a whole. Religious Education teaching at Brookfield helps to develop pupils understanding of the rich diversity of Preston, Lancashire the UK and the world.