Religious Education
Our Intent
Colville Primary School, in accordance with the 2002 Education Act, provides Religious Education (RE) for all its pupils from Day Care to Year 6. We believe that RE has an important part to play in promoting the spiritual, moral, social, cultural and intellectual development of our pupils. Education in RE should be a child centred, exciting journey. Children learn to understand the world and their place in it, know that all members of the school community show respect and tolerance for others and develop a better cultural awareness. This begins in our Early Years, through guest speakers of different faiths to the end of Year 6 having trips and visits to different places of worship.
Implementation
The Living Difference III approach to enquiry in RE entails teachers bringing children and young people first to attend to their own experience of particular concepts, before enquiring into related religious as well as non-religious ways of living, represented in Great Britain and beyond.
The 5 key steps to this approach are
- Communicate: Children can describe in simple terms their responses to their experiences of the concepts studied.
- Apply: They can identify simple examples of how their responses relate to their own lives and those of others.
- Enquire: They can describe in simple terms key concepts explored that are common to all people (A concepts) and identify and talk about concepts that are common to many religions (B concepts).
- Contextualise: They can simply describe ways in which these concepts are expressed in the context of the ways of life of people living a religious life in the religion studied.
- Evaluate: They can evaluate the human experience of the concepts studied by describing in simple terms their value to people who are religious and by dialoguing with others recognise an issue raised.
Religious Education Curriculum Overview
Impact
Children learn to understand the world and their place in it, know that all members of the school community show respect and tolerance for others and develop a better cultural awareness.
We aim to enable children to:
- Develop their enquiry skills by teaching concepts through an enquiry based cycle made up of five steps: communicate, apply, enquire, contextualise and evaluate.
- Be increasingly religiously literate, developing knowledge and understanding of religion in the local community, the UK and globally.
- Be well informed about religions in Britain, understanding that religion is a powerful force in some people’s lives and relating their studies to their own lives and preparing them for adult life.
- Understand the place of world religions and spirituality in the UK and the world, becoming increasingly aware of the power, history and current place of Christianity and other religions in the UK and the wider world.
- Approach and analyse life’s big questions, considering questions about meaning, values and identity increasingly, thoughtfully and deeply.
- Be able to disagree respectfully and thoughtfully about religions and spiritual issues and controversies, learning the skills of listening, understanding, tolerance and empathy that build a cohesive community. This links to the school’s teaching of ‘British Values.’
- Consider and analyse issues of diversity and respect for all with growing sensitivity and depth.
Further information about RE for Parents/Carers
Children are taught about faiths but are not expected to practice any faith during lessons. Parents who may have questions are encouraged to meet and discuss these with their child's class teacher or the RE Lead. Any parent wishing to withdraw their child(ren) from RE is to meet with the Head of School. During the meeting we will discuss:
- the parent’s rationale for this choice
- the school’s approach to RE and it place within the school’s approach to ‘British Values’
- any issues the parent wishes to raise related to the teaching of RE.
