RE

Religious Education

We strive to enthuse and inspire our pupils, challenging and supporting their growth into respectful; confident; independent; self-motivated and curious individuals. 

Religious Education Curriculum Intent Statement 

As a Church of England school, we recognise the core place that RE occupies as part of a broad and balanced curriculum. We teach RE as a core part of our school curriculum to help further develop our pupils’ religious literacy.

Intent

At Mareham, our Religious Education (RE) curriculum ensures that knowledge and key skills are taught in a systematic, well-planned and progressive manner.

At Mareham, our whole curriculum is driven by:

• creating a sense of awe and wonder – curiosity, excitement, getting children to think and enquire more
• our place in our world - respect for living things, local, national and global knowledge and beyond, cultures, traditions, diversity
• vocabulary – refines and enriches communication, better understanding and language

In RE we aim to:

• Provide and encourage the opportunity for all children to have the knowledge and skills required to engage with theology.
• Provide children with the skills and knowledge to hold an informed and balanced conversation about their own and worldviews.
• Provide opportunity for children to develop their religious literacy, understanding various religions, including how books, scriptures, readings and other important means of communication are used to convey beliefs.
• Help children gain an understanding of views through a theological, philosophical and human/social science lense.
• Have children be able to make sense of religion and world views and begin to understand the complex world around them.
• Expose children to wide and rich curriculum that links local and world-wide features.
• Provide opportunity for appreciation of how religion plays an important role in the lives of some people.
• Develop children’s ability to make reasoned and informed judgements about religious and moral issues, with reference to the beliefs, teachings, practices, sources of authority and ways of living associated with the principle religions represented in the UK.
• Enhance children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development by:

• Considering the ‘big questions’ raised by human experience and reflecting on how religious and other traditions respond to them;
• Responding to such questions with reference to religious beliefs, teachings, practices, values and traditions, relating them to their own understanding and experience;
• Reflecting on their own beliefs, values and experiences in light of their study of religious and other traditions. 

Our Christian values shape how we behave, what we say, how we build relationships and how we learn. Our RE curriculum is designed to help each child to be able to think and speak with confidence; developing  independence for learning whilst achieving academically and meeting age-related expectations by the end of their primary education.

Implementation

At Mareham, RE is valued the same as other core subjects. RE follows a clearly sequenced and progressive curriculum based on the locally Agreed Syllabus for Lincolnshire (2018-2023) and Understanding Christianity.

RE is valued and included in the daily life of school, with links through Collective Worship and daily classroom prayers and Christian Values. Regular worships and visits from our RE Governor help reinforce the Christian Values of the school, the school environment and help develop links with the local community.

We ensure high quality teaching that is appropriately pitched to individuals. Teachers ensure that the learning activities employed in RE are differentiated to meet a variety of learning needs. Key vocabulary is carefully chosen and shared in Knowledge Organisers and at the start of all lessons. Children are encouraged to use the key vocabulary to talk with confidence about religion.

Children are given opportunities to engage, enquire, explore, evaluate and express their ideas, knowledge and understanding of Christianity and other world religions. At KS1, the principal religions studied will be Christianity and Islam; at KS2, the principal religions studied will be Christianity and Islam, with additional units linked to Judaism and Hinduism. We actively seek to prepare our pupils for life in modern Britain. As such, we promote key British Values, including respect for and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs.

Impact

We aim for all children to be able to:

• Talk confidently about their own religious views and discuss their ideas with others.
• Show their Christian values in their everyday life.
• Confidently apply their religious knowledge to other areas of learning.
• Demonstrate an appreciation and respect of others views and world religions.
• Hold a balanced and informed conversation about their own and worldviews.
• Discuss and challenge key enquiry questions.
• Have a sense of awe and wonder.

As a Year 6 transitioning into secondary school, we aspire that they not only achieve the age-appropriate standard at the end of Key Stage 2, but that they have also begun their religious and spiritual journey to embrace the beauty of other cultures and beliefs.

Whole School RE Provision Map

RE Long Term Plan With Commentary