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Religious Education

Intent

The Highwood pupil will be introduced to the beliefs, traditions and values of different religions. They will be provided with opportunities to understand and celebrate one another’s differences and form their own ideas about what they believe. Our curriculum aims to challenge pupils to ask questions about different beliefs, in order to understand them, preparing them to live in a diverse society as open-minded, tolerant individuals showing mutual respect for one another.

Implementation

At Highwood Primary School, we ensure that our RE planning follows a clear progression of skills and ensures that there is full coverage of, the Hertfordshire agreed syllabus 2017-2022, to give the children knowledge about world religions and the opportunities for the consideration of moral and ethical issues. It also provides space for them to reflect on philosophical questions and develop their thought processes. The RE curriculum, focuses on different world religions, with the thread of Christianity running through each year group and the Understanding Christianity scheme of work is used. Where possible, links are made to other subjects to help children make further connections and develop their learning. RE is taught discreetly in class but also plays an important part in whole school activities, for example, school assemblies where spiritual, moral, ethical and philosophical matters are considered and discussed with the children and through class discussion.

We also invite leaders from the main religious faiths to visit the school, to ensure that the children have a broad and balanced view of religion in Britain today. School trips have been arranged across the key stage which are designed to be relevant to and enhance the children’s experience in the classroom.

Before teaching each unit teachers will:

  • Create a Big Question, which the pupils will answer at the end of the unit.
  • Assess children’s prior knowledge and skills and use this to ensure their planning builds upon this.

During each unit teachers will:

  • Ensure each lesson has a learning objective that children will achieve through their work and will help them answer the Big Question.
  • Develop the pupil’s use of key religious vocabulary highlighting new vocabulary to pupils and displaying it in the lessons for them to use throughout each unit of work.
  • Give pupil’s the opportunity to develop and extend their own thinking and their understanding of Christianity and the other major world faiths, as a contribution to their understanding of the world and their own experience within it.
  • Provide pupils with opportunities to make links and use knowledge from other religions, in particular extended writing opportunities.

 At the end of each unit pupils will:

  • Complete the assessment task.
  • Reflect on the skills they have learnt.

After each unit teachers will:

  • Assess children’s ability and skills acquired in the unit.

Impact

What will this look like?

Through pupil voice we will see:

  • Pupils’ ability to explain the impact of faith/lack of faith in their own lives and its impact on their own behaviour.
  • Pupils show tolerance and understanding of beliefs that are different to their own.
  • Pupils express their passion for RE by talking enthusiastically about their learning and sharing their knowledge and understanding.

Through learning walks we will see:

  • Pupils demonstrating their love of RE through their high levels of engagement.
  • Teachers asking reflective questions that require pupils to have an opinion on world faiths and their own beliefs.
  • Pupils develop a deeper understanding of religious vocabulary and symbols, which will be present in the pupil’s work.
  • Pupils discussing their learning and explain how it links to previous lessons.
  • A clear sequence of lessons that allow pupils to acquire knowledge and use this to answer their big questions.

In the pupil’s learning we will see:

  • Pupils discussing similarities and differences between world faiths.
  • Impact of religion in our local community and in the wider world.
  • A clear sequence of lessons that are linked to the big question.
  • A piece of work that answers the big question and demonstrates pupil’s understanding of the unit.
  • Take pride in their learning and present work of a high standard.
  • Differentiated activities that allow all pupils to make progress.