Religious Education
RE Curriculum Statement - Intent, Implementation, Impact
Our School Values are: Agape Courage Thankfulness
Our school motto is: Inquisitive Thinkers; Inspired Learners; Kind Hearts.
Religious education in a church school should enable every child to flourish and to live life in all its fullness. (John 10:10) It will help educate for dignity and respect, encouraging all to live well together.
A statement of Entitlement, The Church of England
February 2019.
RE Curriculum Intent
Motivated by the Christian faith and our school values, we want our community to have excellent knowledge and understanding of Christianity and of other world faiths, learning to live peacefully together with love and respect. We want to ask big questions about life, understanding what faith is and how this is lived out making us good citizens of the world for the flourishing of all.
Implementation
Religious education is a statutory academic subject, which teaches children about the beliefs and practices of the major world religions. It encourages pupils to think for themselves and form their own worldview about what they believe.
In EYFS RE is taught through discussion and stories related to their question each half term. Alongside this they also look at the different religious festivals such as harvest, Christmas and how they are celebrated.
KS1 - Minimum of 36 hours in a school year. RE is taught in weekly slots of 1 hour or a block as long as the curriculum is covered fully.
KS2 - Minimum of 45hours in a school year. RE is taught in weekly slots of 1 hour or a block as long as the curriculum is covered fully.
This entitlement is met though weekly or blocked teaching of RE and through occasional additional RE days and visits, including Godly Play, going to our local Church St. Andrew’s, and visits to places of worship e.g. the local mosque and synagogue. This equates to 6.6% of our teaching time on RE but we are actively focusing on adding to this.
Resources
We follow Understanding Christianity, the Emmanuel project and the Cambridgeshire County Council agreed syllabus. A progression scheme of work ensures coverage of the whole curriculum.
There are resource boxes and books for each world religion to enable hands on learning about world religions. Trips to places of worship and Visitors from different faiths in Cambridge are encouraged to enhance the understanding of the subject.
The curriculum is planned so that by the end of their time with us, the children have gained knowledge and understanding about all of the major world faiths. Each topic is planned with a topic question and vocabulary to be taught. Children are encouraged to interpret what they learn for themselves enabling them to come to their own world view.
Impact
Cherry Hinton children have an excellent knowledge of the world religions and the beliefs and practises that matter to different people. They understand the importance of living well together with love and respect. They can also articulate the difference living out their values and beliefs has on themselves, their community and the wider world. They are full of hope and ask deep questions. They are participating citizens in advocacy for change.
Pupils are assessed half termly in how they are making progress in RE. Assessment is based on knowledge and expression of that knowledge against the two Progression targets within RE;
PT1 – Knowledge and understanding of religion and worldviews Enquiring into, investigating and understanding religions and beliefs. This includes thinking about and interpreting religious beliefs, teachings, sources, practices, ways of life, and ways of expressing meaning with reference to the specific beliefs and religions studied.
PT2 – Responding to religion and worldviews Questioning, exploring, reflecting upon and interpreting human experience in the light of religions and beliefs studied. This includes communicating reflections, responses and evaluations about questions of identity, belonging, diversity, meaning, purpose, truth, values, and commitments making increasingly insightful links to the specific religions studied.
Teachers record progress on half termly assessment grids. Half termly, pupils also complete one written assessment piece which goes in their RE progress book which travels with them through school. Other learning is recorded in foundation folders. A whole class RE portfolio captures the range and depth of pupils’ discussions and thoughts on their learning.
The Right to Withdraw
Cherry Hinton Church of England (VC) Primary is an inclusive school but recognises that parents have a legal right to withdraw their children from Religious Education on the grounds of conscience. However, the right of withdrawal does not extend to other areas of the curriculum when, as may happen on occasion, spontaneous questions on religious matters are raised by pupils or there are issues related to religion that arise in other subjects such as history or PHSE.
We would ask any parent considering withdrawal to read the RE policy for more information and then contact the Headteacher.
Links to the Community
As a school we welcome and create opportunities for all of our pupils to engage in important and informed conversations with those of all religious and worldviews. We encourage and continue to make links with community members and various organisations who can help contribute a rich, applicable understanding of the faiths and worldviews within our school, local and wider community.
This may include parents, members and leaders from St Andrew's Church, visitors from different Christian traditions and other faiths or those involved in community agencies. Throughout the children's journey in school, they will get to visit many different places of worship within Cambridge.
September 2023