Curriculum Lead: Beth Burrows

Intent

Religious Education explores big questions about life and helps the pupils at Coten End to recognise that the world is vast, fascinating and a source of deep enrichment for us all. Pupils find out about what people believe and what difference this makes to how they live. They learn to weigh up the value of wisdom from different sources, to develop and express their own ideas, and to agree or disagree respectfully. Through a carefully selected sequence of units from the Warwickshire and Coventry agreed syllabus for Religious Education, teachers challenge preconceptions, provide opportunities for the children to articulate their ideas and opinions clearly (using key vocabulary) and encourage pupils to reflect on the meaning and purpose in life and, ultimately, what it means to be human. We strive to ensure RE lessons are challenging, inspiring and fun. Where possible, teachers provide opportunities for creative cross-curricular development too, for example using drama, debating skills and the arts.

Religious Education is an exciting subject which can make an inestimable contribution to the lives of pupils and therefore to our community and wider society. At Coten End, we believe that through their learning in lessons, their visits to local places of worship and meeting people from religious and belief communities, pupils will to come to an informed and empathetic understanding of different groups, helping to promote cohesion and integration, and further supporting our work linked to British values, underpinning ‘mutual respect’ and ‘tolerance’.

Implementation

• Objectives are taken from the Warwickshire and Coventry agreed syllabus for Religious Education, SACRE, and planned carefully to ensure progression of skills and knowledge across school
• Discrete lessons are spread throughout the course of the year, interspersed with acknowledging different religious festivals and significant days through assemblies, themed days and in-class conversations 
• Learning is built on children's prior learning and encouraging children to share their religious beliefs and experiences
• Children are encouraged to ask perceptive questions
• Enriching experiences are created through visiting places of worship or by having visitors in school to share religious experiences and practices 
• Use of religious symbols, ornaments and artefacts to enhance children’s understanding

Impact

The impact of the RE curriculum, that we deliver, aims for the children to be exposed to and to have an increased understanding of different religions so that they:

1. Know about and understand a range of religions and worldviews, so that they can:

• describe, explain and analyse beliefs and practices, recognising the diversity which exists within and between communities and amongst individuals
• identify, investigate and respond to questions posed, and responses offered by some of the sources of wisdom found in religions and worldviews
• appreciate and appraise the nature, significance and impact of different ways of life and ways of expressing meaning.

2. Express ideas and insights about the nature, significance and impact of religions and worldviews, so that they can:

• explain reasonably their ideas about how beliefs, practices and forms of expression influence individuals and communities
• express, with increasing discernment, their personal reflections and critical responses to questions and teachings about identity, diversity, meaning and value, including ethical issues
• appreciate and appraise varied dimensions of religion.

3. Gain and deploy the skills needed to engage seriously with religions and worldviews, so that they can:

• find out about and investigate key concepts and questions of belonging, meaning, purpose and truth, responding creatively
• enquire into what enables different individuals and communities to live together respectfully for the well-being of all
• articulate beliefs, values and commitments clearly in order to explain why they may be important in their own and other people’s lives.