Bembridge Church of England Primary School
Religious Education (RE)
Intent
- to engage pupils in inquiring into and exploring questions arising from the study of religion and belief, so as to promote their personal, spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.
- to provide pupils with knowledge and understanding of Christianity and other principal religious traditions and beliefs represented in Great Britain and the wider world.
- to develop pupils understanding of the ways in which beliefs influence people in their behaviour, practices and outlook.
- to enable pupils to apply the insights of the principal religious traditions to their own search for identity.
- to enable pupils to become aware of their own beliefs and values.
- to encourage learners to develop a positive attitude towards other people who hold religious and non-religious beliefs different from their own.
Implementation
It is a statutory requirement that schools teach religious education as prescribed by the locally agreed syllabus. In this school we will use the Hampshire Living Difference Syllabus lV which is the Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education for the Isle of Wight. This is supplemented and supported by materials from ‘Understanding Christianity’
In Foundation Stage and at key stages 1 and 2 pupils follow the Hampshire medium term plans, adapted to suit the ability and aptitude of the pupils. The focus will be on Christianity and Judaism in foundation and key stage 1 and Christianity plus Hinduism and Islam in key stage 2.
Parents have the right to withdraw their children from Religious Education as identified in the Education Reform Act. Bembridge Primary School is a Church of England School where Christian Values underpin the whole curriculum. In order to preserve the distinctiveness of this church school community, we encourage everyone to be involved in Religious Education and Collective Worship
Impact
Developing viewpoints
Pupils can draw on their own points of view and develop these to appreciate wider and broader viewpoints.
Celebrating difference
We know that our community is made up of staff, pupils, and families who originate from differing nationalities, cultures and faith groups. Being mindful of the Christian character of the school, we aim to celebrate diversity and offer a welcoming and inclusive environment for all our pupils, including new arrivals and those for whom English is an additional language.
Developing values and principles
The purpose of RE is to support pupils in developing their own coherent patterns of values and principles, and to support their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. This entails encouragement of each pupil to interpret and respond to a variety of concepts, beliefs and practices within religions and to their own and others’ cultural and life experiences. Pupils will progressively develop their capacities to interpret, evaluate and respond to differing values and beliefs, achieved through extending their thinking and analytical skills, their creative, imaginative and emotional development.
Mutual understanding
A further purpose of RE is to foster mutual understanding between pupils of differing religious and cultural backgrounds. This promotes tolerance, a key British value.
