Religious Education Policy Agreed/Ratifed by: Signature Date Chair of Governors Head teacher Next review date: 1 st September 2020 1
Vision and Values In this Church of England first school RE lessons play a major part in promoting the vision of the Head Teacher and wider school community; Through a Christian ethos we equip the children to grow and flourish and to be successful in a changing world. The RE syllabus is reinforced by our school values and through our daily acts of Collective Worship. We follow a cycle of 12 values from the Roots and Fruits program, which we have embedded into all aspects of school life. We continue to have strong links with St. Andrew s Church, Hampton. Please refer to our Collective Worship policy. Legal Requirements St. Andrews s CE (VC) First School, in accordance with The Education Act (1996), the School Standards and Framework Act (1998) and the Education Act (2002), provides Religious Education (R.E.) for all pupils registered at the school. R.E. is a statutory subject but not part of the National Curriculum (2014) because it is taught in accordance with the Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education in Worcestershire. The relevant Acts state that the R.E. syllabus should reflect the fact that the religious traditions in Great ritain are in the main Christian, and that it should, at the same time, take account of the teachings and practices of other major religions. Following Diocesan guidelines, the proportion of the curriculum time allocated to RE should be 5%, this equates to at least 1 hour per week. Within that, the balance of time allocated to Christianity should be 2/3 and 1/3 to other faiths. In Key Stage 1 Christianity, Judaism and Islam are studied. In Key Stage 2 Christianity, Hinduism, uddhism and Islam are studied. Right of withdrawal Parents may withdraw their child from R.E. provided they give written notification to the school. The following guidance is from the Worcestershire Agreed Syllabus for R.E. 2015-2020, p11: This was first granted when RE was actually religious instruction and carried with it connotations of induction into the Christian faith. RE is very different now open, broad, exploring a range 2
of religious and non-religious worldviews. However, in the UK, parents still have the right to withdraw their children from RE/RME on the grounds that they wish to provide their own religious education. (School Standards and Framework Act 1998 S71 (3)). This will be the parents responsibility. However, it is good practice to talk to parents to ensure that they understand the aims and value of RE before honouring this right. Teachers can also exercise their right to withdraw from teaching the subject. However, we hope that all parents and teachers would feel comfortable with the type of Religious Education being taught at St. Andrew s Church of England First School. The Aims The aims of Religious Education are drawn from the Agreed Syllabus for Worcestershire and are outlined below. The curriculum for RE aims to ensure that all pupils: 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
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 wellbeing 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. Throughout schooling, teachers should consider how their teaching contributes towards the three principal aims of RE in the local area, and how they help pupils to achieve these aims. Responsibilities for Planning and Assessment of RE RE Subject Leader Responsibility for Long and Medium Term plans falls with the RE Leader or coordinator. He/she is also responsible for advising other staff members about resources and assessment. He/she will organize and update resources, making budget requests through the school business manager. Resources will be stored centrally in the KS1 hallway RE cupboard for all to borrow and use. He/she will attend training and pass the latest advice and good practice onto class teachers and other staff. Monitoring activities should take place at least termly to check the effectiveness of RE provision at St Andrews. The RE leader should be given ½ day release time each half term to undertake leadership monitoring activities, such as learning walks, books scrutiny or pupil interviews. The RE leader should give feedback to class teachers including positive improvements and the next steps needed. Class Teacher The school follows the Worcestershire Agreed RE Syllabus 2015-2020 combined with the Understanding Christianity resource, as advised by the Worcester Diocese. The Religious Education curriculum will be based on the three aims from the Worcestershire Agreed Syllabus and always taught by the class teacher. Class Teachers have responsibility for the short-term planning and assessment of RE, although many outline plans have been provided 4
initially. Learning intentions and success criteria should be adjusted and activities adapted to meet the learning needs of the class and individual pupils within it. Every child has a purple RE book, which will move up with them each year to demonstrate progression. The expectation is that broad Learning Intentions are shared with pupils at the start of each module. Specific Learning Intentions and Success Criteria should be shared and stuck in underneath the date for each lesson. Please refer to the presentation policy. Pupils should share in tracking their own progress, self-assessing and knowing what their next steps are (particularly in Key Stage 2). At the end of each module, class teachers should assess against the Worcester Agreed Syllabus or Understanding Christianity assessment criteria. Class Teachers will assess children s work in religious education by making informal judgements as we observe them during lessons, based on the principles of assessment for learning. Please refer to the school marking and feedback policy. Written work is assessed against the success criteria once it has been completed and feedback given, often verbally as the learning is happening. Assessment of pupil s verbal input during lessons is also important, and what they said should be annotated onto the plan or written on a post-it note within that child s RE book. At the end of each module class teachers will assess the children s progress and decide whether they are eginning, Developing, Secure or Exceeding in the year group. Class teachers are expected to record this at least every half-term straight onto our online assessment system Classroom Monitor. Teaching and Learning in RE At St Andrew s we ensure that the topics studied in religious education build upon prior learning. Teachers will offer opportunities for children of all abilities to develop their skills and knowledge in each unit, and ensure that the planned progression built into the scheme of work offers the children an increasing challenge as they move through the school. Teachers should refer to the relevant documentation when planning and delivering RE, in order to ensure that progression of skills and knowledge are achieved. At our school we follow the key principle that good teaching in RE allows children both to learn about religious traditions and to reflect 5
on what the religious ideas and concepts mean to them. We encourage children to think about their own views and values in relation to the themes and topics studied. We will Dig deeper and linger longer to encourage deeper understanding of key learning. We invite representatives of local religious groups to come into school and talk to the children, such as the lay Vicar from our Church and the Iman from the local prison. We also try to organise visits to local places of worship. We operate a rotation of paired classes visiting St Andrew s Church each half term for an act of Worship and RE activities. In addition, the Key Stage 2 classes take turns to lead a whole-school act of Worship at Harvest, Christmas and Easter. Our CREW club children also help to lead worship most weeks throughout the year. We aim to use a variety of teaching styles, in order to make RE learning meaningful and memorable. Artefacts from different faith groups are frequently used so that the children can truly understand their use. Festivals, such as Eid Ul Fitr or Hanukkah, are taught about when they are happening in the real world, wherever possible. Children have the opportunity to respond to RE learning in a variety of creative ways; poems, stories, reports on visits, art work, music, drama, hot-seating, freeze-framing, computing, discussions or debates, displays and through their own behaviour. Synopsis of RE Programme of Study KS1 In year 1 pupils study three Understanding Christianity modules and two Worcestershire Agreed Syllabus modules. They start with the Understanding Christianity (UC) module 1.1 What do Christians believe God is like? They end with finding out about other faiths from Worcestershire Agreed syllabus unit 1.7 What does it mean to belong to a faith community? In year 2 pupils start the year with the Worcestershire Agreed Syllabus (WAS) module about Judaism; Who is Jewish and what do they believe? They then follow three Understanding Christianity modules and one further Worcestershire agreed syllabus module. KS1 pupils have 1 hour of RE per week plus additional themed week activities, totaling at least 36 hours per year. See Appendix 1 for more detail. 6
KS2 In year 3 pupils start by finding out what different people believe about God, Worcestershire agreed syllabus module L2.1. They then cover three Understanding Christianity modules and two further Worcestershire Agreed Syllabus modules. In year 4 pupils start by learning about Hindu people before moving onto four modules from Understanding Christianity and one further Worcestershire Agreed syllabus module. Year 5 pupils also have four Understanding Christianity modules and two Worcestershire Agreed Syllabus modules, including unity L2.6 What does it mean to be a Muslim in ritain today? KS2 pupils study RE for at least 1 hour per week plus additional themed week activities, totaling at least 45 hours per year. See Appendix 1 for more detail. EYFS In the Foundation Stage, Religious Education is an integral part of the topic work covered during the year. In the Reception class we relate the Religious Education aspects of the children s work to the objectives set out in the Early Learning Goals which underpin the curriculum planning for children aged three to five. The Worcestershire agreed syllabus themes are also taught weekly and follow up activities planned within continuous provision. Our Christian values are embedded within the setting; singing and music activities are used daily and simple bible stories are shared within class carpet time assemblies. We focus on different aspects each term through collective worship in the classroom and as children gradually join in the whole school worship. Teaching RE to children with special educational needs At our school we teach Religious Education to all children, whatever their ability. Religious education forms part of the school curriculum and it is our policy to provide a broad and balanced education to all children. Through our Religious Education teaching we provide learning opportunities that enable all pupils to make progress. We do this by setting suitable learning challenges and responding to each child s different needs. Class Teachers should consult the 7
Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO) for advice where needed. SMSC and Spirituality The Religious Education curriculum forms an important part of our school s spiritual, moral and social teaching. R.E enables children to investigate and reflect on some of the most fundamental questions asked by people. We develop the children s knowledge and understanding of the major world faiths, and we address the fundamental questions in life, for example, the meaning and purpose of life and the existence of a divine spirit. We help them to recognise the difference between right and wrong through the study of moral and ethical questions. We enhance their social development by helping them to build a sense of identity in a multicultural society. Children reflect on what it means to have a faith and to develop their own spiritual knowledge and understanding. Children explore issues of religious faith and values and, in so doing, they develop their knowledge and understanding of the cultural context of their own lives. We help the children learn from religions as well as about religions. We encourage them to develop investigative and research skills and to enable them to make reasoned judgements about religious issues. Please refer to our ritish values policy. Through our Religious Education lessons, we teach the children about the values and moral beliefs that underpin individual choices of behaviour, personal happiness and wellbeing. Where appropriate, links are made between RE lessons, Values assemblies and PSHE lessons (Jigsaw). R.E. is sometimes taught through themed weeks or days where activities take place for the whole school or for a year group. There will be a whole school Multicultural day once every year, and a Happy and Healthy week which will aim to explore Spirituality, Other faiths approaches to happiness and health, mindfulness and healthy eating choices in the run up to our Harvest Festival each year. SMSC and Spirituality policies are in progress. 8
Appendix 1 Year group Autumn 1 EYFS WAS F5: eing special Where do we belong? L Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 UC 1.1: What do Christians believe God is like? God WAS 1.3: Who is Jewish and what do they believe? WAS L2.1: What do different people believe about God? WAS L2.8: What does it mean to be a Hindu in ritain today? L UC 2.1: What does it mean if God is Holy and Loving? God Autumn 2 & Christmas block UC F2: Why do Christians perform Nativity plays at Christmas? Incarnation UC 1.3: Why does Christmas matter to Christians? Incarnation CL UC 1.3: Why does Christmas matter to Christians? Incarnation DD UC 2A.3: What is the Trinity? Incarnation/ God CL UC 2A.3: What is the Trinity? Incarnation/ God DD UC 2.4: Was Jesus the Messiah? Incarnation CL Spring 1 WAS F1: Which stories are special and why? WAS 1.5: What makes some places sacred? E UC 1.2: Who made the world? Creation UC 2A.1: What do Christians learn from the Creation story? Creation/Fall UC 2A.4: What kind of world did Jesus want? Gospel UC = Understanding Christianity. WAS U2.6: What does it mean to be a Muslim in ritain today? L WAS = Worcestershire Agreed Syllabus. Spring 2 & Easter block UC F3: Why do Christians put a cross in an Easter garden? Salvation UC 1.5: Why does Easter matter to Christians? Salvation CL UC 1.4: What is the good news Jesus brings? Gospel CL (or Salvation DD) UC 2A.2: What is it like to follow God? People of God (Or Salvation CL) UC 2A.5: Why do Christians call the day Jesus died Good Friday? Salvation CL & DD UC 2.6: What did Jesus do to save human beings? Salvation. Summer 1 UC F1: Why is the word God so important to Christians? God / Creation Summer 2 WAS F3: Which places are special and why? E WAS 1.7: What does it mean to belong to a faith community? L WAS 1.2: Who is Muslim and what do they believe? WAS L2.3: Why is Jesus inspiring to some people? UC 2A.6: When Jesus left, what was the impact of Pentecost? Kingdom of God WAS U2.3: What do religions say to us when life gets hard? WAS L2.4: Why do people pray? E WAS L2.6: Why do some people think life is a journey and what significant experiences mark this? E UC 2.3: How far does following God bring Freedom & Justice? People of God 9
The program of study may change slightly each year. 10