Religious Education
Intent
At Discovery Primary Academy, the Religious Education and World Faiths Curriculum intends to provide children with a balanced and open-minded education. Through learning about all the major world faiths, humanism and non-religions children will be prepared for life in our diverse and multicultural society.
The curriculum uses the Cambridgeshire Locally Agreed Syllabus (2023-28) units as well as our own. At Discovery Primary Academy, we use an enquiry-based approach to encourage critical thinking and reflection about children’s own beliefs and other peoples’ values. We aim to foster empathy and respect for each other, celebrating similarities and differences within and between faiths. Religious Education intends to challenge prejudice and stereotypes. Therefore, children are confident to proudly share their beliefs in lessons, but also very willing to listen to others' knowledge, comparing and developing religious literacy.
The children learn through the intertwined strands, learning about and from religions. The teaching of Religious Education in our academy is inclusive and equips pupils to sensitively ask questions about religious groups, families and their beliefs, places of worship, special books, celebrations, values and morals. It is delivered as a discrete subject with strong links to PSHE, British Values and SMSC. Pupils are encouraged to develop skills of empathy and respect by activities such as visiting places of worship, listening to visitors, exploring religious artefacts and listening to and asking questions of their peers.
Implementation
Religious Education lessons are planned and delivered to reflect Rosenshine’s Principles of Instruction. The syllabus teaches important themes of belonging, identity, diversity, meaning and values.
Knowledge organisers are used so that children have access to keywords, concepts and meanings. As well as RE days and units, we integrate the subject into daily routines with class and assembly reflection time. A variety of engaging activities are used, such as role-playing celebrations, researching information and presenting, and religion and art.
At Discovery Primary Academy, our Religious Education Curriculum is enhanced through local visits to places of worship such as the church and visitors to school such as Humanists and Gospel Hall assemblies telling Bible stories with strong morals. Religious Education is assessed through teacher judgement using ongoing formative assessment. At the end of each unit, children will partake in an assessment to inform the teacher of skills and knowledge learnt as well as their ability to listen to others' beliefs and values. These assessments are offered in a variety of ways, whether it be a written or practical task, to allow the children to embed what they have learnt, and to show their respectful understanding.
Impact
Our aim is that children will retain knowledge that is vital to Religious Education within a real-life context, and they will have a good understanding of the multicultural city they live in as well as the history of religions and festivals and difficult current issues in the wider world. Religious Education is monitored by the subject leader throughout all year groups using a variety of strategies such as book and planning looks, staff discussions and pupil interviews. Feedback is given to teachers and leaders using the information to see if the children know more and remember more.
By the time pupils leave the academy at the end of Year 6, it is our intention that they will have an ability to question a developed understanding and a good grasp of three key concepts:
- Making sense of religious and non-religious world views.
- Understanding their impact on people and communities.
- Responding to life’s big questions.
Please see below for our curriculum overview and knowledge organisers for Religious Education.
Withdrawal from Religious Education
Religion and belief have become more visible in public life in recent years, making it important that all pupils should have an opportunity to engage in RE. However, the parent of a pupil at a community, foundation or voluntary school (or pupils themselves if they are aged 18 or over) may request that they be excused from all or part of the religious education (RE) provided.
Parents who wish to withdraw their children from RE should be aware of its aims and what is covered in the RE curriculum and that they are given the opportunity to discuss this if they wish. It should be made clear whether the withdrawal is from the whole RE curriculum or specific parts of it. No reasons need be given.
Important – limitations to withdraw:
- If pupils are withdrawn from RE, schools have a duty to supervise them, though not to provide additional teaching. A pupil may be required to work in another area of the school, such as the library or breakout area.
- Whilst parents or carers have a right to withdraw children from RE, they should note that children may also encounter religions and beliefs and wider aspects of faith in other areas of the curriculum from which there is no right of withdrawal.
- On occasion, spontaneous questions about religious matters are raised by pupils or issues related to religion arise in other curriculum subjects such as history or citizenship (PSHE). For example, schools promote community cohesion and help pupils to understand ideas about identity and diversity, feelings and emotions within both religious and non-religious contexts.
- Managing the Right of Withdrawal
- If pupils are withdrawn from RE, schools have a duty to supervise them, though not to provide additional teaching or to incur extra costs. Pupils will usually remain on school premises where it is feasible and appropriate.
- Where a request for withdrawal is made, the school must comply and excuse the pupil until the request is rescinded. Though not legally required, it is good practice for a head teacher to invite parents to discuss their written request.(Section 71(3), School Standards and Framework Act 1998).