Religious Education

Religious Education aims to make an important and lasting contribution to the education of children and young people in a way that will equip them to play a full role in our multi-faith society. The subject seeks to promote learning and understanding about a range of faith and belief perspectives and to express the convictions that both they and others hold. In this way, the spiritual, moral, social, emotional, cultural and intellectual development of pupils will be developed.

Our overall aims ensure children:

• Develop conceptual understanding of religion, religious beliefs and practices – in order that they can begin to engage in informed reflection and discussion about religions and religion.
• Develop an informed appreciation of religions – in order that they can explore religions with openness, interest and enjoyment.
• Value religious and cultural diversity – in order to enhance their social and cultural development and to contribute to a more just and civil society.
• Create meaning from their knowledge and understanding of religions– in order to enhance their spiritual and moral development.
• Develop an awareness of the richness of religions and their contributions to society and culture – in order that they can make increasingly mature judgements about the world in which they live.
• Recognise commonality and difference within and between religions – in order to develop respect, openness and curiosity.
• Develop a sensitive understanding of the significance of religious commitment and practice in the lives of individuals – in order that they might develop respect for individuals and their right to hold beliefs that are different from their own.

The Religious Education curriculum, which follows the New Agreed Ealing RE syllabus is intended to engage, inspire, challenge and encourage pupils. Pupils are provided with the opportunity to explore the place of religion and belief in their own lives, in the lives of people with different faith commitments and within society more broadly. An enquiry based approach has been adopted to aid children in their development of enquiry skills, reasoned argument, acceptance and understanding of others, and reflection: children are taught about a range of religions and learn to respect and ask questions about different religions, traditions and cultures around the world. Reading and oracy is a key part of every lesson, whether it be about a religious leader, religious practice or tradition and children are encouraged to ask questions

This new locally agreed syllabus provides extensive coverage of the six principal religions: Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism, Judaism and Buddhism. The syllabus also gives scope to incorporate the study of Humanism as many people today do not have a religious faith.

The key element of the RE curriculum are:

• A focus on key questions, both as the basis for unit titles and as a framework for learning and teaching within each unit.
• A combination of systematic and thematic themes for the range of units within the syllabus, so that children are offered opportunities both to engage with specific religious traditions and to explore cross-cutting themes that can be studied with reference to several religious traditions.
• A spiral model, which includes asking questions, investigation, drawing conclusions, evaluation, reflection and expression.
• The sequencing of the units, so that progression is achieved in the learning of the pupils as they study Religious Education.
• The three dimensions of religion – believing, behaving and belonging – form the basis for the organisation of the modules of learning.

Underpinning our RE curriculum is six Big Ideas which are linked to the schools themes. These include:

• How to lead a good life
• Influence, community and power
• Words and beyond
• The big picture
• Continuity, change and diversity
• Making sense of life’s experiences 

Children will use the celebrations of religious and non-religious festivals, visits to places of worship and visitors to think about their own personal values and to understand how people of different backgrounds or beliefs may share in some similar values whilst also differing in other values.

There is also a range of opportunities for pupils to engage with and think about British Values. This is because the subject addresses universal human values and considers the place of moral and ethical concerns within religions and worldviews, which underline the importance of human dignity, fairness, trust, respect, justice and freedom.

• Speak about how religions address some of the major questions in human life, identifying how sources of authority underpin these perspectives
• Speak about the variety of religious practices that people of faith follow, explaining how these shape individuals, groups and societies
• Use appropriate religious vocabulary to explain why different forms of religious and moral expression are important to members of faith and belief communities
• Speak sensitively and in a reasoned way about both the benefits and challenges of belonging to a religious community in contemporary society
• Identity some of the most important issues about meaning, purpose and truth and speak about both their own and others’ views on these issues
• Discuss the connections between beliefs, teachings and the issues that face human societies in the world today by drawing on the perspectives of different faiths and beliefs

Religious Education