Religious Education
'RE is the opportunity to explore a major and distinctive dimension of what it means to be a person: the search for meaning, purpose and value in a wondrous but also often confusing and sometimes threatening world. RE offers pupils the chance to raise and reflect on perennial questions about life.'
Buckinghamshire Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education.
Intent
At Buckingham Primary School we know that it is important for all our pupils to learn from and about religion, enabling them to develop a better understanding of their world. The aim of Religious Education at BPS is for our pupils to develop and enhance their knowledge and understanding of Christianity alongside the other principal religions celebrated in Great Britain. Reflecting the overall vision and values of the school within our teaching of Religious Education is fundamental to our curriculum. Religious Education is closely linked with other curriculum areas, particularly PSHE, in promoting social awareness and understanding in our children. We encourage our pupils to ask questions about the world and to reflect on their own beliefs, values and experiences.
Implementation
At Buckingham Primary School we use a scheme of learning for our RE lessons called ‘Discovery RE’. Discovery RE takes a thoughtful and creative approach to delivering Religious Education. It is our belief that embedding an enquiry-based model to learning enables the children’s critical thinking skills to be developed, enhancing their motivation to learn alongside increasing their knowledge and understanding of the different religions. Our curriculum does not try to influence individual religious or non-religious beliefs but rather to inform and develop the skills with which evaluation can take place to enable children to make their own choices and decisions concerning religion and beliefs.
Christianity is taught in every year group with Christmas and Easter revisited each year enabling the learning to develop in a progressive way. Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism and Sikhism are also covered throughout the year groups. Each year group will have an overview map of the six units they will need to teach and cover for each half term. These units will focus on a different religion so that all religions will be covered.
Each unit taught in RE is split into four steps:
Step 1: Engagement – This explores the underpinning key question for the unit. (Usually one lesson.)
Step 2: Investigation – Children will gain subject knowledge carefully selected to assist their thinking about the key question. (Usually three lessons.)
Step 3: Evaluation - This lesson draws together the children’s learning and their conclusions about the key question on that enquiry. (Usually one lesson.)
Step 4: Expression – Children are taken back to step 1, their own experience, to reflect on how this enquiry might have influenced their own starting points and beliefs. (Usually one lesson.)
By following these four steps, it promotes religious literacy by encouraging the children to gain knowledge and understanding of a range of religions worldwide. Using balanced discussions about religions and beliefs, the children develop consideration in regards to belonging, believing and behaving.
Impact
Children at Buckingham Primary in Key Stage 1 School will:
- Show basic knowledge and understanding of Christianity and at least one other faiths and worldviews, exploring similarities and differences between them
- Reflect on personal experience and say how it is linked to feelings and opinions
- Appreciate the experiences, feelings, and opinions of others
- Give one or more reasons for an opinion, based on appropriate factual knowledge and understanding
Children at Buckingham Primary School in Lower Key Stage 2 will:
- Consider the nature and interpretation of sources of authority in Christianity, other faiths, and worldviews
- Explore similarities and differences within religions and worldviews
- Think about what influences our beliefs and lifestyle and the way we see things
- Gain basic understanding of some beliefs to be able to give valid reasons for and against an opinion
Children at Buckingham Primary School in Upper Key Stage 2 will:
- Understand what it means to be religious, and the influence religions and worldviews have on individuals and communities
- Consider different responses two ultimate questions
- Explore different religious and non‐religious beliefs about meaning, purpose and value
- Show awareness of the ways beliefs influence attitudes, way of life and behaviour
- Express and justify their own beliefs and opinions and listen sensitively to those of others
- Distinguish between valid and invalid arguments
Discovery RE & the National Curriculum
