What do we teach our children?

FOUNDATION STAGE

The teaching and learning of Religious Education in the Foundation Stage is seen as ‘INTRODUCING’.

Children may begin to explore the world of religion in terms of special people, books, times, places and objects and by visiting places of worship. They listen to and talk about stories. They are introduced to religious words where appropriate and use their senses in exploring religions and beliefs, practices and forms of expression. They reflect on their own feelings and experiences. They use their imagination and curiosity to develop their appreciation and wonder of the world in which they live.

Religious Education can make an active contribution to all areas but has a particularly important contribution to make to:

Personal, Social and Emotional Development

• Children use some stories from religious traditions as a stimulus to reflect on their own feelings and experiences and explore them in various ways.

• Using a story as a stimulus, children reflect on the words and actions of characters and decide what they would have done in a similar situation. They learn about the story and its meanings through activity and play.

• Using role-play as a stimulus, children talk about some of the ways that people show love and concern for others and why this is important.

• Children think about issues of right and wrong and how humans help one another.

Communication and Language

• Children have opportunities to respond creatively, imaginatively and meaningfully to memorable experiences.

• Using a religious celebration as a stimulus, children talk about special events associated with the celebration.

• Through artefacts, stores and music, children learn about important religious celebrations.

Understanding of the World

• Children ask and answer questions about religion and culture, as they occur naturally within their everyday experiences.

• Children visit places of worship.

• They listen to and respond to a wide range of religious and ethnic groups.

• They handle artefacts with curiosity and respect.

Expressive Arts and Design

• Using religious artefacts as a stimulus, children think about and express meanings associated with the artefact.

• Children share their own experiences and feelings and those of others, and are supported in reflecting on them.

KEY STAGE ONE

The teaching and learning of RE at KS1 is seen as ‘EXPLORATION’.

Throughout Key Stage 1, pupils explore Christianity and Judaism. They learn about different beliefs about God and the world around them. They encounter and respond to a range of stories, artefacts and other religious materials. They learn to recognise that beliefs are expressed in a variety of ways, and begin to use specialist vocabulary. They begin to understand the importance and value of religion and belief, especially for other children and their families. Pupils ask relevant questions and develop a sense of wonder about the world, using their imaginations. They talk about what is important to them and others, valuing themselves, reflecting on their own feelings and experiences and developing a sense of belonging.

Learning about Religion

Pupils will:

• explore a range of stories and sacred writings and talk about their meanings;

• name and explore a range of celebrations, worship and rituals in religion, noting similarities where appropriate;

• identify the importance, for some people, of belonging to a religion and recognise the difference this makes to their lives;

• explore how religious beliefs and ideas can be expressed through the arts and communicate their responses;

• identify and suggest meanings for religious symbols and begin to use a range of religious words.

Learning from Religion

Pupils will:

• reflect on and consider religious and spiritual feelings, experiences and concepts such as worship, wonder, praise, thanks, concern, joy and sadness;

• ask and respond imaginatively to puzzling questions, communicating their ideas;

• identify what matters to them and others, including those with religious commitments, and communicate their responses;

• reflect on how spiritual and moral values relate to their own behaviour;

• recognise that religious teachings and ideas make a difference to individuals, families and the local community.

Breadth of study

During the Key Stage, pupils will be taught the knowledge, skills and understanding through Christianity and Judaism.

KEY STAGE TWO

The teaching and learning of RE at KS2 is seen as ‘CONNECTING’.

Learning about Religion

Throughout Key Stage Two, pupils continue to learn about Christianity and Judaism together with an introduction to Hinduism and Islam, recognising the impact of religion and belief locally, nationally and globally. They make connections between differing aspects of religion and consider he different forms of religious expression. They consider the beliefs, teachings, practices and ways of life central to religion. They learn about sacred texts and other sources and consider their meanings. They begin to recognise diversity in religion, learning about similarities and differences both within and between religions and beliefs ad the importance of dialogue between them. They extend the range and use of specialist vocabulary. They recognise the challenges involved in distinguishing between ideas of right and wrong, and valuing what is good and true. They communicate their ideas, recognising other people’s viewpoints. They consider their own beliefs and values and those of others in the light of their learning in religious education.

Pupils will :

• describe the key aspects of religion, especially the people, stories and traditions that influence the beliefs and values of others;

• describe the variety of practices and ways of life in religions and understand how these stem from, and are closely connected with, beliefs and teachings;

• identify and begin to describe the similarities and differences within and between religions;

• investigate the significance of religion in the local, national and global communities;

• consider the meaning of a range of forms of religious expression, understand why they are important in religion and note links between them;

• describe and begin to understand religious and other responses to ultimate and ethical questions;

• use specialist vocabulary in communicating their knowledge and understanding;

• use and interpret information about religion from a range of sources.

Learning from Religion

Pupils will be taught to:

• reflect on what it means to belong to a faith community, communicating their own and others’ responses;

• respond to the challenges of commitment both in their own lives and with religious traditions, recognising how commitment to a religion is shown in a variety of ways;

• discuss their own and others’ views of religious truth and belief, expressing their own ideas.

• reflect on ideas of right and wrong and their own and others’ responses to them;

• reflect on sources of inspiration in their own and others’ lives.

Breadth of study

During the key stage, pupils will be taught to respect the knowledge, skills and understanding through Christianity, Judaism, an introduction to Hinduism and an introduction to Islam.

OVERVIEW OF THE RE SYLLABUS FOR FS, KS1 and KS2

FOUNDATION STAGE
 
a.    Special people, books, times, places and objects.        
b.    Listen to and talk about stories.
c.    Religious words, expressions of feelings.
d.     Imagination and curiosity.

KEY STAGE 1
a.    An introduction to Christianity.                    
b.    An introduction to Judaism.
c.    Stories and festivals from other principal world religions may also be introduced at the teacher's discretion.
 
KEY STAGE 2 
a.    Continued study of Christianity.
b.    Continued study of Judaism.
c.    An introduction to Hinduism.
d.    An introduction to Islam.
e.    Stories and festivals from other religious traditions may also be included at the teacher's discretion.

The topics below will be studied throughout the year, although the order may be changed at the class teacher's discretion if they complement other subjects being studied.

 Our work around school regularly displays the work we undertake in RE, studying world faiths.