Intent

At Helmdon Primary School RE is taught in accordance with the approved Northamptonshire Agreed Syllabus.  

The aims of the syllabus are for pupils:

• To develop religious literacy.

• To acquire and develop knowledge and understanding of Christianity and the other principal religions and world views represented in the United Kingdom.

• To develop an understanding of the influence of the beliefs, values and traditions on individuals, communities, societies and cultures.

• To develop attitudes of respect towards other people who hold views and beliefs different from their own.

 • To develop the ability to make reasoned and informed judgements about religious issues, with reference to the principal religions and world views represented locally and in the United Kingdom

RE plays an important role, along with all 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.

Implement

The following religions are studied:

Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism and Sikhism.

Lessons are planned and delivered in a variety of ways ensuring that all children can access and participate in lessons. Interactive, practical activities encourage the children to discuss their ideas and extend their understanding of difficult concepts and challenging questions.

In KS1, children begin to look at religions, focusing on celebrations and rituals. In KS2, we offer a wider range of learning opportunities about the world’s religions including deeper understanding of the origin of those religions and their key stories and teachings.

Impact

The children at Helmdon Primary School enjoy learning about other religions and why people choose, or choose not to follow a religion. Through their RE learning, the children are able to make links between their own lives and those of others in their community and in the wider world, developing an understanding of other people’s cultures and ways of life. As such, RE is invaluable in an ever changing and shrinking world.

Children’s progress in RE is assessed in two areas:

Learning about religion and belief. Enquiring into, investigating and understanding religions and beliefs. This includes thinking about and interpreting religious beliefs, teachings, sources, practices, ways of life and ways of expressing meaning with reference to the specific beliefs and religions studied.

Learning from religion and belief. Questioning, exploring, reflecting upon and interpreting human experience in the light of religions and beliefs studied. This includes communicating reflections, responses and evaluations about questions of identity, belonging, diversity, meaning, purpose, truth, values and commitments, making increasingly insightful links to the specific religions studied.