RE

Curriculum Statement

Our Moral Purpose and our School Values (of respect, responsible, optimism, tolerance, kindness, critical thinking and confidence) underpin much of what we do and are clearly echoed throughout our RE curriculum.  We take great pride in our school community and are constantly seeking ways we can work together to develop our children as empathetic, respectful learners who are open to, respectful and excepting of different beliefs and faiths.

Intent

At Harlands want our children to have no limits to what their ambitions are and grow up wanting to be, an anthropologist, a teacher, or a social worker or a clergyperson!  We want them to embody our core values and our moral purpose.  The RE curriculum is being carefully created so that our children develop their SMSC (spiritual, moral, social and cultural) capital and into global citizens.  We want our children to remember their RE lessons in our school and embrace the opportunities they are presented with!  As a school we work hard to celebrate all the faiths and worldviews that form our school community.  It is important to us that we value everyone equally and our RE teaching is one of the many ways we do this.

 Implementation

There are three key areas of learning within our curriculum:

Knowledge and Understanding

• Describe and explain beliefs and practices, recognising the diversity which exists within and between communities.
• Identify, discuss, and respond to sources of wisdom found in religion and worldviews.
• Investigate the nature and diversity of religious practices, ways of life and ways of expressing meaning.

 Application and Interpretation

• Interpret key concepts and ideas and apply them to questions of belonging, meaning and truth, expressing their own ideas and opinions.
• Draw conclusions about what enables different communities to live together respectfully for the wellbeing of all.
• Articulate clearly learning about beliefs, values and commitments and explain why they may be important in children’s own and other people’s lives.

Analysis and Evaluation

• Justify their own ideas about how beliefs, practices and forms of expression influence individuals and communities.
• Express with increasing discernment their personal reflections and critical responses to questions and teachings about identity, diversity, meaning and value.
• Appreciate and appraise varied dimensions of religion linking these to British Values.

It is important that our curriculum reflects the changes in modern day society and the need to help our children understand the different ways in which religion and worldviews can be understood, interpreted and studied.  Therefore, the following themes are considered when planning:

• Core Beliefs, Ideas and Symbols
• Expression of Faith
• Identity-daily life
• Social Action - putting beliefs into action
• Ask big questions and make connections

Impact

 By the time our pupils leave Harlands we would hope that they;

• will value diversity and develop respect and tolerance for other faiths and beliefs;
• to be able to reflect on their thoughts, feelings, and beliefs;
• are able to consider ultimate questions and issues of truth and meaning in both religious and non-religious terms;
• have a knowledge and understanding of Christianity and the other core religions studied which can be built upon in Key Stage 3;
• have a knowledge and understanding of non-religious / secular worldviews;
• are able to describe how religious beliefs are expressed;
• have a knowledge and understanding of the practices of the regions taught and the significance and impact these have on the believer, the community, and societies around the world;
• will know that beliefs can affect the values and actions of people; and
• are able to use an enquiry based approach to their learning - asking challenging questions and debating these drawing on the sources utilized to back up their viewpoints.

Updated April 2022