Ribble Drive Community Primary School
Be the best you can be
Religious Education
Our Vision
Religious Education gives our pupils an ideal opportunity to explore matters of religion and non-religious beliefs. It aims to find out what matters most to people in a wide range of traditions, practices and beliefs represented in our borough and beyond, and to discern what is of value for themselves as they develop their own ideas and ways of living. Through RE, pupils at Ribble Drive Primary School will continue to deepen their respect, care and appreciation for others and their beliefs. Our approach to RE enables us to realise both our Mission Statement:
“Be The Best That You Can Be”
And our Disability Statement:
“To make all reasonable adjustments to ensure that any member of the school community with a disability is not placed at a disadvantage and to endeavour to anticipate their needs in advance of their participation in any activities within the school”
Intent
Through our teaching of RE, Ribble Drive Primary School aims to equip our pupils with the knowledge required to understand spiritual, moral, social and cultural questions of individuals and of groups and communities. This intent is further supported by the following aims:
To develop pupils’ enjoyment and interest in RE and their curiosity about the world around them.
To develop questioning and enquiring minds through a range of experiences and opportunities.
To develop understanding of the multi-cultural world we live in particularly the religions found in our local area, developing respect and tolerance for others.
To meet the needs of each child so that they will reach their full potential.
To enable pupils to know about and understand Christianity as a living faith that influences the lives of people worldwide and as the religion that has most shaped British culture and heritage.
To enable pupils to know and understand about other major world religions and world views, their impact on society, culture and the wider world, enabling pupils to express ideas and insights.
To contribute to the development of pupils’ own spiritual/philosophical convictions, exploring and enriching their own beliefs and values.
Implementation
At Ribble Drive Primary School we base our teaching of Religious Education in accordance with Bury Local Authorities Agreed Syllabus. We use a wide range of SACRE RE lessons, which incorporate the Understanding Christianity approach to provide a comprehensive scheme of work to help develop the knowledge of our pupils. The syllabus integrates a planning process to encourage and empower teachers to develop their own excellent RE lessons. As many children may come from families that hold non-religious beliefs or have other strong religious faiths we:
Teach all learners to share their experiences and to learn from one another and the religions and beliefs in our community
Allow space for all pupils to explore their own beliefs, values and traditions, and those of others in engaged and engaging ways.
Support children to develop positive attitudes of respect towards people from all religions and worldviews.
Continue in the tradition of ensuring that RE is responsive to the changing nature of schools and education.
Respond effectively to the Government’s Prevent Strategy.
Ensure high standards of achievement, learning and behaviour, as well as contributing to spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.
Teach pupils how to weigh up the value of wisdom from different sources, to develop and express insights in response, and to agree or disagree respectfully.
Help pupils develop an aptitude for dialogue so that they can participate positively in our society, with its diverse religions and worldviews.
Help pupils gain and deploy the skills needed to understand, interpret and evaluate texts, sources of wisdom and authority and other evidence.
Teach pupils how to articulate clearly and coherently their personal beliefs, ideas, values and experiences while respecting the right of others to differ.
Religions taught and time allocated:
This agreed syllabus requires that all pupils develop understanding Christianity in each key stage. In addition, across the age range, pupils will develop understanding of the principle religions represented in the UK, in line with the law.
Pupils are to study, in depth, the religions of the following:
EYFS - Children will encounter Christianity and other faiths, as part of their growing sense of self, their own community and their place within it.
KS1 - Christians, Jews and Muslims
Ks2 - Christians, Muslims, Hindus and Jews
In order to deliver the aims of the expected standards of the syllabus effectively the expectation is that Religious Education will be taught for:
EYFS - 36 hours of R.E. per year (e.g. 50 minutes per week or some short sessions implemented through continuous provision)
KS1 - 36 hours of tuition per year (e.g. an hour a week, or less than an hour a week plus a series of R.E. days)
KS2 - 45 hours of tuition per year (e.g. an hour per week, or a series of R.E. days or weeks amounting to 45+ hours of R.E.)
Monitoring and assessment
All teachers are responsible for monitoring and assessment. Flexible assessment opportunities are given based on end of phase outcomes, linked to the teaching and learning approach. As a whole school we:
Assess the children’s work by making informal judgements as we observe them during lessons.
Mark a piece of work once it has been completed and comment as necessary.
Collect evidence in class floor books where appropriate.
On completion of a unit of work make a summary judgement about the work of each pupil in relation to the unit outcomes.
The Subject Leader will:
Provide support to colleagues to plan, deliver and assess Religious Education.
Lead training related to Religious Education.
Monitor teaching and learning in Religious Education.
Keep samples of children’s work in a portfolio. This demonstrates what the expected level of achievement is for Religious Education in each year group.
Equal opportunities
Every child at Ribble Drive has an entitlement to Religious Education as it is a necessary part of a broad and balanced curriculum. Children are entitled to have their efforts and achievements recognised regardless of gender, ability, race or cultural background. Teachers set appropriate challenges for all pupils.
Religious Education is taught to mixed ability classes by the class teacher. Children with special educational needs are expected to have an active presence in each lesson and are therefore supported to participate alongside other learners, at their level. We support vulnerable groups such as SEN, EAL and target children through guided support from a TA or teacher as an individual or within a small group to be directed appropriately.
Withdrawal from RE Learning
Parents may request that their child is withdrawn from R.E. Where parents are wishing to exercise this right, the Governing Body would first suggest that the parents first meet with the Headteacher to discuss their concerns. If the matter cannot be resolved, parents need to apply to the Governing Body in writing to withdraw their child from RE lessons. The Governing body will make arrangements with the Headteacher for the child(ren) to be supervised or engaged in another activity during this time. We are mindful that everyone holds different beliefs and this is taken into consideration at Ribble Drive Primary School and in RE lessons.