Religious Education
Intent
At Orchard Park Community Primary School, we believe that Religious Education (RE) is important so that pupils can understand the world around them. RE has a significant role in developing pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Our RE curriculum encourages pupils to develop their sense of identity and belonging through self-awareness and reflection, while promoting respect towards others. We promote and welcome cultural diversity through our RE lessons, thus enabling our children to become well-rounded individuals who are understanding and respectful of all beliefs, especially those that differ from their own. This is vital to us as we are a diverse school.
Through an enquiry-based approach, pupils will develop their knowledge of world faiths and their understanding of beliefs, values and traditions of other cultures. We aim to engage, inspire and encourage pupils to reflect on challenging questions, which will allow them to gain a clear understanding of both our immediate and wider multi-cultural society. As pupils progress throughout their time at Orchard Park Community Primary School, they will gain confidence in discussing and comparing cultures and religions. This will be achieved by studying a range of world faiths and cultures, as well as considering non-religious views and having thoughtful and respectful discussions around religious questions. Religious Literacy plays an important role in preparing pupils for life in modern Britain and so our Religious Curriculum aims to ensure all pupils are able to talk with fluency and understanding about religion and belief.
Implementation
The school follows the 2023 Cambridgeshire Agreed Syllabus. Within Foundation Stage the Early Years Framework is followed. Within Key Stage One teacher planned units are taught using the syllabus contents. In Key Stage 2, teacher planned units follow the Opening Worlds Curriculum. This plan is supported by Cambridgeshire Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education (SACRE).
Religious Education in KS1 is taught through topics which, where appropriate, connects with others areas of teachings and curriculum coverage. Children’s knowledge and understanding builds through the units and develops religious literacy. We endeavour to use artefacts, visits places of worship, and have visitors from faith groups in school, providing quality experiences which are memorable and worthwhile, and support and enhance children in their learning and understanding of the world. This builds on their Early Years experience of PSE development where they consider themselves as valuable individuals and think about others perspectives; also in understanding the world they can understand that some places are special to members of their community, like places of worship, and recognise that people have different beliefs and celebrate special times in different ways.
Opening Worlds has a thoroughness in knowledge-building with a broad scope of content that is meticulous in rigour. There is an intricate coherence and tight sequencing of lessons and outcomes, encouraging a high quality of learning. It is a highly inclusive approach that meets the needs of the all children and also make links with other curriculum areas especially History, Geography, and Art. It provides global and cultural breadth of knowledge, embracing wide diversity across ethnicity, gender, religion and community. Children will learn both substantive and disciplinary knowledge within the subject.
The content within each academic year is carefully sequenced.The programme also makes coherent links between subjects; the concept of kingdoms both within RE and history is a clear example.
Impact
Religious Education promotes the spiritual, moral and cultural development of all children. It helps them to prepare for the experiences and responsibilities of life, and helps to develop an understanding of the world in which we live. Learning in RE helps children to grow in their understanding of their world, to make connections and be empowered by their understanding.
The impact is seen in:
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High standards which are appropriate to age-related expectations
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Children’s reflections on their learning
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Children’s abilities to articulate key ideas from their learning and make connections and using key vocabulary
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Regular class discussion, helping children to develop a positive attitude and respect for people who hold different views to their own
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Children who develop respect for their community and the wider world
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Children who are increasingly confident and independent thinkers
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Children who increase their spiritual and moral development
Learning is measured against the age-related expectations within the syllabus through analysis of children’s achievement of learning intentions, acquisition of knowledge, understanding, and the application of skills across topics. This includes making connections among different religions, beliefs, values and traditions.
Assessment of children’s learning is achieved by the teacher, through book scrutiny and more informally by something a pupil says, or does, which provides information and insight to the teacher.
