Religious Education

We teach religious education to all children in the school, including those in the reception class. In reception classes, religious education is an integral part of the topic work covered during the year. As the reception class is part of the Foundation Stage of the National Curriculum, we relate the religious education aspects of the children’s work to the objectives set out in the Early Learning Goals, which underpin the curriculum planning for children aged three to five. Additional RE topics covered throughout the year are outlined in the long-term plan and taught weekly within the reception classes.

Throughout Key Stage 1 and 2 our aim is for children to:

• explore a range of religious stories and sacred writings, and talk about their meanings;
• name and explore a range of celebrations, worship and rituals in religion, noting both similarities and differences;
• identify the importance for some people, of belonging to a religion and recognise the difference it makes in their lives;
• explore how religious beliefs and ideas can be expressed through the creative and expressive arts and communicate their responses;
• identify and interpret religious symbols and begin to use a range of religious words;
• reflect on the joys and challenges of belonging to a religion, communicating their own and others’ responses thoughtfully;
• respond to the challenges of commitment both in their own lives and within 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 clearly;
• reflect on issues of right and wrong, and their own and others’ responses to them;
• reflect on sources of inspiration in their own and others’ lives.

Many assemblies are used to acknowledge different faiths and beliefs.