At Salesbury Church of England Primary School we intend to provide all pupils with high quality Religious Education which will enable all pupils to flourish. A quality RE curriculum leads to wisdom, knowledge and understanding.  By embracing the explicit teaching of Christian concepts and God’s big salvation story, we hope to give pupils a deeper understanding of Christianity. In addition, through the exploration of all major World Faiths and discussion of non-religious worldviews, pupils will gain knowledge and understanding that will equip them to encounter life’s experiences in our world today and in the future. 

Our curriculum will provide opportunities for spiritual development and personal reflection.  On a quest to discover more about religion and world views, pupils will learn more about themselves, the world, the importance of relationships and how to be neighbours.  Through an open, investigative enquiry approach, the curriculum will allow pupils to have the sense of being on a quest of discovery.  Our curriculum is balanced in Theology, Philosophy and Social Science which will result in pupils looking at concepts through a theological lens, exploring what people of faith believe.  Alongside this, pupils will explore questions and answers raised in relation to the lived reality and impact of religion and world views on peoples’ lives. They will think like philosophers, and will be equipped with the skills that will enable them to make sense of life’s experiences.

Through authentic encounters with living faith communities, pupils will develop diversity dexterity and be equipped with the ability to hold an informal conversation about religious beliefs and practices.  Pupils will understand that whoever we are, wherever we live, whether we are a person of faith, or not, we all have a view on the world and nobody stands nowhere.

EYFS

RE should strive to build on young children’s understanding of themselves and their experiences of family life and relationships. All pupils should learn that they are personally valued from the attitudes which they encounter in school.  They should become increasingly aware of things which are special and important to themselves and other people. Children will sometimes benefit from opportunities to develop their awareness of the local environment through journeys and visits, and by having chance to experience awe and wonderment in the natural world. They should be introduced to symbolism in religion and hear stories about the lives of key figures. RE is an integral part of the topic work covered during the year.  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 for children aged three to five.

KS1

Children continue to build on the opportunities and experiences encountered in the Early Years. They will continue to learn about symbolism in religion and listen to varied stories from the Old and New Testament. They will be given opportunities to ask their own questions and explore ideas further. Children will visit different places of worship; making regular visits to St Peter’s Church to enhance the curriculum and learn about other world religions. Pupils will have one RE lesson each week, when the main subject from the Blackburn Diocese Scheme of Work will be followed. Many other aspects of RE will evolve and be discussed in other areas of the curriculum.  Children will begin to become more familiar with the Big Frieze and God’s Big Plan.  Resources and ideas from Understanding Christianity.

KS2

Children should be developing a greater understanding of themselves and an awareness of the needs and feelings of other people from a variety of faiths and cultures. They need opportunities to engage with the natural world and local environment. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils should have been helped to explore a range of religious ideas and themes. They should have heard stories about the life and teaching of Jesus and other religious figures, and have been given opportunities to consider their own questions and concerns. They will give a greater theological awareness that Christianity is a global, living and diverse faith.  Children will have visited different places of worship and understand that all world faiths have similarities and differences.  Children will also develop an understanding of people who live without faith.

Two of our Lighthouse group members attended the Blackburn Diocese RE Conference for children. The theme was 'Exploring Spring Festivals'. The children were shown engaging and creative ways that our pupils can learn about Holi, Purim and Easter.

The course leader encouraged the children to partake in all the activities which involved: asking deep questions, observing paintings and photographs, reading religious stories, watching videos, using film clips and the internet for further investigations. Children were shown various ways that learning could be recorded in different activities. The festivals of Holi and Purim will take place on Friday 14th March and our two group members are working with Mrs Smallshaw to plan a themed morning for the whole school so we can celebrate and learn more about these festivals and why they are important.

Pupils will think theologically & explore great questions about life, death, meaning & purpose. They will reflect critically on the truth claims of Christianity and see how the truth of Christianity is relevant today, and face the challenge of Jesus’ teaching in a pluralist and post-modern society. They will develop skills to handle Bible text and will experience the breadth & variety of Christian Community. Pupils will recognise faith as a commitment to a particular way of understanding God & the world, and will respond in terms of beliefs, commitments and ways of living. Pupils will develop a sense of themselves as significant, unique and precious. They will engage in thoughtful dialogue with world faiths & traditions, becoming active citizens serving their neighbourhood. Pupils will find a reason for hope in a troubled world and understand how religious faith can sustain them in difficult circumstances & in the face of opposition. They will talk freely about their own personal beliefs and practice without fear of ridicule and will make excellent and appropriate progress in their knowledge and understanding of Christianity and world faiths. Pupils will understand world faith backgrounds and be encouraged to recognise and appreciate differences. Pupils will learn that some people have no religious background and will be given an insight into what that means. All pupils of all backgrounds to have a safe place to explore the ultimate questions and challenges of life in today’s society.