RE Curriculum at Edward Peake
Subject Leader- Mrs S Thorn
Live Love Learn
“The principal aim of RE is to explore what people believe and what difference this makes to how they live, so that pupils can gain the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to handle questions raised by religion and belief, reflecting on their own ideas and ways of living.” RE Agreed Syllabus 2018-2023
“Therefore, accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God.” Romans 15:7
Intent:
Our RE curriculum at Edward Peake is designed to provide a broad, balanced and knowledge rich curriculum which ensures that every child is offered challenging and engaging learning experiences. Whilst Christianity and its values is at the core of our school, it is important that pupils broaden their knowledge and understanding of cultures and religions beyond their own and so our curriculum ensures that pupils are able to explore the major religions of the world and develop an appreciation of their significance.
Our main aims are:
- Live: Ensure pupils develop skills and personal attributes that will enable them to make informed choices about their future spiritual lives.
- Love: To develop an understanding of those with a faith and those with other ‘world views’.
- Learn: To promote an interest in the beliefs and faiths of others and how they have affected the world as we know it.
There are three key concepts threaded throughout the RE curriculum at Edward Peake. These are: making sense of beliefs, understanding the impact and making connections. Through these pupils are able to broaden and deepen their knowledge of a wide variety of beliefs from across the world enabling them to make choices in their own lives.
Our curriculum is developed to ensure ambition for all pupils so they are able to achieve no matter their starting point or barriers to learning. We aim to meet the points outlined in OFSTED’s research review into RE teaching. In particular we focus on ensuring pupils not only gain knowledge about religions, religious and non religious concepts, artefacts and sacred texts but also explore ways of knowing through enquiry and exploring where sources of information come from. The full research review can be found here: OFSTED Research Review- Religious Education
Implementation:
Pupils are encouraged to broaden and deepen knowledge whilst showing a positive attitude to learning. A curriculum which covers 4 of the BIG 6 religions in greater detail, whilst using prior knowledge of Judaism from lower school and including some relevant details about Buddhism (studied in more detail in Year 9).
KS2 and KS3 pupils have one hour of RE for every week taught in school. In KS2 class teachers generally deliver RE to their class, whereas in KS3 a small department of staff deliver RE, guided by the Curriculum Lead. A range of artefacts and texts are available to enhance lessons across the school.
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Live: Ensure pupils develop skills and personal attributes that will enable them to make informed choices about their future spiritual lives. |
Love: To develop an understanding of those with a faith and those with other ‘world views’. |
Learn: To promote an interest in the beliefs and faiths of others and how they have affected the world as we know it. |
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In the classroom |
Sequenced learning with prior learning revisited and built upon Opportunities for working in different groupings to improve personal skills in discussion and debate.
Consistent expectations for pupils’ attitude to learning. |
Range of topics studied to include world views of those with a faith and those with agnostic and atheist views. Many topics relate views and beliefs to Biggleswade, the UK and the wider world. Real life examples used to develop pupils’ context and historical knowledge. To develop an ‘inquisitive’ side so pupils want to find out about the world they live in. Careers display to demonstrate how RE is important in the wider world and in each pupil’s future. |
Quality first teaching Challenging activities Broad and balanced offering Variety of responses accepted: drama, discussion, speeches, artwork, poetry, hot-seating Smart targets set to focus on areas for development. Positive attitude to learning encouraged and modelled. Strategies used and monitored with learners who need to develop a more positive attitude to their learning. |
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Out of the classroom |
Close links with feeder lower schools and upper schools to encourage smooth transitions. Bridging project with Year 8 into Year 9 at Stratton. Visiting speakers and trips arranged as appropriate. |
Pupils encouraged to discuss their ideas outside the classroom and to gather ideas in some topics from family and friends. Careers display to demonstrate how RE is important in the wider world and in each pupil’s future. |
Knowledge organisers to encourage learning outside the classroom. Prior and personal knowledge and ideas welcomed (eg those who have a deeper knowledge of a particular faith) Online learning when needed. Intervention strategies and support by teacher and subject leader. |
Impact:
Pupils are able to be ‘religiously literate’ and express their own views and understand the views of others and how religion has shaped the lives of people now and in the history of the world.
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Live: Ensure pupils develop skills and personal attributes that will enable them to make informed choices about their future spiritual lives. |
Love: To develop an understanding of those with a faith and those with other ‘world views’. |
Learn: To promote an interest in the beliefs and faiths of others and how they have affected the world as we know it. |
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Pupils can talk and write about their own views and those of others with confidence.
Pupils are able to build on prior knowledge to develop further in subsequent topics. They can make informed decisions about their future faith and beliefs. They can readily communicate with those of faiths and beliefs other than their own.
KS3 pupils are upper school ready. |
Pupils are exposed to a range of views other than their own. They are particularly familiar with Christianity, but can appreciate the views and beliefs of all faiths and other ‘world views’.
Pupils are prepared for the wider world.
Pupils will be able to appreciate different beliefs, faiths and viewpoints.
Pupils extend their cultural capital by studying a range of beliefs and understanding the local and global views of the religions and views covered. |
Pupils develop a curiosity which enables them to learn about why faiths and beliefs are important and how they affect the lives of people now and through history.
Pupils develop their skills of discussion, analysis and interpretation to be used in other subject areas and in a range of situations. They will become inquisitive about their world and the universe they live in.
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