R.E stands for religious education. In R.E we learn about the different religions worshipped in our world; their beliefs, traditions and practices. We also learn about our own beliefs and where we belong in our world.
Our Religious Education Intent
At Kippax Greenfield we deliver a rich R.E. curriculum, in line with our vision of Growing Greatness at Greenfield to give pupils an understanding, empathy and experience of the different views and faiths in our local and wider communities. Our R.E curriculum is designed to ensure our children are proud of their own background and culture, but are also inspired by the diversity of the wider world and all it can offer. We want all of our children to have a life of choice and opportunity and strongly believe that we must equip our children with the knowledge and skills to become global citizens in our multi-cultural world. We give our children a good understand of their own beliefs and where they belong in the world, while teaching them about the major world religions and teaching them to be respectful and tolerant members of society.
Ambitious, subject-specific vocabulary is weaved through the R.E curriculum to enable our pupils to be confident, articulate orators.
Our curriculum is intended to enable pupils to master knowledge and skills, yet is adapted according to their needs. Our “retrieve and revise” approach allows children to create schema that is constantly revisited and enables them to build on the solid foundations of previous learning.
Our Great Greenfield Five values underpin the R.E. curriculum:
- Respect – Respect and tolerance are an absolute necessity in our multicultural world. We teach pupils to respect and be curious about the different faiths and beliefs in our world, while challenging any possible misconceptions.
- Resilience – Our pupils are taught to understand that people have different views and beliefs and how to reflect and communicate their own beliefs. Children understand that having different views and beliefs is what makes our world an exciting place to live. They know how to respond sensitively and respectfully when they do not agree. Children are taught to challenge misconceptions and stereotypes.
- Responsibility – children take responsibility for their own ideas and beliefs. They understand that their actions and words effect others, and know that they have a responsibility both in school and the wider world, to be respectful and empathetic individuals.
- Collaboration – pupils collaborate with their classmates and their wider world. They understand that team work is essential to a happy and thriving environment for everyone.
- Aspiration – we teach pupils the life long R.E knowledge and skills which allow them to be aspirational for their future in a multi-cultural and diverse world.
Our Curriculum Implementation
At Kippax Greenfield teacher's plan using the Leeds, Kirklees and Calderdale agreed syllabus 'Believing and Belonging' for teaching R.E.
We have chosen this syllabus for teaching R.E because we believe that it delivers a comprehensive R.E curriculum which fits our aims and the needs of our school. Believing and Belonging is a comprehensive spiral curriculum, which is designed to build on prior knowledge. R.E lessons begin with a high stakes retrieval practice, which allows our children to build strong knowledge and understanding which can be transferred to their long term memory with active remembering and practicing. R.E is taught from age 4 to 11 in our school. It begins in EYFS, when it is taught through topic and stories, and then becomes discretely taught each half term from years 1 to 6. Vocabulary and reading are key drivers throughout our curriculum and become a key part of R.E teaching across school. High stakes vocabulary, which is chosen for it's transferrable nature plus key world religion vocabulary, is explicitly taught in every R.E lesson. Please see an example lesson below.
Our R.E curriculum has been carefully split into a 2-year rolling programme to cater for our mixed aged classes.
Our R.E. curriculum gives pupils a broad understanding of their own beliefs and place in the world, as well as the 5 key world faiths and non-religious beliefs and is built around three broad aims ensuring that all pupils:
- Investigate the beliefs and practices of religions and other world views;
- Investigate how religions and other world views address questions of meaning, purpose and value;
- Investigate how religions and other world views influence morality, identity and diversity.
As a school, we have good links with our local faith leaders, including the local Methodist church and Church of England. We often have assemblies and workshops delivered by these leaders and ensure with visit at least one of the churches each year for a whole school service. This year our Reception children and some Year 6 pupils retold the Nativity story in our local church St Mary's. Rev Bob Bailey welcomed us into church with a thoughtful poem about Christmas and some Christmas Carols.
Helpful Documents
