How We Teach RE
Intent
It is East Dene’s Intent to spark curiosity and to explore the many religious beliefs, values and traditions within our multi-cultural society. We aim to give our children the opportunity to inform others and share experiences from their own religions.
East dene aims for every individual to leave school with a sound understanding and respect for all families both within their own community and within the wider world.
Our RE syllabus provides an excellent RE curriculum allowing all of our children to thrive and make progress ranging from EYFS to Year 6.
It allows children to access a wide variety of beliefs and religions, providing children with unforgettable experiences and enabling children to reach their full potential within RE.
Implementation
EYFS
Christianity, religions and beliefs represented in our class or school.
In our Early Years Foundation Stage, pupils encounter religions and world views through special people, books, times, places and objects and by visiting places of worship. They listen to and talk about stories. They are introduced to subject specific words and use all their senses to explore beliefs, practices and forms of expression. They ask questions and reflect on their own feelings and experiences. They use their imagination and curiosity to develop their appreciation of awe and wonder at the world in which they live..
KS1
Judaism and Christianity (Islam may also be studied)
The teaching of RE in KS1 enables our children to develop their knowledge and understanding of religions and world views. They find out about simple examples of religion that are drawn from local, national and global contexts. They learn to use basic subject specific vocabulary. They raise questions and begin to express their own views in response to the material they learn about and in response to questions about their ideas.
KS2
Islam, Hinduism and Christianity
The teaching of RE in KS2 enables pupils to extend their knowledge and understanding of religions and world views, recognising their local, national and global contexts. They are introduced to an extended range of sources and subject specific vocabulary. They are encouraged to be curious and to ask increasingly challenging questions about religion, belief, values and human life. All pupils learn to express their own ideas in response to the material they engage with, identifying relevant information, selecting examples and giving reasons to support their ideas and views.
Impact
RE provokes challenging questions about meaning and purpose in life, beliefs about God, ultimate reality, issues of right and wrong and what it means to be human.
RE equips pupils with knowledge and understanding of a range of religions and world views, enabling them to develop their ideas, values and identity. It should develop an aptitude for dialogue in pupils so that they can participate positively in our society which is diverse in relation to religions and world views.
Pupils should gain and deploy the skills needed to interpret and evaluate evidence, texts and sources of wisdom or authority. They learn to articulate clear and coherent accounts of their personal beliefs, ideas, values and experiences while respecting the right of others to have different views, values and ways of life.
A. Know about and understand a range of religions and world views, so that they can:
- Describe, explain and analyse beliefs and practices, recognising the diversity which exists within and between communities.
- Identify, investigate and respond to questions posed by, and responses offered by some of the sources of wisdom found in religions and world views.
- Appreciate and appraise the nature, significance and impact of different ways of life and ways of expressing meaning.
B. Express ideas and insights about the nature, significance and impact of religions and world views, so that they can:
- Explain reasonably their ideas about how beliefs, practices and forms of expression influence individuals and communities.
- Express with increasing discernment their personal reflections and critical responses to questions and teachings about identity, diversity, meaning and value.
- Appreciate and appraise varied dimensions of religion.
C. Gain and deploy the skills needed to engage seriously with religions and world views, so that they can:
- Find out about and investigate key concepts and questions of belonging, meaning, purpose and truth, responding creatively.
- Enquire into what enables different communities to live together respectfully for the wellbeing of all.
- Articulate beliefs, values and commitments clearly in order to explain reasons why they may be important in their own and other people’s lives.
