Rothley Church Of England  Academy

 Religious Education

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” Psalm 119:105

 Intent

At Rothley Academy our vision is that RE will enable children to have the ability to reflect on who they are in relation to a world view and a different view and to be able to comprehend motivations behind thoughts and actions of anyone beyond ‘self’ which develops a knowledge for other people. Our vision is for this opportunity of questioning to be transformational so that we offer the opportunity to hold conversations about religion and belief. 

 Our planning is based on both the ‘Leicestershire Agreed Syllabus’ and the resource ‘Understanding Christianity’. The agreed syllabus requires that all pupils develop an understanding of Christianity at each key stage and the major religions represented in the UK.

The Leicestershire Agreed Syllabus for RE aims to ensure that all pupils:

1.    Make sense of a range of religious and non-religious beliefs, so that they can:

• Identify, describe, explain and analyse beliefs and concepts in the context of living religions, using appropriate vocabulary.

           • Explain how and why these beliefs are understood in different ways, by individuals and within

             communities.                         

           • Recognise how and why sources of authority (e.g. texts, teachings, traditions, leaders) are used,             

             expressed and interpreted in different ways, developing skills of interpretation.

2.    Understand the impact and significance of religious and non-religious beliefs, so that they can:

• Examine and explain how and why people express their beliefs in diverse ways.

• Recognise and account for ways in which people put their beliefs into action in diverse ways, in their everyday lives, within their communities and in the wider world.

• Appreciate and appraise the significance of different ways of life and ways of expressing meaning.

3.    Make connections between religious and non-religious beliefs, concepts, practices and ideas     studied, so that they can:

• Evaluate, reflect on and enquire into key concepts and questions studied, responding thoughtfully and creatively, giving good reasons for their responses.

 • Challenge the ideas studied, and allow the ideas studied to challenge their own thinking, articulating beliefs, values and commitments clearly in response.

 • Discern possible connections between the ideas studied and their own ways of understanding the world, expressing their critical responses and personal reflections with increasing clarity and understanding.

Impact

When learning about RE, teachers use the three core elements of best practice recommended by the agreed syllabus: Making Sense of Beliefs, Making Connections and Understanding the Impact.

EYFS

As children enter our school in EYFS, they listen to stories from different religions, learn about special places and artefacts and celebrate festivals that are important to them and their peers. The children will know that Christians believe that God made our world and we all have to care and look after it. They will be taught that God came to earth in human form as Jesus and that Jesus came to tell us how precious and special we are to God. Pupils will listen to the Easter story and understand its importance, as Jesus died at Easter.

Key Stage One

As children move to Key Stage One, they will build on their knowledge from the EYFS and learn about how others' lives are influenced by their faith. They learn about Christians, Jews and Muslims. They build connections with their experiences and begin to make sense of other people’s beliefs. Children will also be taught about and be able to retell some stories from the Bible. They will know that we can find out all about God from the Bible, that Christians worship God and try to live in ways that please him and that God has a unique relationship with humans. The special times of Advent and Lent are taught as times of being prepared and that Christians believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. At the end of each year, children also have a thematic study, allowing teachers to draw together the different views of religions and build on these connections.

Key Stage Two

In Key Stage Two, children will continue to develop their understanding of the principal religions and learn about the lives of Hindus, Muslims and Jews. Additionally, children learn about non-religious views, such as humanism. Children will identify ideas arising from their study of texts and concepts and be able to comment on how far these are helpful or inspiring, justifying their responses. They will understand that many people of faith believe that God is omnipotent, omniscient and eternal. They will develop their understanding that God is holy, loving and forgiving and that not all faiths agree about what God is like.

At the end of each year, children also have a thematic study, allowing teachers to draw together the different views of religions and build on these connections.

Rothley Church Of England  Academy

 Religious Education

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” Psalm 119:105

 Intent

At Rothley Academy our vision is that RE will enable children to have the ability to reflect on who they are in relation to a world view and a different view and to be able to comprehend motivations behind thoughts and actions of anyone beyond ‘self’ which develops a knowledge for other people. Our vision is for this opportunity of questioning to be transformational so that we offer the opportunity to hold conversations about religion and belief. 

 Our planning is based on both the ‘Leicestershire Agreed Syllabus’ and the resource ‘Understanding Christianity’. The agreed syllabus requires that all pupils develop an understanding of Christianity at each key stage and the major religions represented in the UK.

The Leicestershire Agreed Syllabus for RE aims to ensure that all pupils:

1.    Make sense of a range of religious and non-religious beliefs, so that they can:

• Identify, describe, explain and analyse beliefs and concepts in the context of living religions, using appropriate vocabulary.

           • Explain how and why these beliefs are understood in different ways, by individuals and within

             communities.                         

           • Recognise how and why sources of authority (e.g. texts, teachings, traditions, leaders) are used,             

             expressed and interpreted in different ways, developing skills of interpretation.

2.    Understand the impact and significance of religious and non-religious beliefs, so that they can:

• Examine and explain how and why people express their beliefs in diverse ways.

• Recognise and account for ways in which people put their beliefs into action in diverse ways, in their everyday lives, within their communities and in the wider world.

• Appreciate and appraise the significance of different ways of life and ways of expressing meaning.

3.    Make connections between religious and non-religious beliefs, concepts, practices and ideas     studied, so that they can:

• Evaluate, reflect on and enquire into key concepts and questions studied, responding thoughtfully and creatively, giving good reasons for their responses.

 • Challenge the ideas studied, and allow the ideas studied to challenge their own thinking, articulating beliefs, values and commitments clearly in response.

 • Discern possible connections between the ideas studied and their own ways of understanding the world, expressing their critical responses and personal reflections with increasing clarity and understanding.

Impact

When learning about RE, teachers use the three core elements of best practice recommended by the agreed syllabus: Making Sense of Beliefs, Making Connections and Understanding the Impact.

EYFS

As children enter our school in EYFS, they listen to stories from different religions, learn about special places and artefacts and celebrate festivals that are important to them and their peers. The children will know that Christians believe that God made our world and we all have to care and look after it. They will be taught that God came to earth in human form as Jesus and that Jesus came to tell us how precious and special we are to God. Pupils will listen to the Easter story and understand its importance, as Jesus died at Easter.

Key Stage One

As children move to Key Stage One, they will build on their knowledge from the EYFS and learn about how others' lives are influenced by their faith. They learn about Christians, Jews and Muslims. They build connections with their experiences and begin to make sense of other people’s beliefs. Children will also be taught about and be able to retell some stories from the Bible. They will know that we can find out all about God from the Bible, that Christians worship God and try to live in ways that please him and that God has a unique relationship with humans. The special times of Advent and Lent are taught as times of being prepared and that Christians believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. At the end of each year, children also have a thematic study, allowing teachers to draw together the different views of religions and build on these connections.

Key Stage Two

In Key Stage Two, children will continue to develop their understanding of the principal religions and learn about the lives of Hindus, Muslims and Jews. Additionally, children learn about non-religious views, such as humanism. Children will identify ideas arising from their study of texts and concepts and be able to comment on how far these are helpful or inspiring, justifying their responses. They will understand that many people of faith believe that God is omnipotent, omniscient and eternal. They will develop their understanding that God is holy, loving and forgiving and that not all faiths agree about what God is like.

At the end of each year, children also have a thematic study, allowing teachers to draw together the different views of religions and build on these connections.