Religious Education
Aims
We believe that Religious Education (RE) plays a huge part in supporting children’s Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural development. It enriches our school values, particularly respect, and encourages children to be open-minded, listen to others and develop a sense of themselves as they explore faiths, values, beliefs and traditions across the world.
We aim to ensure that all pupils:
- Have access to a broad and balanced RE curriculum which meets the framework of statutory requirements and those of the locally agreed syllabus.
- Promote and develop a deeper understanding of the basic British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect and tolerance for those of different faiths and beliefs.
- Explore and enhance their understanding of our own school values (respect, fairness, courage, honesty and enjoyment) and their own personal values.
- Allow expansion of Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural development which focuses on the whole child.
- Become well-rounded citizens who have knowledge and understanding regarding the diversity of religious and ethnic identities and the need for mutual respect and understanding.
- Take responsibility for their own beliefs and have the confidence to share and voice opinions to challenge viewpoints to prevent racism, bullying, discrimination and prejudice.
- Celebrate religions and have positive and open-minded attitudes towards oneself and each other.
Implementation
We follow the Kent Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education and use the scheme of work from RE Today which is recommended within this. This is split into the strands; believing (religious beliefs, teachings, sources; questions about meaning, purpose and truth); expressing (religious and spiritual forms of expression; questions about identity and living); and living (religious practices and ways of living; questions about values and commitments).
The scheme is planned and sequenced to develop deep, lasting understanding and learning, and builds upon prior knowledge. Its principal aim is to engage pupils in systematic enquiry into significant human questions which religion and worldviews address, so that they can develop the understanding and skills needed to appreciate and appraise varied responses to these questions, as well as develop responses of their own.
The curriculum follows an enquiry-based approach and each unit of work focuses on a key question, which is broken up into smaller questions which are explored in each weekly lesson. The key questions are linked to religion and worldviews. The term ‘worldview’ describes the way in which a person encounters, interprets, understands and engages with the world.
In EYFS, pupils learn about key celebrations which they experience first hand, such as Christmas, Easter and Diwali, as well as acceptance of others' differences. During KS1, pupils are taught knowledge, skills and understanding through learning about Christianity, Islam and Judaism, adding Hinduism during KS2.
Although we follow a scheme, we adapt it to suit our pupils and their backgrounds, and also focus on diversity within this, e.g. some Christians go to church, some do not. We deliver additional themed days thinking about our families and the different faiths of our multicultural school. For example, we have several Hindu families, so we held a themed day focusing on Diwali and also invited these parents into school to enhance the curriculum for our pupils.
We acknowledge that children gain a deeper understanding of religion and worldviews when high-quality resources/artefacts are used, alongside enrichment activities including visits to places of worship, and visitors representing different religions which provide a variety of first-hand experiences for our children, to spark their interest and relate new learning to their own experience.
We have developed links with the local area and use the local church for celebrations such as our Carol Service. As a school, we have regular assemblies, collective worship and quiet reflection time.
Attitudes which are fundamental to RE are embedded within our ‘High 5’ school values: respect, fairness, courage, honesty and enjoyment. These work alongside the Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural (SMSC) links and British Values implemented within the school as a whole.
Impact
As a result of our Religious Education curriculum, pupils at our school develop a strong understanding of a range of religions and worldviews and how these shape people’s lives, beliefs and values. They are able to make meaningful links between religious teachings and everyday life, both for themselves and for others in our diverse society.
Pupils demonstrate respectful, open-minded attitudes and are confident in listening to, valuing and discussing different viewpoints. They show an increasing ability to express their own beliefs and ideas thoughtfully, using appropriate vocabulary, while recognising that others may hold different perspectives. This supports pupils in challenging prejudice, discrimination and stereotypes and contributes positively to behaviour, relationships and a culture of mutual respect across the school.
Through an enquiry-based approach, pupils develop critical thinking skills and the confidence to ask questions, reflect deeply and form reasoned responses to key human questions about meaning, purpose and values. Learning is progressive and builds securely on prior knowledge, enabling pupils to retain key concepts and apply them across different religions and contexts.
RE makes a significant contribution to pupils’ Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural development. Pupils show empathy, curiosity and appreciation of diversity and are increasingly able to reflect on their own values, choices and responsibilities. They understand and demonstrate British Values, including democracy, individual liberty, the rule of law, and mutual respect and tolerance for those of different faiths and beliefs.
Enrichment opportunities, including themed days, visitors, artefacts and visits to places of worship, deepen pupils’ understanding and make learning memorable and meaningful. Links with families, the local community and the local church further strengthen pupils’ sense of belonging and connection.
By the time pupils leave our school, they are well-rounded, reflective and respectful individuals who are prepared for life in modern Britain. They have the knowledge, skills and attitudes needed to engage positively with people of all backgrounds and to contribute thoughtfully and responsibly to their communities.
Collective Worship
At Victoria Road Primary School, we provide a daily act of collective worship for all pupils. These moments offer time for reflection, celebrating achievements, and considering our school values. They are inclusive of all beliefs and give children the opportunity to think about themselves, others, and the wider world.
Widening Inclusion in Religious Education - Award presented to Victoria Road Primary School by Mr Dylan Jeffery
T6- Yr3. Learning about Baptism and Religious Journeys
Year 1 Trip - Christ Church, Ashford
Traditional Dance
How amazing! Four girls from Year 6 learnt and performed a wonderful traditional dance as part of our learning on Diwali. They practised it in their own time and taught it to other year groups as part of a carousel of activities.
