RE
Religious Education adaptation guidance
At Hill View we aim to celebrate the diversity we have within our community and offer a welcoming and inclusive environment for all our pupils. We believe that Religious Education (R.E.) provides an opportunity to celebrate and foster awareness of these differences at the academy and in the wider world. We are very grateful to our families who support their children’s learning of other faiths, as this is the way we can bring tolerance, respect and understanding to our future world.
In addition, Hill View firmly believes that all children deserve time and opportunity to explore their own spirituality and to develop their own understanding of how faith and religion shape the lives of many individuals and societies. The pupils of Hill View have the opportunity to engage in the questioning and exploration of their own and others’ beliefs, ethics, religions and worldviews.
Within R.E. at Hill View, we want our children to learn about different worldviews, including their own, building on their own experiences and on the Early Learning Goals for personal, social and emotional development, and knowledge and understanding of the World within the EYFS.
Principles, intent and purpose
Hill View Primary Academy teaches RE to all pupils in accordance with the statutory requirements of the Dorset agreed syllabuses and in conjunction with that, we use the Discovery scheme as the basis for our teaching across all year groups.
Our aim is to provide all children with the time and opportunity to explore their own spirituality and to develop their own understanding of how faith and religion shape the lives of many individuals and societies. At Hill View, we want all children to be inspired to look at their own faith and share their traditions as well as explore their peers’. Children are taught to understand and respect the beliefs of others. We also want them to learn about the world’s major religions and cultures through tales and facts.
The pupils of Hill View engage in the exploration of their own and others’ beliefs, ethics, religions and worldviews. The school is part of the local community and we benefit from contact with Christian and other religious leaders such as our links with St Thomas’ Church in Ensbury Park. We aim to nurture our children’s sense of belonging by providing them with frequent opportunities to reflect on their beliefs and values, with whole phase assemblies and in class reflections.
When studying RE we want our children to develop the following skills:
- To discuss – debate and conversate about issues that relate to different religions and cultures.
- To be critical – able to identify problems, discrepancies and contradictions relating to people’s faiths.
- To enquire– able to question and ask for justifications.
- To be inquisitive – want to know why, and how things work.
- To be appreciative – able to respect other people’s faiths and cultures.
https://discoveryschemeofwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Discovery-RE-for-parents.pdf
Implementation:
RE at Hill view is taught as a discrete subject within the wider curriculum. It is timetabled weekly in 6-week blocks.
In their learning, pupils will be exposed to the three types of knowledge in RE:
- Substantive Knowledge – Knowledge about various religious and non-religious worldviews: The Qur’an is the holy book of Muslims, most Hindus believe in Karma
- Ways of Knowing – Children will learn how to “know” about religious and non-religious statements: How do Christians interpret Genesis? How do philosophers decide what is right and wrong? How does the caste system impact on society? These ways of knowing are taught alongside and through the substantive knowledge.
- Personal Knowledge – Children will build an awareness and knowledge of their own beliefs, assumptions and values.
The units are carefully sequenced so that children’s learning builds on prior learning, and concepts are introduced in an order which enables children to understand and grasp complex ideas. The lenses of theology, philosophy, and sociology are used to explore the substantive knowledge.
Religious education lessons are also supported by our weekly collective worship themes to celebrate a wide variety of religious festivals and celebrations. We have an annual assembly/collective worship schedule.
Resources – useful websites
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/z7hs34j
https://school-learningzone.co.uk/key_stage_two/ks2_religious_education/ks2_re.html