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Religious Education at Bishop Bronescombe

Mrs Horwell

RE/SIAMs lead

The intent – the aims for R.E

We use the Cornwall agreed syllabus, which was launched in 2020.

The purpose of RE is captured in the principal aim, which is: to explore what people believe and what difference this makes to how they live, so that pupils can gain the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to handle questions raised by religion and belief, reflecting on their own ideas and ways of living.

 

The curriculum for RE aims to ensure that all pupils:

1. Make sense of a range of religious and non-religious beliefs.

2. Understand the impact and significance of religious and non-religious beliefs.

3. Make connections between religious and non-religious beliefs, concepts, practices and ideas studied.

 

Implementation - The RE teaching and learning approach

The RE taught will deepen pupils’ knowledge about religions and develop their ‘religious literacy’. It does this by studying one religion at a time (‘systematic’ units), and then including ‘thematic’ units, which build on learning by comparing the religions, beliefs and practices studied. We use 'Understanding Christianity' to support our teaching of Christian units and follow the objectives within the 2020 agreed syllabus to inform our teaching of other world faith units and the thematic units (including 'Curriculum Kernewek' which focuses on Cornish traditions). 

Pupils encounter core concepts in religions and beliefs in a coherent way, developing their understanding and their ability to handle questions of religion and belief.

The teaching and learning approach has three core elements, which are woven together to provide breadth and balance within teaching and learning about religions and beliefs, underpinning the aims of RE. Teaching and learning in the classroom will encompass all three elements, allowing for overlap between elements as suits the religion, concept and question being explored.

These elements set the context for open exploration of religion and belief.

They offer a structure through which pupils can encounter diverse religious traditions alongside non-religious worldviews. The elements present a broad and flexible strategy that allows for different traditions to be treated with integrity. These elements offer a route through each unit while also allowing for a range of different approaches.

 

Impact - assessment of learning

The children demonstrate progression in their understanding which is evidenced through pupil conversations, lesson visits and book monitoring. It is an academic subject and is assessed accordingly.  Summative assessment takes place each half term and under a list of expected outcomes for a unit, teachers indicate whether a child is working towards, at expected or exceeding age-related expectations. The data gathered is used by the class teacher to ensure that each pupil is set work that is appropriately challenging and is also monitored by the R.E. co-ordinator. Less able and vulnerable pupils are able to access RE and make progress in line with their peers.

Full details of the implementation of the RE curriculum can be found in the Be Bold Curriculum document.
What will RE look like in EYFS? 
Children in EYFS will encounter religious and non-religious worldviews through special people, books, times, places and objects and by visiting places of worship. They will listen to and talk
about stories. Children will be introduced to subject-specific words and use all their senses to explore beliefs, practices and forms of expression. They will ask questions and reflect on their own feelings
and experiences. They will use their imagination and curiosity to develop their appreciation of, and wonder at, the world in which they live.
How we challenge children in RE
RE is a subject in which children gain a lot of knowledge with regard to other people's beliefs and ways of life, but we feel that it's important for children to deepen their own spirituality and to make sense of their own beliefs. One way that we do this at BB is by using 'deepening challenges' in some of our RE lessons. The challenge will either be an exploratory question (a window), a reflective question (a mirror) or a transformational question (a door). The children respond to these questions, giving their own ideas and viewpoints.