RE at Byers Green
At Byers Green, our Religious Education Policy is designed and reviewed in accordance with the Durham Agreed Syllabus [last reviewed in 2020].Within RE, it is our intent that pupils develop knowledge, understanding and awareness of Christianity and a range of other worldwide religions and worldviews and philosophies. We believe that RE provokes questions about the deeper meanings and purpose of life, beliefs about deities, morality and the nature of humanity and all living things. It makes a positive contribution to British values and Human Rights such as the freedom to worship and the acceptance and tolerance of different faiths. Our teaching in RE aims to develop a sense of awe and wonder and to provoke curiosity about world faiths and to promote spiritual, moral and cultural development. Using the Durham Agreed Syllabus, children build upon their learning across the Key Stages , using knowledge and understanding of religion, critical thinking and personal reflection. Our curriculum is organised on a 2-year rolling programme and planned so that children have the opportunities to revisit skills and to acquire new knowledge and skills.
Aims
Through the teaching of RE we aim to:
· Develop knowledge of Christianity and other faiths and traditions represented in the UK
· Develop awareness of the influence of religious beliefs and practices upon individuals, families and communities
· foster a sense of curiosity about what it means to be human
· consider challenging questions about God and the meaning of life
· Explore children’s own beliefs
· Develop respect for other cultures and belief systems
· Promote a sense of fairness and the desire to combat prejudice
· Develop critical thinking skills
The three elements of RE
· Knowledge and understanding of religion
· Critical thinking
· Personal reflection
Enquiry based learning
Enquiry questions are used to produce a balanced Scheme of Work which actively engages pupils in the learning process. Children have the opportunities to:
· Generate and refine questions
· Develop lines of enquiry
· Explore a range of viewpoints
· Develop knowledge and understanding of religion
· Use critical thinking and reasoning to draw own conclusions
· Reflect on own ideas, values, beliefs, experiences and feelings
Progression
The RE curriculum is progressive, enabling children to deepen their knowledge and understanding of religious and non-religious world views and complex belief systems. In the Durham Agreed Syllabus, enquiry questions are used from EYFS to post-16 study, enabling pupils to build on previous learning.
EYFS
In EYFS, RE is taught as part of whole topics or themes such as special times, special objects, special people and special books [Special and Belonging]. These provide opportunities for RE foundation work in EYFS and can be built upon in KS 1.
KS 1
Children are taught about:
· Christianity: introduction to beliefs and practices and their impact eg What can we learn from the story of St Cuthbert??
· Buddhism: introduction to beliefs and practices and their impact eg What can we find out about the Buddha?
KS 2
Pupils are taught about:
· Christianity: beliefs and practices across denominations and their impact on society eg What are the themes of Christmas?
· Hinduism: some beliefs and practices and the impact of these on individuals and communities eg How do Hindus worship in the home and at the Mandir?
· Judaism: some beliefs and practices and the impact of these on individuals and communities eg Why is Moses important to Jewish people?
· Religious diversity: the diverse religious and non-religious landscape across the region, including a special study of a local Muslim community eg What can we find out about religious diversity in our region?
· Thematic studies : similarities and differences within and between religious and non -religious worldviews eg How and why do people care about the environment?
Equality and SEND
Within our RE teaching we aim to:
· Promote an atmosphere of genuine enquiry, respect and openness in which pupils can reflect upon their own and others’ beliefs, values and experiences
· Model, value and teach attitudes of fairness, respect and empathy towards people of various religions and belief systems
RE lessons are differentiated to ensure that they are accessible for all children
Right of withdrawal from RE
RE is provided for all pupils and is open, inclusive and broad; pupils explore a range of religious and non-religious worldviews. In the UK parents/carers have the right to withdraw children from RE on the grounds that they wish to provide their own RE , the provision of which will be the parents’ responsibility. Parents/carers must inform the Head Teacher if they wish to do this.