Religious Education
Intent:
At Holywell, our children are THEOLOGISTS. Our intent is to support our children in developing a good level of religious understanding and knowledge.
We aim to do this through engagement with a range of ultimate questions about the meaning and significance of existence. We want our children to ask significant and highly reflective questions about religion and demonstrate an excellent understanding of issues related to the nature, truth and value of religion.
Above all, we want our children to develop a respect for other beliefs and religions and appreciate and celebrate the diverse world in which they live. We want to equip children with not only the minimum statutory requirements of the Religious Education National Curriculum but to prepare them for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life.
Our curriculum design is based on evidence from cognitive science – that learning is most effective with spaced repetition and that retrieval of previously learned content is frequently and regular to increase both storage and retrieval strength.
We want to equip our children with not only the minimum statutory requirements of the RE National Curriculum but to prepare them for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life.
Implementation:
Our teachers use the National Curriculum, the Ventrus Curriculum Approach and the Devon and Torbay RE Agreed Syllabus for as a basis for planning.
- Children are taught to understand and respect the importance of religious beliefs in the world around them.
- The syllabus aims to allow pupils to explore themes and concepts within religion drawing on beliefs from a range of different faiths and world views.
- We aim to ensure that the RE curriculum is challenging, dynamic and relevant to pupils of all ages.
- RE is taught in weekly lessons.
- We have developed a progression of skills with each year group, which enables pupils to build on and develop their knowledge and skills each year.
- In order to support children in their ability to ‘know more and remember more’ there are regular opportunities to review the learning taken place in previous topics as well as previous lessons.
- At the start of each topic children will review previous learning and will have the opportunity to share what they already know about a current topic.
- Effective use of education visits are planned, to enrich and enhance the pupil’s learning experiences within the RE curriculum.
- Effective modelling by teachers ensures that children are able to achieve their learning objective, with misconceptions addressed within it.
- In order to support children in their ability to ‘know more and remember more’ there are regular opportunities to review the learning taken place in previous topics as well as previous lessons.
The Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum supports children’s understanding of Religious Education through the planning and teaching of ‘Understanding the World’.
Children are encouraged to use their imagination and curiosity to develop their appreciation of, and wonder at, the world in which they live.
Exploring others views, cultures and beliefs supports children in developing their views and beliefs about themselves, their family and community.
In finding out about others, young children are encouraged to reflect on belief, culture and practice and explore faith through observing festivals and celebrations, sharing stories, visuals, toys and puppets, handling real artefacts, roleplay, books and discussion.
Impact:
The impact of this curriculum design will lead to good progress over time across key stages relative to a child’s individual starting point and their progression of skills. Our RE curriculum will also lead pupils to be enthusiastic RE learners, evidenced in a range of ways, including pupil voice and their work.
We ensure that children who are achieving well, as well as those who need additional support, are identified, and additional provision and strategies are planned in and discussed with class teachers.
Ongoing assessments take place throughout the year. Teachers use this information to inform future lessons; ensuring children are supported and challenged appropriately.
We work to improve staff knowledge and confidence, leading to a stronger profile in RE and raised pupil achievement.