R.E
HCPS RE Policy HCPS R.E Progression Document HCPS R.E Long Term Plan
Religious Education at HCPS is led by Mrs S. Billam.
 |
| Mrs S. Billam |
Intent
We believe at HCPS that RE both supports and strengthens what we aim to do in every aspect of school life. Our caring ethos and the value which we place on the development of the whole child: spiritually, morally, culturally and intellectually is reflected in the RE curriculum. Our vision and educational aims for religious education are to offer a broad and rich curriculum that is ambitious, challenging, enriching and inclusive. This is also in line with the school’s aim to encourage high aspirations in order to maximise children’s progress and to enable all pupils to experience the joy of success.
Our school believes that religious education should provide a contemporary study of religion, preparing children for later life and 'to support pupils' personal search for meaning by engaging enquiry into the question 'what is it to be human?' and by having the opportunity to explore answers offered by religion and belief.
The school has adopted the LEA’s Religious Education Policy and is now working from: “The New Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education” in the Humber area. The intent is to make sure that children understand the relevance of RE in today’s modern world and how it affects our lives and that the RE curriculum enables pupils to hold balanced and informed conversations about Religion and Worldviews.
Implementation
The school bears in mind that the British Isles is a multicultural nation which has Christianity as one of the main religion of the population. As a result, Christianity receives the appropriate weighting within the religious education curriculum. Faiths studied in addition to Christianity are Buddhism, Judaism, Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism, R.E. is taught according to a five year plan. This ensures a correct balance and clear development of pupils' knowledge and understanding. Areas, which are necessarily repeated such as Christmas and Easter, are planned so that increasingly complex issues are covered each year. Different aspects of Christianity are taught every year.
The school follows the unit guidelines of the County's Agreed Syllabus. Visits are organised to related places of worship. This shared experience across all years is carried through into the marking of significant festivals and events of the chosen faith. In addition a programme of visits facilitates visiting Christian Sites including, St. Nicholas Church and Hornsea United Reformed Church, The Hindu temple and Islamic Mosque in Pearson Park Hull. “It is not the purpose of Religious education to lead children to adopt a faith but to gain an understanding of the world of Religion and Worldviews in order to form their own responses and opinions.” (New East Riding Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education.2019.)
RE lessons offer a structured and safe space during curriculum time for reflection, discussion, dialogue and debate. We encourage pupils to learn to think for themselves about British values. We actively promote the British values of: democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect, tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs. Respect, tolerance and understanding for the beliefs of others are promoted as part of our programme. Pupils explore religions in a variety of different ways; through their community and personal development and wellbeing.
The lessons have an intention of providing a high quality, coherent and progressive experience of the subject, with scope for cross-curricular learning.
Through each unit, children will know about and understand a range of religions and world views. They will be able to identify, investigate and respond to a variety of issues. SMSC, personal growth and community cohesion are featured throughout each statutory strand and are there to ensure opportunities for children to develop positive attitudes and values and to reflect on and relate their learning in RE to their own experiences. We ensure that the RE classroom is democratic where all pupils have an equal right to be heard and democracy is modelled by the teacher and expected of every pupil. In RE pupils examine different codes for living and consider the value of the rule of law where all people are equal before the law. They consider questions about identity and belonging, the balance between individual liberty and the greater good.
RE challenges pupils to be increasingly respectful and to celebrate diversity of different cultures, faiths and beliefs. (Assemblies in school are of a broadly Christian in nature)
Impact
We believe that the impact of the new RE curriculum will be for children to have a better understanding of the religions and non-religious beliefs that make up the UK landscape and around the World, The children will discover how they can learn from and work alongside each other to create community cohesion. All children in school will be able to talk confidently about their wellbeing, moral and cultural development for the society in which they live.
The RE curriculum will promote inquisitive minds, respect, tolerance and understanding for all those around them including themselves. The planned lessons will enable high quality 'thoughtful' work to be produced and evidenced, which showcase a deep understanding of the main religions and other non-religious beliefs of their community and World. This evidence will be seen through the correct use of vocabulary, explanations and respectful opinions, as well as cross-curricular evidence; for example religious and cultural art work, drama, craft and presentations.
Impact will be seen by all teachers and children enjoying the experience of teaching and learning RE and understanding how it can help them in their future and their place in the World.