Religious Education

Religious Education

Religious Education

What does RE look like at Branston C of E Infant Academy?

At Branston CofE Infant Academy, we use the Lincolnshire Agreed Syllabus as the basis of our RE curriculum. From this syllabus, we follow compulsory units and select appropriate additional units of study to form the basis of our own RE curriculum. This curriculum reflects the #BalancedRE approach, which focuses on a balance between believing (theology), living (human/social sciences) and thinking (philosophy). Christianity and Islam are the two compulsory religious which must be studied in Key Stage 1.

As well as units from the Lincolnshire Agreed Syllabus, we also study units from Understanding Christianity. This resource focuses on eight core concepts which tell Christianity’s ‘Big Story’ through a spiral model of learning. This model lets children explore key concepts at different points in their education so that their understanding of them deepens.

At Branston C of E Infant Academy, the skills that we will cover in RE:

The Lincolnshire Agreed Syllabus states:

‘Pupils should develop key skills in RE in order to enhance learning and this should be evident across key stages:

1. Investigation and enquiry: asking relevant and increasingly deep questions; using a range of sources and evidence, including sacred texts; identifying and talking about key concepts.

2. Critical thinking and reflection: analysing information to form a judgement; reflecting on beliefs and practices, ultimate questions and experiences.

3. Empathy: considering the thoughts, feelings, experiences, attitudes, beliefs and values of others; seeing the world through the eyes of others.

4. Interpretation: interpreting religious language and the meaning of sacred texts; drawing meaning from, for example, artefacts and symbols.

5. Analysis: distinguishing between opinion, belief and fact; distinguishing between the features of different religions.

6. Evaluation: enquiring into religious issues and drawing conclusions with reference to experience, reason, evidence and dialogue.’

Lincolnshire Agreed Syllabus (2018 p.8)

Religious Education in the Early Years:

RE is a legal requirement a legal requirement for all pupils on the school roll, including those in the Reception year.

RE contributes to the following specific areas of the early learning goals:

Communication and language
Personal, social and emotional development (PSED)  
Literacy
Understanding the world
Expressive arts and design

Children will learn about a range of religious celebrations through artefacts, music and stories. They will begin to develop a sense of their own need, views and feelings an act sensitively to the needs and views of others. Through the RE curriculum, children will develop a sense of right and wrong, and how we can help each other. This will lead to developing an understanding of other cultures through asking questions as they encounter them.

Religious Education in KS1:

Throughout KS1, children at Branston C of E Infant Academy will focus on the following areas of enquiry:

1. God: What do people believe about God?

2. Being human: How does faith and belief affect the way people live their lives?

3. Community, worship and celebration: How do people express their religion and beliefs?

4. Life journey: rites of passage: How do people mark important events in life?

Lincolnshire Agreed Syllabus (2018, p.13)

These questions will be asked of both the Christian and Muslim faith.

As stated in the Lincolnshire Agreed Syllabus (2018, p.8), Good RE teaching should provide the following for children:

develop pupils’ knowledge and understanding of Christianity as well as other principal religions and world views (in KS1, this is primarily Islam)
focus on concepts as well as content, within the context of enquiry based learning
explore authentic religious material, e.g. sacred texts
reflect diversity in terms of the changing religious landscape of the UK so that they are prepared for life in modern Britain
engage and challenge pupils
reflect pupils’ own experiences and provide a safe space for discussion
present religious belief as a real, lived phenomenon, not something exotic or belonging to the past
take into account the increase in the number of people with non-religious beliefs and identities
provide opportunities for personal reflection and spiritual development
help to prepare pupils for adult life, enabling them to develop respect and sensitivity for others

What is the impact of learning these skills?

By developing the children’s knowledge of Christianity, Islam and other world religions, we are enabling our children to learn how to be respectful and sensitive towards other cultures and faiths. We are providing the opportunity for children to develop their own abilities to reflect, ask questions and discuss important topics.