Religious Education
Religious Education Overview
Intent
Religious Education at Hope School and College aims to contribute to the Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural Development of our learners by exploring religion and worldviews through a multi-sensory curriculum.
Our school teaches open minded Religious Education which is fully inclusive. The intent is for all learners to encounter and develop an understanding of different beliefs and values. Underpinning our curriculum are our three core values of Achievement, Equality and Independence.
Any parent considering exercising the right of withdrawal is invited to make an appointment with staff to discuss the approach we take to the teaching of RE.
Implementation
RE is taught in some classes as a discrete subject based lesson and in other classes it may be taught through ‘Understanding the World’. Our RE curriculum utilises three frameworks – Birth to 5 Matters, The Engagement Curriculum, and refers to the Lancashire Agreed Syllabus for RE. These frameworks underpin our objectives for all learners across our curriculum pathways (see below)
Lancashire Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education
https://council.lancashire.gov.uk/documents/s184138/Appendix%20A.pdf
All classes experience collective worship which is predominately Christian. Ideas to support collective worship and special times are included with the long-term plan.
Using real objects is an important part of the implementation of the RE curriculum. Resources for RE are stored in the Senior library room. They are in topic boxes and individual artefacts are tissue wrapped; these are handled and treated with respect by staff & our learners are taught / encouraged to see them as special. Big books include bible stories and information books about festivals from different religions are stored in the Primary and Senior library. Good practice includes the use of direct experience e.g. Educational visits to places of worship and visitors into school.
Religious Education supports the values and aims which underpin the breadth of our holistic curriculum at Hope School and College. It supports learning across a range of subjects as well as broader educational aims.
Specifically:
• Personal, Social, Relationship, Health and Citizenship Education
• Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural Development
• British Values
• Community Cohesion
• The Arts: Music, Art, and Drama
• Literacy, History and Geography
Impact
The good practice shared at Hope School and College teaches our learners to respect and celebrate each other’s differences by developing an understanding of diversity beyond their immediate family experience.
RE Rationale
RE at Hope School and College reflects the fact that the religious traditions in Great Britain are in the main Christian, while taking account of the teaching and practices of other principal religions represented in Great Britain and our school community. In the study of RE, there is also consideration and exploration of worldviews and traditions which are not religious.
Studying religious and non-religious worldviews is essential if pupils are to be well prepared for life in our increasingly diverse society. They need to acquire the necessary knowledge and skills to make sense of the complex world in which they live so that they can ‘respect religious and cultural differences and contribute to a cohesive and compassionate society’. (RE Review – Lancashire Agreed Syllabus 2013)
Religious Education at Hope School and College
Religious Education in our Early Steps Pathway
Learners within Early Years and Key Stage 1 will follow the Birth to 5 Matters curriculum, teaching and learning activities incorporate and reflect the seven areas of learning. Learners begin to explore religion and belief in terms of special people, stories, times, places and objects. Key religious festivals and cultural traditions are planned for throughout the year as they occur.
They explore RE through play-based activities or adult led focussed activities. Continuous provision provides planned enhanced opportunities to support child led learning.
Assessment within this pathway uses elements of Understanding the World and PSED within the Early Steps B Squared assessment tool
Within this pathway learning may look like the following:
Religious Education in our Complex Learning Pathway
Learners within this pathway will access Religious Education devised alongside the Attending section of the Engagement curriculum. Learners begin to explore religion and belief in terms of special people, stories, times, places and objects. Key religious festivals and cultural traditions are planned for throughout the year as they occur.
They will explore RE through a multisensory approach i.e. use all five senses: smell (e.g. incense); taste (e.g. special foods) sight and touch (e.g. religious artefacts); hearing (e.g. chants, hymns, prayers, bells)
Learners encounter times of quiet and stillness as part of collective worship and reflection.
Assessment within this pathway is non-subject specific and is assessed using the Engagement steps B Squared Assessment Tool.
Within this pathway learning may look like:
Religious Education in our Pre-Formal Pathway
Learners within this pathway will access Religious Education devised alongside the Responding section of the Engagement curriculum. Learners begin to explore religion and belief in terms of special people, stories, times, places and objects in accordance with the long-term plan.
They will explore RE through a multisensory approach i.e. use all five senses: smell (e.g. incense); taste (e.g. special foods) sight and touch (e.g. religious artefacts); hearing (e.g. chants, hymns, prayers, bells)
Learners encounter times of quiet and stillness as part of collective worship and reflection.
Assessment within this pathway is non-subject specific and is assessed using the Engagement steps B Squared Assessment Tool.
Within this pathway learning may look like:
Religious Education in our Semi-Formal Pathway
Learners within this pathway build upon the foundations of learning on which the pre-formal curriculum pathways are based.
Learners within this pathway will access Religious Education devised alongside the Initiating section of the Engagement Curriculum &/or the Lancashire Agreed Syllabus for appropriate objectives to make the subject accessible i.e. tracking back to earlier key stage to make the subject, multisensory approach.
Learners directly experience religion: Engage with artefacts, visit places of worship (with a focus on feelings and symbols), listen and respond to visitors from faith communities
Learners reflect in times of quiet and stillness as part of collective worship and reflection.
Assessment within this pathway uses the B Squared Assessment tool – Engagement Steps / Progression Steps / Steps 4 Life as appropriate.
Within this pathway learning may look like:
Religious Education in our Formal Pathway
Learners within this pathway build upon the learning on which the semi-formal curriculum pathways are based. Religious Education is taught as a discrete subject using the Lancashire Agreed Syllabus at an appropriate level.
Learners:
• share their own beliefs, values and ideas
• talk about their feelings and experiences
• use their imagination and curiosity to develop their appreciation and wonder of the world in which they live
Assessment within this pathway uses the B Squared Assessment tool – Progression Steps or Steps 4 Life as appropriate.
Within this pathway learning may look like:
An example of good practice
KS4 – Delivering the subject across the pathways
This was for the whole class – pre formal, semi formal, and formal pathway learners. They chose a scenario card and had to decide if it was a good thing or a bad thing. If it was bad, they had to stick a black leaf on the tree, if it was good, they added a green leaf. We talked about how the tree represented life’s journey.