Religious Education
Intent, Implementation and Impact Statement
Intent
Through the teaching of Religious Education (RE), we aim to give our children:
- the knowledge and understanding of a range of religions and other world views in the context of our local community and our country.
- the opportunity to develop their own ideas, values and identities.
Our RE curriculum provides a safe environment for all children, irrespective of background or beliefs, to:
- explore other people’s views and practices
- ask questions
- speak and be listened to
- develop tolerance, respect, empathy and inquisitiveness about our multi-cultural and religiously diverse wider society in line with our whole school sharing of British values.
Implementation
All schools are required by law to teach RE. In Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 at Rufford Park we follow the Leeds RE Agreed Syllabus 2024-29 (Believing and Belonging). In Reception year RE is taught through the EYFS Framework(2023) with reference to the Leeds Agreed Syllabus.
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To achieve a broad and balanced understanding of religions and other world views, the syllabus is built around six learning pathways. RE should ensure that all pupils:
- Are empowered to develop and use critical thinking skills to develop their own curiosity, spirituality, values and views.
- Develop understanding of the beliefs and practices of religions and other world views to encourage empathy and tolerance of diversity.
- Gain a broad understanding of how religions and other world views address questions of meaning, purpose and value.
We teach about a range of faiths and world views in a balanced and thorough way in each key stage with a focus on the lived experience of community members.
The statutory requirement is for 1 hour per week of RE teaching time which may be taught flexibly through weekly lessons, topics, assemblies, blocked pieces of work to fit with our school curriculum and our Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural Development, as well as key dates and celebrations. Lessons may feature written work, discussion, research, stories, role play and artwork and are accessible to all children.
Visits to places of worship are an important and enjoyable way of finding out what other people believe and are arranged for each year group. We have strong links with our local community and welcome visits into school from St John’s Church and the ‘Open the Book’ group.
Impact
As a result of our thought provoking and informative teaching of RE, children at our school reflect on their own experiences and beliefs while making links to those of others. They develop as positive, respectful, participating citizens of the world.