Religious Education

Religious Education Co-ordinator: Miss A Roberts

At Lowerhouse Junior School, we want our children to have a morally principled outlook and we believe RE contributes significantly to this aspect of character education. The principal aim of our SACRE syllabus aims to challenge children to learn about and form a range of religions and non-religious world views whilst also considering the big questions of life. At the heart of our curriculum is the quest to understand what it is to be human.

Intent

At Lowerhouse Junior School, the Religious Education curriculum works with the Lancashire SACRE agreed syllabus, and it aims to challenge children to learn about and form a range of religions and non-religious world views whilst also considering the big questions of life. At the heart of our curriculum is the quest to understand what it is to be human.

At our school we want to ensure that our children go out into the world with the knowledge, skills and attitudes to understand the beliefs of others and live in today’s diverse and ever-changing world.

Our curriculum plans aim to give our children the opportunities to learn about and from religion and non-religious world views in a variety of ways. For example: through art, drama, computing and other creative activities as well as through discussion, debate and more formal writing opportunities.

Implementation

The Lancashire Scheme of Work is used to teach RE throughout school from EYFS to Year 6, this ensures coverage of skills and clear progression. Each unit begins with a question relating to a particular Religion. We recognise the variety of religious and non-religious backgrounds from which are pupils come and that religious traditions in Great Britain are, in the main, Christian therefore 50% of teaching focusses on Christianity with Islam, Judaism, Sikhism and Hinduism also being taught. Learning is adapted to meet the needs of all pupils including those with additional needs. Teaching is planned to provide children with experiences and learning opportunities which do not promote a particular religion or religious belief but give a fair, balanced and open view. The RE curriculum supports the teaching and awareness of Prevent and British Values and makes a significant contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

Within the framework of the law and the Agreed Syllabus, our aims in RE are:

to enable each child to explore our shared human experience and the questions of meaning and purpose which arise from our experiences;
to enable pupils to know about and understand the beliefs and values and living religious traditions of some of the great religions of the world, particularly those represented in Lancashire and the UK. Among these religions, Christianity has a particular place, and is taught in three investigations in each year of the primary phase.
to promote respect, sensitivity and cultural awareness by teaching about the religions represented in our school, the local and wider community of our region, and the country;
to affirm each child in his / her own family tradition, religious or secular;
to provide children with opportunities for spiritual, moral, social and cultural development;
to develop the ability of pupils to think about, and develop for themselves, beliefs and values by which they can live through studying the lived experiences and beliefs and values of the major world faith.

Impact

Through the design of our curriculum, Lowerhouse Junior School children will have a broad and balanced understanding and awareness of the world around them. Children will acknowledge the diversity, religions and beliefs of their local community, and know their own value in adding to this. Children will be confident in discussing philosophical questions and know how to be respectful as a listener. They will understand the views and beliefs of others, and know that religious education has an impact on the future evolution of society. They will know that they are in a community where their own thoughts, views and beliefs are valued and are safe to be shared. Our children will leave school with a strong sense of belonging, with the confidence and skills to make decisions, to self-evaluate, and to continue to ask important questions.