Religious Education

Intent – What we want to achieve:

At Houghton Conquest Primary School, the principal intent of RE is to explore what people believe and what difference this makes to how they live, so that pupils can gain the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to handle questions raised by studying religion and worldviews, reflecting on their own ideas and ways of living.

Implementation:

Our school RE curriculum is based on the LA Agreed Syllabus for Bedford Borough and Central Bedfordshire, 2024-2029, which encourages children to respect the religious, spiritual and moral values of others and to consider thoughtfully their own values and beliefs through provoking challenging questions.  The curriculum is taught from preschool to Year 4 and is inclusive for all children. Lessons are planned carefully to ensure all children are able to access learning and adaptations are made for children with SEND. The teaching of Religious Education in our school equips our pupils with systematic knowledge and understanding of a range of religions and non-religious worldviews.  Although based mainly on Christian beliefs, other world religions, including Islam, Judaism, Hinduism and Sikhism as well as non-religious worldviews are also studied so children develop a greater understanding of other cultures and global diversity.

Children reflect on what it means to have a faith and to develop their own spiritual knowledge and understanding.  We help the children learn from religions as well as about religions.

Objectives:

Our school’s principle aims for RE are:

Making sense of beliefs and ideas

• Identify, describe, explain and analyse beliefs and concepts in the context of living religions and worldviews, using appropriate vocabulary.
• Explain how and why the beliefs are understood in different ways, by individuals and within communities
• Recognise how and why sources of authority (e.g. texts, teachings, traditions and leaders) are used, expressed and interpreted in different ways

Understanding the impact of beliefs and ideas

• Examine and explain how and why people express their beliefs in different ways
• Recognise and account for ways in which people put their beliefs into action in different ways in their everyday lives, within their communities and in the wider world
• Appreciate and understand different ways of life and ways of expressing meaning within religious and non-religious ideas

Making connections

• Evaluate and reflect on key concepts and questions, responding thoughtfully and creatively, giving good reasons for their responses
• Challenge the ideas they study and consider how these ideas might challenge their own thinking.
• Investigate possible connections between the ideas studied and their own ways of understanding the world, expressing their critical responses and personal reflections, with increasing clarity and understanding.

Impact:

The monitoring and evaluation of RE will include observations of teaching and learning, planning, book scrutiny and pupil voice.

Right of Withdrawal Under the 1944 and 1988 Acts

Parents have a right to withdraw their children from Religious Education or parts of Religious Education. On the extremely rare occasion that parents wish to do so, we would encourage them to discuss this with the Head Teacher first.