Religious Education (RE)

Religious Education at Bidbury Infant School

At Bidbury, our vision for Religious Education (RE) is to ensure that all learners have an understanding of the different religions around the world. RE is taught in a way in which allows pupils to build on their previous knowledge of religions and to appreciate the way in which these religions impact their own lives and the lives of others. At Bidbury, we encourage the children to engage with the curriculum using an enquiry approach, whereby they can develop a wide understanding using questions, experiences and an immersion into the wider-aspects of religion.

Our RE curriculum is based upon Living Difference IV (November 2021), which is the locally agreed syllabus for Religious Education in Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and Southampton. This curriculum allows children to develop their understanding of religion by building upon their pre-existing knowledge each year. Our RE curriculum has been personalised so that it is relevant to our pupils, reflecting their lived experience and preparing them for life in modern Britain. 

Through the locally agreed syllabus, children will build their conceptual knowledge through studying religions and worldviews locally, nationally and globally, enabling them to begin to make links and connections between worldviews and develop their disciplinary skills. By revisiting key ‘big questions’ and building on prior knowledge, pupils will learn about how religion and worldviews are lived experiences across the world. They will begin to be able to make connections; ask and respond to challenging questions; learn to respect and appreciate worldviews that are different to their own; and consider their personal preconceptions, responses and views. 

The locally agreed syllabus enables pupils to meet the government guidance, which states that RE must reflect that ‘the religious traditions in Great Britain are, in the main, Christian while taking account of the teaching and practices of the other principal religions represented in Great Britain’. Children begin to develop their awareness of religion and worldviews in key stage 1, focusing on conceptual knowledge through the study of a limited range of religions and worldviews represented in the UK, including Christianity. This will support them in building knowledge they can refer to throughout their learning in key stage 2 and beyond as they encounter a greater range of religions and worldviews. 

How we teach Religious Education

Living Difference IV uses an enquiry-based approach to learning. The enquiry skills of Communicate, Apply, Inquire, Contextualise and Evaluate form the foundation of teaching Religious Education.

“The steps of the cycle of enquiry taken together: Communicate, Apply, Inquire, Contextualise and Evaluate, can be understood as skills which together offer a secure process by which children and young people can be introduced to what a religious way of looking at the world may offer in leading one’s life, individually and collectively. The end of year expectations will guide teachers in planning for progress over time, as required by their schools.”  Living Differences IV

Each cycle of enquiry relates to one concept meaning that children will study a range of concepts within each academic year. There are 4 key concepts used to link the progression of learning across the key stages and enable continuity - these are called the Golden Threads. The Golden Threads for our school are community, belonging, special and love. Over the key stages, the cycles of enquiry will build on each other enabling children to form a connected view of particular traditions and the Golden Threads will allow for a deepening and broadening understanding of everyday concepts. 

Assessment

The Living Difference IV end of year expectations are used to ensure that there is progress over time within the subject.  At the start of each enquiry cycle, children are asked to self-assess what they already know. In Key Stage 1, this is often completed through a class discussion. Children are assessed at each different stage of the enquiry cycle over the academic year. Evidence of children’s progress is captured in a number of ways, for example through speaking and listening, drama, dialogue and discussion, as well as through a variety of different written activities.

Curriculum coverage and progression

The Living Difference IV curriculum has been planned carefully to ensure that each year group studies a different aspect of each religion. Each year group will study a range of Abrahamic and Dharmic faiths. In EYFS and key stage 1 the children learn about Christianity and Hinduism. When the children transfer to key stage 2 they will continue to study different aspects of Christianity together with Judaism and Islam. 

Alongside this Bidbury Infant School has regular visitors from the community to supplement the Religious Education curriculum and to support children’s knowledge and understanding of other faiths. At different points throughout the year we aim for children across year groups to visit the local Christian church and take part in special services of thanks and remembrance. 

Children in Year R and key stage 1 are taught RE with their class teachers on a weekly basis. There are 6 units of work that are covered by each year group over each academic year.

Right of withdrawal from RE and collective worship

Every pupil has a legal entitlement to RE. It is a necessary part of a “broad and balanced curriculum”. All maintained schools must provide religious education and daily collective worship for all pupils and promote their spiritual, moral and cultural development. The RE curriculum is determined locally, not nationally, by a locally agreed syllabus recommended by the Standing Advisory Committee for RE (SACRE).  This is then adopted by the local authority. Bidbury Infant School is a maintained school without a religious character and, as such, must follow this locally agreed syllabus. Collective worship must be wholly or mainly of a broadly Christian character, though not distinctive of any particular Christian denomination.

Parents can request that their child is withdrawn from receiving all or part of religious education and/or collective worship given at the school. No reasons for this have to be given and any request made will stay in place unless it is withdrawn by the parent. Please contact the school office if you would like more information about the RE curriculum or if you do not wish your child to take part in all or part of religious education and/or collective worship at our school.