sherborne-primary-policy-for-religious-education-nov-2019

Sherborne Primary School Policy for Religious Education.

E.A.Maskew 2019.

Policy for Religious Education In our increasingly multi-faith multicultural society, RE is deemed by the state an essential element of children’s education today.

Religious education is the fifth core subject and an entitlement of all pupils unless withdrawn by their parents. R.E should be accorded equal status and resources to other core areas of the curriculum. It necessitates five percent of the length of the taught week for each stage of education, ​excluding​ time given to collective worship. From a 27.5 hour week this equates to 1.4 hours per week.

As a state school we follow the ​Dorset Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education (DAS).

Aims The stated aim of DAS is that RE should offer distinctive opportunities to promote pupils spiritual, moral social and cultural development as such RE also contributes to the development of British Values.

The law requires that RE must reflect the fact that the religious traditions in Britain are in the main Christian whilst taking into account the teachings and practices of other principal religions represented in Britain.

Sherborne Primary school is broadly Christian; however, the intention is to teach about the beliefs and practices of the world’s major faiths, not to promote or indoctrinate the beliefs or practices of any one religious faith or denomination.

The format laid out in the Dorset Agreed Syllabus will be adopted. Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism or Sikhism will be taught at different times across both KS 1, and KS 2. It gives time for deeper study of the recommended areas, It allows our children time to explore, understand and thus respect the beliefs, practices and values held by all the world faiths in our society. Additionally it will allow children to understand the influences of personal religious belief on individuals, communities, society and cultures, equally the influence of culture upon religious belief.

Objectives To acquire and develop knowledge and understanding of Christianity and the principal world faiths represented in the United Kingdom.

Develop a positive attitude towards: ●

Other people, respecting their right to hold different beliefs from their own

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Living in a society of diverse religious beliefs.

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Experiences of being members of a community and develop appropriate skills as citizens such as,

sensitivity, respect, acceptance and understanding. ●

The influence of beliefs, values and traditions on individuals, communities, societies and cultures.

Equally the effects of individuals, communities, society and cultures upon religions.

Develop the ability to make reasoned and informed judgements about religious and moral issues, with reference to the teachings of principal religions represented in the United Kingdom.

Enhance their spiritual, moral, cultural and social development by; ●

Developing awareness of the fundamental questions of life raised by human experiences and how

religious teaching can relate to them. ●

Responding to such questions with reference to the teachings and practices of different religions and

their own understanding and experiences. ●

Reflecting on their own beliefs, values and experiences in the light of their study.

Inclusion In accordance with the Dorset Agreed Syllabus, the school supports the commitment to inclusion for all pupils. This is to value the uniqueness of each individual, giving them the fullest access to the curriculum by removing barriers to learning.

This may involve technological or human resources.

Principals RE is a separate curriculum area and should not be delivered solely through collective worship, a separate area in the school day. On occasions the topics and areas covered in RE may be reflected upon and reinforced or extended in assembly themes.

*Each of the world religions studied must be presented as living faiths bringing alive the spirituality, and mystery surrounding them. *RE should be taught using a child centred approach.

General Targets in RE for DAS AT 1 Learning about religions knowledge and understanding of; ●

What people believe.

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What people do.

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How people express themselves

AT 2 Learning from religion, response, evaluation and application of questions of; ●

Making sense of who we are.

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Making sense of life.

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Making sense of right and wrong.

At Sherborne primary School the Discovery RE scheme of work is used for planning and Assessment. The extensive and thorough Assessment in Discovery RE is compatible and covers all aspects of AT1 and 2 required by DAS.

L Maskew 2019

Policy for Collective worship

Legislative frame work

The legal requirement for collective worship are expressed by the Education act of 1988 and state that ●

All maintained schools must provide a daily collective worship for all registered

pupils. ●

Collective worship in county schools must be wholly or mainly of a broadly Christian

character, though not distinctive of any particular Christian denomination. ●

Parents have the right to withdraw their child / children from collective worship

The basic requirement is that there should be a daily act of collective worship for all pupils on every school day. [circular 1/94 section 385 1 Ed Act 1996] In 2012 there was a move towards a less rigid approach. see; AHRC Network Report. [a] Collective worship should offer pupils opportunities to:●

Explore and share beliefs

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Consider the importance of prayer, meditation and silence

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Consider the relevance of ideas and beliefs to those who hold them

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Reaffirm, interpret and put into practice the schools values

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Celebrate the achievements of members of the community

[b] Collective worship should aim to :●

Provide opportunities to worship God

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Provide opportunities to explore moral issues

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Provide opportunities to explore their own beliefs

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Encourage participation and response

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Reinforce positive attitudes

[c] Collective worship must in some cases reflect something special or separate from ordinary school activities – it should be concerned with reverence or veneration paid to a being regarded as supernatural or divine, and the pupil, at his or her level, should be capable of perceiving this. [d] The main emphasis of ‘broadly Christian worship’ should be on the traditions of Christian belief. It should contain some elements which can be related specifically to the traditions of Christian belief, and accord some special status to the person of Jesus Christ. [e] Within each term the majority of acts of worship should be of a ‘broadly Christian nature’.

Collective Worship at Sherborne Primary The Headteacher is responsible for overseeing collective worship in school and also for keeping a record of the content and nature of collective worship.

Collective worship occupies a unique place in the life of Sherborne Primary School. It provides an opportunity for members of the school community to pause from activity, to gather together, to remind themselves and to reflect upon the beliefs and values which bind the school community together.

It also allows those with a religious commitment the possibility of entering into worship and those with no religious commitment to sense what worship is and to reflect at depth.

In this way, we aim both to affirm and protect the identity of all members of the school community​. ●

Spiritual development;

By providing our children with an opportunity to reflect upon the value, purpose and meaning of things, experiencing stillness and silence. ●

Moral development;

Providing opportunity for children to reflect on matters concerning right and wrong ●

Social development;

Providing opportunity to share times of joy and sadness together as a community â—?

Cultural development​;

By providing children with the opportunity to reflect upon ideas concerning beauty and that which is pleasing to the eye and ear.