CURRICULUM STATEMENT Religious Education is an important part of the curriculum and contributes to the personal and intellectual development of children. At Southfield we aim to teach children about different religions and cultures within our community in order to equip them to play a full role in our multi-faith society. Our aims are to ensure that pupils: • Develop a knowledge and understanding of the other principal religious and non-religious belief traditions represented in Great Britain today • Develop a sense of respect for traditions, beliefs and practice • Grow in their spiritual development • Develop a sense of awe, wonder and mystery • Develop skills and attitudes that will support their personal, moral, social and cultural development • Explore some questions of meaning and consider the different ways humankind has responded to them • Think about their own beliefs and values in the light of the beliefs of others—both religious and non-religious— and the values of the school community We encourage pupils to acquire the qualities of compassion, respectfulness, thoughtfulness, generosity, sensitivity and empathy and to learn the importance of engaging with those who hold different perspectives without prejudice and enable the pupils’ own sense of confidence and identity to grow and develop. We instil in children our TRUE values and through the teaching and learning about different religious practices they are able to demonstrate these values.
At Southfield we follow the agreed Ealing syllabus, we ensure that children learn about a range of religions to make them aware of the beliefs of others so they can show respect and understanding. Year Group EYFS
CURRICULUM COVERAGE
Autumn Spring What makes people special to us? What times are special to us? What can we learn from special stories? How should we look after our world?
Summer What makes a special place? What things are special to us?
Year 1
What to Christians believe about God? What can we learn from Creation stories?
Year 2
What is Buddhism? What is the place of the church in Christianity?
What does it mean to be a member of the Jewish community? What role do festivals and holy days play in the life of faith? What does it mean to be a Hindu? What does it mean to be a Sikh?
Year 3
What is Humanism and what do Humanists believe? How do we mark the stages in the human journey? What is the significance of Easter within Why is pilgrimage important in some Christianity? religious traditions? How do sacred scriptures inform What does Sikhism teach us about religious beliefs? selfless service?
Year 4
What do Muslims believe? What do Jewish people believe about God?
Year 5
What does Buddhism teach us about human experience? What is significant to Christians about Jesus’ life and teaching? What can we learn from Humanism? Why is the Torah so important within Judasim?
Year 6
What is Islam? Why is prayer important for many people?
How can significant figures inspire us? What does it mean to follow the Buddha?
What can we learn from different symbols? Why are festivals, celebrations and High Holy days so important within Judaism?
What do sacred texts within Hinduism say about God? What contribution can religion make to our society? In what ways can art and design express How is human identity and belonging different beliefs? shaped by faith and belief? What place do festivals, worship and What does it mean to be a Muslim? celebrations have within Hinduism? In what ways do Christians in different What happens in the Mosque? denominations worship? What happens in a Gurdwara? How can religion promote peace and justice in our society?
WHAT DOES RELIGIOUS EDUCATION LOOK LIKE AT SOUTHFIELD? . Our teaching in RE enables children to develop an understanding of the religious traditions and worldviews represented within our community and beyond; our aim is for children to use this understanding and knowledge so they are prepared to encounter the diversity of beliefs and values represented locally, nationally and globally. Through our teaching we seek to promote a number of important outcomes for children, this includes providing the opportunity for children to: o examine profound and searching questions that relate to human experience, the nature of mystery, and our quest for meaning and value; o develop their religious literacy, so that the most important aspects of a range of religious and non-religious perspective are understood; o sensitively engage with the diversity of faith and belief perspectives that characterize contemporary British society; o acknowledge the way in which religious communities seek to uphold and develop the wellbeing of the human family; o recognise the dangers associated with violent extremism, whether this is associated with religion (either in the past or today) or with regimes that seek to repress faith and persecute believers. o gain an insight and understanding into the place of religion and belief within the world today; o develop the maturity to disagree with dignity and humility; o reflect on their personal spiritual identity, think through their own faith and belief perspectives and to be given the opportunity to articulate these in a respectful and constructive way; o engage with the ethical principles that are connected with the major faith and nonreligious belief traditions and think through the moral issues that confront them in their own lives; o provide an understanding of both the contributions that faith and non-religious communities make to British public life and the challenges that they face.
Each term we have a ‘RE’ day where each year group focuses on the two units from the RE syllabus. Each unit is introduced through the sharing of a story or an artefact. As the children move up the school their knowledge, understanding and skills are developed through more sophisticated examination of religions and worldviews. In EYFS children learn about the beliefs, practices and about the community they live in, the aim of the teaching units is to reinforce their sense of belonging. In Key Stage 1 children begin to explore different religions and make connections between different religions and worldviews. In Key Stage 2 children retell religious narratives; describe with greater accuracy and details the elements of believing, behaving and belonging that are associated with the religious traditions being studied.
Through drama, stories and discussions children explore, reflect and learn about other faiths and how this relate to their beliefs. Children visit places of worship and we invite guests to come and speak about their religion and beliefs; children have opportunities to ask questions and contextualise what they have learnt.
HOW OUR 4 CURRICULUM PRINCIPLES ARE REALISED AT SOUTHFIELD Story Centred Each unit is introduced through a story or by showing children an artefact. The teacher will read the story/tell the children about the artefact and its significant; the aim of this is to contextualise the learning. The story/artefact is revisited throughout the day and children will then be involved in a number of activities including drama, discussion and reflection. At the end of the unit children will then produce a piece of writing summarising what they have learnt about the religion/tradition/celebrations.
Knowledge Rich
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Children will learn about and understand a range of religions and worldview
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Recall and name different beliefs and practices, including festivals, worship, rituals and ways of life
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Recognise some different symbols and actions that express a community’s way of life, appreciating some similarities between communities
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Observe and recount different ways of expressing identity and belonging
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Express ideas and insights about the nature, significance and impact of religions and worldview
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Discuss and apply their own and others’ ideas about ethical questions, including ideas about what is right and wrong and what is just and fair
HOW OUR 4 CURRICULUM PRINCIPLES ARE REALISED AT SOUTHFIELD Personal Growth:
Contextualised: Our RE curriculum is contextulised through visits to places of worship or by inviting a religious leaders to come in and speak to the children; the aim of this is so that pupils can make links and connections to what has been learnt in class. Some of the trips include: Year 1: Visit a Mosque Year 2 and Year 3: Visit a Church Year 4: Visit a Synagogue Year 5: Visit a Mandir
Year 6: Visit a Gurdwara
By learning about other religious beliefs and traditions children will show: •
Compassion
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respectfulness
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thoughtfulness
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generosity
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sensitivity
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empathy
towards those who hold different perspectives without prejudice and enable the pupils’ own sense of confidence and identity to grow and develop. Children will show the TRUE values through discussions and visits to other places of worship
ASSESSMENT AND PROGRESSION Children are assessed throughout the unit using: •
Talk tasks
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Written outcomes
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Prior discussions at the start of the lesson
• At the end of the ‘RE’ day children will have completed a written task outlining what they have learnt and this will allow children to share what new knowledge and skills they have learnt • Quiz- at the end of the unit children will take part in a multiple choice quiz which will then be assessed against the learning outcomes for the unit
‘Ex Corde Vita’
Email: admin@southfield.ealing.sch.uk Southfield Primary School Southfield Road Bedford Park London W4 1BD Tel 020 8994 6173