RE Curriculum Intent

Our RE programme aims to enable all out pupils to become tolerant, confident members of society. The programme:

• enables each pupil to explore our shared human experience and the questions of meaning and purpose which arise from our experiences
• develops pupils’ knowledge and understanding of religion through exploration of the beliefs and practices of the principal world faiths represented in Kent and Great Britain
• affirms each pupil in her/his own family tradition, religious or non-faith, and through that to promote awareness, respect and sensitivity for the traditions of other people
• provides opportunities for the cultivation of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development
• supports pupils in reflecting and thinking about fundamental human beliefs and values so that they develop a personal framework by which they can live

RE Curriculum Implementation

Teaching and learning is based on Rosenshine’s principles.  It is coherently planned and sequenced towards cumulatively sufficient knowledge and skills for future learning. Prior learning is activated through the use of retrieval practice to ensure the children know more and learn more over time.

‘I do, we do, you do’ at Ightham Primary School

Knowledge lessons always begin with retrieval practice, followed by ‘I do’, then ‘We do’ then ‘You do’ to ensure a gradual release of responsibility.

Teachers continually assess throughout the lesson to ascertain children’s understanding and be prepared to move back a stage if required. Depending on the understanding of the children, ‘we do’ should be extended to ensure all children are secure in their knowledge. If the children are not ready, the teachers should not move onto ‘You do’. A knowledge lesson could be taught over more than one lesson as a result of assessment for learning where the ‘you do’ part is covered in a subsequent lesson.

Following knowledge lessons, children will be given the opportunity to apply the knowledge through enquiry and investigative tasks which need to be clearly modelled, scaffolded and adapted as required, to meet the needs of the individual children. RE lessons provide a safe space for pupils to explore their own religious, spiritual and/or philosophical ways of seeing, living and thinking, believing and belonging. Lessons provide opportunities to engage in meaningful and informed dialogue with those of all faiths and worldviews. Learning activities provide fully for the needs of all pupils, so that they develop a wide range of skills including enquiry, analysis, interpretation, evaluation and reflection.

• Teachers establish clear links between elements of religious belief and practice and aspects of the children’s own lives. Teaching enables pupils to gain something of personal value from their study of religious belief and practice, for example, the way that they might apply insights gained from religious stories to their own lives. Religious education is usually taught in a ‘whole class’ setting but with flexibility to allow for discussion, questioning and reflection in small groups and individually
• Visits to local churches and places of worship and visitors to school are encouraged
• A variety of teaching approaches including teacher presentations, role play, drama art and story-telling as well as quizzes, questions and answer sessions, discussions and debates are employed in order that RE learning is active and enjoyable as well as rigorous and challenging.
• Pupils experience opportunities to learn and express themselves through an enquiry-based style of learning by:
• Posing and discussing ‘big’ and challenging questions
• Reading and critically analysing texts.
• Interpreting information from different sources.
• Seeking information for themselves in libraries and on computers.
• Listening to and discussing with the teacher and other pupils.
• Engaging in pair and group work.
• Exploring a range of media such as artefacts, pictures, photographs, music and drama.
• Experiencing visits and visitors.
• Taking part in outdoor learning.
• Taking time for reflection.

This means that the RE curriculum:

• Contributes to British values and to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.
• is delivered in an objective, critical and pluralistic manner to engage and challenge all pupils through an exploration of core concepts and questions. Lessons provide meaningful and informed dialogue with a range of religions and worldviews.
• reflects a good balance between the disciplines of theology, philosophy and human science, to enable pupils to develop their religious literacy.
• provides opportunities for pupils to understand the role of foundational texts, beliefs, rituals, and practices and how they help to form identity in a range of religions and worldviews.
• supports the development of other curriculum areas and other general educational abilities such as literacy, empathy and the ability to express thoughts, feelings and personal beliefs.
• encompasses the full range of abilities to ensure that all flourish academically, using a wide range of teaching and learning strategies which consider the task, outcome, resource, support and pupil grouping as appropriate to pupils’ needs
• offers tasks that are age appropriate, challenging and sufficiently demanding to stimulate and engage all pupils, whilst extending the most able and providing support for those who need it.
• ensures that all pupils’ contributions are valued in RE as they draw on their own experiences and beliefs

Cross-curricular links – RE supports the development of general educational abilities such as literacy, empathy and the ability to express thoughts, feelings and personal beliefs. RE also makes a major contribution to pupils’ Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural (SMSC) development. It addresses issues which arise in a range of subjects, such as English, art, drama and history, geography, computing, music as well as personal, social and emotional education and citizenship (PSHE&C).

Ightham Primary School has very close links with St Peter’s Church. Volunteers from St Peter’s Church come into school approximately once a month to lead an assembly called Open The Book. In these assemblies, the children learn about a Bible story. Older children in the school are also often invited to act as part of these assemblies. The vicar or a lay reader also comes into school to lead an assembly once every two weeks.

Our Key Stage 2 Harvest, Christmas and Easter services are held every year in St Peter’s Church.

We also have a link with Bromley Synagogue who visit Ightham every year.