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Religious Education

Our Religious Education plan for the school has been developed specifically to reflect the community and it's diverse needs in Wincham and the surrounding area.  It has been planned alongside guidance and support from staff at Cheshire West & Chester Local Authority, but is bespoke to Wincham.  For more detailed information, please read our Religious Education policy on this page and see the long term plan for RE here.

Intent of the RE Curriculum in Cheshire West and Chester

Through the teaching of RE, children learn the essential knowledge of other religions and worldviews, as well as skills and attitudes such as critical thinking and empathy. This understanding of others’ worldviews is an essential first step to enabling each pupil to understand, reflect on and develop their own personal worldview, which is one of the core tasks of education.  

Curriculum Implementation

In line with implementation as part of a cohesive curriculum, teachers will plan:  

  • A key question that forms the focus for the topic
  • To progressively develop the children’s acquisition of knowledge and vocabulary in order for them to deeply understand the key concepts of the curriculum they are being taught
  • To build on existing prior knowledge
  • Strong, meaningful links between subjects wherever possible to connect learning
  • To link their teaching to the Global Goals to show the children how what we learn impacts others around the world
  • To build up memory, so that when children encounter a new topic, they will be able to activate prior learning and make connections

Impact of the RE Curriculum in Cheshire West and Chester

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It is essential that the key knowledge, skills and attitudes that pupils are taught are monitored and tracked as they move through school.  We know that children have gained the expected knowledge and understanding of other religions and worldviews through various types of formative and summative assessment, which is undertaken on a regular basis.  Encouraging pupils to reflect on their own learning, as well as their own developing worldviews, is done through peer and self-assessment.  

 

Promoting spiritual, moral, social & cultural development & British values through RE

Religious Education provides opportunities to promote spiritual development through:

  • finding meaning and purpose when looking at the world; discussing and reflecting on key questions of meaning and truth such as the origins of the universe, life after death, good and evil, beliefs about God and values such as justice, honesty and truth.
  • puzzling over ‘ultimate questions of the meaning of life’ e.g. life and death;
  • considering how religions and other world views perceive the value of human beings, and their relationships with one another, with the natural world and with God.
  • valuing relationships and developing a sense of belonging and self-awareness.
  • developing their own views and ideas on religious and spiritual issues.
  • learning about and reflecting on important concepts, experiences and beliefs that are at the heart of religious and world views.
  • considering how beliefs and concepts in religion may be expressed through the creative and expressive arts.
  • reflecting on personal beliefs and values which form a perspective of life with respect to different religions and world views.

 

Religious Education provides opportunities to promote moral development through:

  • enhancing the values identified within the National Curriculum, particularly valuing diversity and engaging in issues of truth, justice and trust.
  • exploring the influence of family, friends and media on moral choices and how society is influenced by beliefs, teachings, sacred texts and guidance from religious leaders and world views.
  • considering what is of ultimate value to pupils and believers through studying the key beliefs and teachings from religion and philosophy about values and ethical codes of practice and in so doing understanding and appreciating the viewpoints of others. 
  • studying a range of ethical issues, including those that focus on justice, to promote racial and religious tolerance and personal integrity and in so doing respect the civil and criminal law of England 
  • gaining an understanding of and respect for the range of religious and world views and developing an opinion.

Religious Education provides opportunities to promote social development through:

 

  • considering how religious and other beliefs lead to particular actions and concerns.
  • investigating social issues from religious perspectives, recognising the diversity of viewpoints within and between religions and other world views as well as the common ground between them.
  • developing the skills and personal qualities necessary for living and working together as part of a wider community, for example through discussion around key beliefs and ideas from religious and other world views.
  • articulating pupils’ own and others’ ideas on a range of contemporary social issues.
  • acceptance and engagement with the British values of democracy; rule of law; individual liberty; mutual respect and tolerance in relation to those of different faiths and beliefs.

 

Religious Education provides opportunities to promote cultural development through:

  • promoting a sense of enjoyment and fascination when encountering people, literature, the creative and expressive arts and resources from differing cultures including their own and those of others.
  • considering the relationship between religion and cultures and how religions and beliefs contribute to cultural identity and practices.
  • celebrating diversity by promoting racial and interfaith harmony and respect for all; combating prejudice and discrimination; contributing positively to community cohesion and promoting awareness of how interfaith cooperation can support the pursuit of the common good.

 

Religious Education provides opportunities to promote British values through:

  • an acceptance that other people having different faiths or beliefs to oneself (or having none) should be accepted and respected and should not be the cause of prejudicial or discriminatory behaviour.
  • encouraging tolerance, mutual respect and positive attitudes towards diversity.
  • exploring different religious codes for human life and comparing these with the rule of British law, e.g. how the Decalogue was the basis for British law.
  • develop an understanding of the importance of individual liberty (which is protected in law) to choose and hold a religious or non-religious world view.
  • understanding religious teachings on the rights and value of the individual and exploring the importance of fairness and democracy; the rule of law & justice.

(Based on ‘Promoting fundamental British values as part of SMSC in schools’ DfE, Nov 2014, pp.5-6 and Ofsted’ s definition School Inspection Handbook)

RE and Prevent

The Prevent duty within schools is to protect children from the risk of radicalisation. SMSC and British Values, along with RE, are key to every school’s implementation of the Prevent duty.  

RE enables children to develop an understanding of different faith’s core beliefs and practices.  This understanding, and the tolerance and mutual respect it engenders, is an integral part of every school’s Prevent duty. 

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