Religious Education (RE)

Intent

At Guillemont Junior School we want the children to engage in a concept based RE curriculum that leads to knowledge through enquiry. The children develop an understanding of other religions and cultures through the teaching of RE, allowing them to become more inclusive, accepting and understanding of others. We want children to develop a cultured world view that encourages them to self–reflect and develop empathy for others regardless of race or religion. Through their understanding of the concepts and their religious links, we want the children to become further skilled in critical thinking, reasoning and justifying their own ideas about spiritual, cultural and moral concepts as well as being able to challenge the ideas of others in a respectful manner. The skills and knowledge gained through the RE curriculum underpin core British values. Our goal is not to teach children to be religious but how to better understand religion and world beliefs.

Our RE syllabus seeks to introduce children to what a religious way of looking at and existing in the world may offer in leading one’s life, individually and collectively. It recognises and acknowledges that the question as to what it means to lead one’s life with such an orientation can be answered in a number of qualitatively different ways. These include the idea that to live a religious life means to subscribe to certain propositional beliefs (religion as truth); the idea that to live a religious life means to adhere to certain practices (religion as practice); and the idea that to live a religious life means to live one’s life, following a specific religious philosophy, with a particular awareness of faith in the world and in others (religion as existence). These three ways of conceptualising religion also relate to different theological positions and may be found as overlapping to different extents within any particular religious tradition.

Religious education at Guillemont Junior School intends to play an educative part in the lives of children and young people as they come to speak, think and act in the world. This entails teachers bringing children and young people first to attend to their own experience and that of others, to engage intellectually with material that is new and to discern with others what is valuable with regard to living a religious life or one informed by a non-religious or other perspective.

Implementation:

At Guillemont Junior School the RE curriculum follows the ‘Living Difference IV’ scheme of work and consists of:

Three religions are taught at the school: Christianity is the primary focus but the school also teach the children about Hinduism (in the lower school) and Islam (in the upper school) allowing the children to build cultural capital, develop a wider world view of religion and provide a journey as the children make their way through KS2. At KS1 the children at Pinewood and Parsonage look at Judaism. At KS3 at Cove Secondary the children cover a wider range of religions including Judaism and Buddhism. This means that across the children’s educational journeys they are seeing a wide range of religious beliefs. Islam is primarily taught in the UPPER school rather than the lower school due to the more sensitive nature of views the children may encounter around the religion (Islamophobia).
The primary focus of RE lessons is the concept. Children develop knowledge through enquiry investigating around this concept. This means that the learning of RE is transferable into the children’s own lives regardless of their own religious beliefs. The Concepts are differentiated through challenge and type of concept (ABC concepts).
The lessons themselves are taught following a 5 stage learning cycle as set out in Living Difference IV (Inquire, Contextualise, Evaluate, Communicate, Apply). This provides the children with a clear learning journey as they investigate and enquire around the concept being taught. In addition to this the 5 stage cycle provides a structure where the children have both the chance to look at the concept and its links to the religion as well as investigate how the concept is evident in their own lives and the lives of others. Whilst the focus of the learning journey is concept based, the children are still given plenty of opportunity to learn about and see practices within religions and ask questions about why.
Parents have the right to withdraw children from RE but will be encouraged to discuss their reasoning to help both parties to better understand.
Where possible, units of RE are timed to match either the school’s curriculum or along with any religious festivals that are related to the unit taught, allowing children to develop context for things they may see out of their school lives.
Writing is not the focus in the RE curriculum and children are encouraged to investigate the concepts in a variety of ways, including inviting religious visitors and visiting religious places. However, some writing for a real purpose is encouraged to reinforce cross curricular links with the school’s English curriculum.

Impact:

At Guillemont Junior School we:

Assess at different points in the learning cycle to look for progress in the children’s ability in RE as per the Intent statement.
Look at data (such as CPOMS) to stay aware of incidents where attacks on religious views (racism) have occurred and challenge these views; using them as learning opportunities when practical.
Pupil conferencing – are children happy, engaged, motivated to do well and challenged
Learning walks (including those with governors and external visitors)
Planning – is it allowing children to gain knowledge and master skills, does it meet the needs of all learners.
Moderation of books – is presentation of a high standard and are all children making at least expected progress from their various starting points

The right to withdraw from RE

In England, parents and carers have the right to withdraw their children from RE. This right of withdrawal exists for all pupils in all types of school, including schools with and without a religious designation. Parents and carers also have the right to withdraw their child from part of RE and can do so without giving any explanation.

If you wish to withdraw your child from RE, or parts of RE, please contact the Head of School.

Teaching & Learning

Religious Education (RE)

Intent

Implementation:

Impact:

Contact Guillemont Junior School

Starting School - September 2027