Why do we learn Religious Education?
Our RE curriculum is based on an enquiry approach, making RE lessons exciting, engaging and thought-provoking. It promotes British values and enhances children’s learning and spiritual development. It encourages the celebration of diversity. It intends to help children to articulate and communicate their thoughts and to make them appreciate the experiences, beliefs and thoughts of those in their community and beyond.
Our approach
The curriculum is taught via a sequence of enquiry modules. Christianity is taught in every year group and learning about Christmas and Easter develops each year in a progressive way. Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism and Sikhism and also included. The Four Step Enquiry Model The key question for the enquiry is such that it demands an answer that weighs up ‘evidence’ and reaches a conclusion based on this. This necessitates children using their subject knowledge and applying it to the enquiry question, rather than this knowledge being an end in itself. The curriculum focuses on critical thinking skills, on personal reflection into the child’s own thoughts and feelings, on growing subject knowledge and nurturing spiritual development.
Year 1
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 |
|---|---|
| Does God want Christians to look after the world? | What gifts might Christians in my town have given to Jesus if he had been born here rather than in Bethlehem? |
| Spring 1 | Spring 2 |
|---|---|
| Was it always easy for Jesus to show friendship? | Why was Jesus welcomed like a king or celebrity by the crowds on Palm Sunday? |
| Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
|---|---|
| Is Shabbat important to Jewish children | Are Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur important to Jewish children? |
Year 2
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 |
|---|---|
| Is it possible to be kind to everyone all of the time? | Why do Christians believe that God gave Jesus to the world? |
| Spring 1 | Spring 2 |
|---|---|
| Does praying at regular intervals help a Muslim in his/her every day life? | How important is it to Christians that Jesus came back to life after his crucifixion? |
| Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
|---|---|
| Does going to the mosque give Muslims a sense of belonging? | Does completing Hajj make a Muslim a better person? |
Year 3
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 |
|---|---|
| Would celebrating Divali at home and in the community bring a feeling of belonging to a Hindu child? | Has Christmas lost its meaning? |
| Spring 1 | Spring 2 |
|---|---|
| Could Jesus heal people? Were these miracles or is there some other explanation? | What is ‘good’ about Good Friday? |
| Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
|---|---|
| How can Brahman be everywhere and in everything? | Would visiting the River Ganges feel special to a non-Hindu? |
Year 4
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 |
|---|---|
| Is it possible for everyone to be happy? | What is the most significant part of the Nativity story for Christians today? |
| Spring 1 | Spring 2 |
|---|---|
| Could the Buddha’s teachings make the world a better place? | Is forgiveness always possible for Christians? |
| Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
|---|---|
| What is the best way for a Buddhist to lead a good life? | Do people need to go to church to show they are Christians? |
Year 5
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 |
|---|---|
| How far would a Sikh go for his/her religion? | Is the Christmas story true? |
| Spring 1 | Spring 2 |
|---|---|
| Are Sikh stories important today? | How significant is it for Christians to believe that God intended Jesus to die? |
| Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
|---|---|
| What is the best way for a Sikh to show commitment to God? | What is the best way for a Christian to show commitment to God? |
Year 6
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 |
|---|---|
| What is the best way for a Muslim to show commitment to God? | How significant is it that Mary was Jesus’ mother? Do Christmas celebration and traditions help Christians understand who Jesus was and why he was born? |
| Spring 1 | Spring 2 |
|---|---|
| Is anything ever eternal? | Is Christianity still a strong religion 2000 years after Jesus was on Earth? |
| Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
|---|---|
| Does belief in Akhirah (life after death) help Muslims lead good lives? | Does belief in Akhirah (life after death) help Muslims lead good lives? |