Religious Education
At Shaw-Cum-Donnington, we believe that religious education should provide a relevant and interactive study of religion, preparing children for later life in multi-faith Britain through an enquiry-based approach to teaching and learning.
We believe that all pupils should have the opportunity to:
Explore the teaching, beliefs and practices of the principal faiths and belief systems in our society.
Engage with key questions around those faiths, our life in the world, our values as people, our identity and our responsibilities.
Reflect on the challenges that are presented by living in a diverse world and to develop skills and attitudes that enable people to live well by successfully accommodating difference.
Intent
The role of Religious Education at Shaw-cum-Donnington is to help prepare and equip all pupils for life in contemporary Britain by enabling them to acquire a good level of religious literacy. This means to gain an understanding of the diverse beliefs and religious practices of our faith communities, to understand the non-religious view held by a number of people in our society, and to respect the right of all people to make these very personal choices. Through an enquiry-based approach, children will become critical thinkers and able to identify, investigate and respond to a variety of issues and religious questions.
Implementation
At Shaw-cum-Donnington, Religious Education is provided in accordance with the agreed West Berkshire syllabus for RE in combination with Diocesan guidelines. We use the Discovery RE scheme of work together with Understanding Christianity resources which allows our children to explore, engage and reflect on principal religions and their practices. Lessons take an enquiry-based approach to teaching and learning through key questions. Each key question for enquiry is such that it requires 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. Discovery RE focuses on critical thinking skills, on personal reflection into the child’s own thoughts and feelings, on growing subject knowledge and nurturing spiritual development.
In addition to curriculum time, we plan whole school enrichment days, encourage visitors to share their faith stories and practises and visit places of worship. We explore core Christian values in our lunch time ‘Jaffa’ (Jesus A Friend For All) club, run by C.O.I.N.S (Christian Outreach In Newbury Schools)
We have the philosophy that children are free to make their own choices and decisions concerning religion and belief. It is our aim to ensure we inform and develop the skills with which evaluation can take place.
Impact
Our belief is that, using an enquiry-based model well, children’s critical thinking skills will be developed, their motivation to learn increased, and their knowledge and understanding of, and empathy with people and their beliefs, religious or otherwise, will be enhanced.
Our children will have a better understanding of the religions that make up the UK landscape and how they can learn from and work alongside each other to create community cohesion. All children will be more informed about their position in the world, and the decisions they can make impacting their future. All children in school will be able to talk confidently about well-being, moral and cultural development for the society in which they live. Our RE curriculum will promote inquisitive minds, respect, tolerance and understanding for all those around them including themselves.
Our children will have a deep understanding of the main religions of the world, their community, and their future. They will understand the relevance of RE in today’s modern world and how it affects our lives.
Policies
RE
Collective Worship