Religious Education

Subject Coordinator – Miss Stokes

Intent

Here, at Moat Farm Infant School, the aim of Religious Education is to help children to acquire and develop knowledge and understanding of Christianity and the other principle religious represented in Great Britain. Furthermore, our main aim in Religious Education is to appreciate the way that religious beliefs shape lives and behaviour, develop the ability to make reasoned and informed judgements about religious and moral issues.
Religious Education is taught throughout the school in such a way as to reflect the overall aims, values and philosophy of the school. At Moat Farm Infant School, Religious Education plays an important role, along with all other curriculum areas, particularly PSHE, in promoting the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of our children. This is achieved through an exciting and positive learning environment.

Implementation

At Moat Farm Infant School, the following religions have been selected for study:
• Christianity
• Islam
• Sikhism

As Christianity is the predominant religion in our school’s pupil population and in the community, Christianity is the chosen faith for Progressed Study. At Moat Farm Infant School, we have also chosen to study Islam and Sikhism due to our school’s pupil population and the surrounding community.

In Reception, children learn predominantly about Christianity and the main religious festivals. In Key Stage One, children learn about Christianity and Islam and Sikhism, comparing their similarities and differences. R.E. is taught in units to allow for cross-curricular links and involvement of parents or other members of the community. Furthermore, children attend R.E. trips to different places of worship to allow children to have a hands-on learning experience.

Children also attend regular assemblies, which consist of a range of religious stories covering all three of the religions studied.
Religious Education is planned by teachers to link with key dates and religious festivals, providing opportunities to celebrate festivals and religions with greater relevance and consistency. Work is recorded in R.E. floor books, which follow the children throughout the school to show each class’s personal journey in Religious Education.

Impact

Religious Education allows our children to develop their basic skills through our four curriculum drivers:

‘Learning for life’- Children have the opportunities to develop their skills to tackle life in modern Britain and the wider world.

‘Possibilities’- Children explore, learn and understand a range of beliefs through a positive learning environment.

‘Creative and expressive art’- Children have rich opportunities in R.E. to explore themselves.

‘Enterprise’- Children are encouraged to learn skills for life and skills for working in multicultural Britain.

This means that children at Moat Farm Infant School enjoy learning about other religions and why people choose, or choose not to follow a religion. Through their R.E. learning, the children are able to make links between their own lives and those of others in their community and in the wider world. Religious Education allows our children to develop an understanding of other people’s cultures and ways of life, which they are then able to communicate to the wider community.

Non-negotiables for RE

– In Reception and KS1, R.E is taught weekly.
– Children know what R.E. stands for and the religions they will learn about in school (Christianity, Islam, Sikhism)
– Planning is taken from the Sacre document units
– Assessment trackers are updated when objectives are covered.
– Prior learning is consolidated through retrieval quizzes at the beginning of each lesson.
– The learning ladybird and success criteria is shared with children at the beginning of the session and is referred back to at the end of the lesson to consolidate learning.
– In early-years opportunities are built upon during child-initiated play to look at religious artefacts and pictures to promote curiosity and questioning. Books are accessible for children to read and share showing the schools chosen religions (Christianity, Sikhism and Islam)
– A floor book per class to record all R.E. learning throughout the year. KS1 to record work from R.E lessons in individual children’s R.E. book
– Evidence in floor books to be recorded in a variety of ways including but not limited to; photographs, blurbs and mind-maps.
– In KS1, R.E. assemblies are completed each week and these are evidenced in floor books.
– Other religious days and festivals e.g. Harvest, Chinese New Year, St David’s day to be evidenced in floorbooks.
– Artefacts and books are used where required to support the teaching of a religion or festival.

End of Key Stage Intentions for RE

By the end of EYFS pupils will demonstrate the following:
– Know some similarities and differences between different religious and cultural communities in this country, drawing on their experiences and what has been read in class.
– Talk about the lives of the people around them.

By the end of KS1 pupils will demonstrate the following:
– Identify some core beliefs and concepts studied and give a simple description of what they mean.
– Give examples of how stories show what people believe (e.g. the meaning behind the festival)
– Give clear, simple accounts of what stories and other texts mean to believers.
– Give examples of how people use stories, texts and teachings to guide their beliefs and actions.
– Think, talk and ask questions about whether the ideas they have been studying , have something to say to them.
– Give a good reason for the views they have and the connections they make.

Books that inspire Religious Education – Click one to enjoy