Curriculum Intent Statement - Religious Education

At Fulwood and Cadley Primary School, we believe that Religious Education provides children with valuable opportunities to explore beliefs, values, traditions and world-views and to develop their understanding of the diverse world in which they live.

Our RE curriculum is ambitious for all pupils and encourages children to be curious, thoughtful and respectful. Through the study of different religions and world-views, children develop knowledge and understanding while learning to consider important questions about belief, meaning, identity, belonging and how people choose to live their lives.

RE provides a safe and respectful environment in which children can explore different perspectives, ask questions and develop their own thoughtful responses.

How We Teach Religious Education

RE is taught through carefully sequenced units within our two-year rolling curriculum.

Each unit is driven by a purposeful Big Question, encouraging children to explore an important aspect of religion, belief or world-view in depth.

Teachers identify and revisit relevant prior learning before introducing new knowledge, vocabulary and concepts. Children encounter a range of beliefs, practices, traditions, stories and sources and are encouraged to make connections within and between religions and world-views.

At the end of each unit, children draw upon their accumulated knowledge and understanding to respond to the Big Question and, where appropriate, make choices about how they present and communicate their learning.

Exploring Religion and World-views

Children learn about and from a range of religions and world-views, developing an understanding of how beliefs can influence the ways in which people live their lives.

They explore areas such as belief, worship, celebration, sacred texts, community, identity, values and belonging, recognising both similarities and differences within and between traditions.

Children are taught that individuals and communities may express their beliefs in different ways and that there can be diversity within a religion or world-view.

Questioning, Reflecting and Discussing

Discussion and reflection are important parts of our RE curriculum.

Children are encouraged to ask meaningful questions, listen carefully to different perspectives and use their developing knowledge to explain and justify their ideas.

They learn how to disagree respectfully, recognise that people may hold different beliefs and viewpoints and understand the importance of treating others with dignity and respect.

Where appropriate, visits, visitors, artefacts, stories and first-hand experiences are used to deepen children's understanding and bring their learning to life.

Developing Respectful and Thoughtful Learners

We want our children to become knowledgeable, reflective and respectful learners who are confident discussing questions about religion, belief and the wider world.

Through our RE curriculum, children develop an appreciation of diversity and an understanding of the importance of respect, tolerance and dialogue within modern Britain and the wider world.

Our aim is for children to leave Fulwood and Cadley with the knowledge and confidence to engage thoughtfully and respectfully with people whose beliefs, traditions and world-views may be similar to or different from their own.