At East Hunsbury Primary School, Religious Education plays a key role in developing our children’s knowledge and understanding of the diversity of world views and belief systems. Our curriculum is aspirational, enabling and inclusive and it is our intention that it equips children with the skills to question, discuss and explore the cultures and beliefs of society.

We believe that it is particularly important to broaden children’s understanding and so prepare them to meet those who have different cultures and beliefs and to understand and develop acceptance and tolerance for those whose beliefs are different to themselves. At East Hunsbury Primary School, we consistently develop children’s spiritual, moral, cultural and social education helping them to have a greater understanding of their place in the world.

At East Hunsbury Primary School, it is our intention that our Religious Education curriculum will:

• Expand children’s knowledge and understanding of the six main religions.
• Enable children to develop religious literacy by exploring and understanding religion and beliefs
• Teach children to reflect and discuss diversity and values.
• Develop in every child a rich, deep knowledge and understanding of religious beliefs and practices providing a secure foundation that will enable them to succeed as they move to their next stage of education.
• Promote tolerance, understanding and dispel prejudice to enable our children to be able to live, work and socialise in the wider community.

At East Hunsbury Primary School, our RE Curriculum aims to ensure that all children:

• Acquire and develop knowledge and understanding of the diversity of world views and belief systems
• Develop an understanding of the influence of beliefs, values and traditions on individuals, communities and society
• Develop respect for others who hold different views and beliefs from their own
• Acquire skills to question, discuss and evaluate information and form their own opinions

For more information, please refer to the NPAT Religious Education Narrative

Info on Parental withdrawal in RE

Parental right of withdrawal from RE This was first granted in 1944 when curricular RE was called ‘Religious Instruction’ and carried with it connotations of induction into the Christian faith. RE is very different now – open, broad and exploring a range of religious and non-religious worldviews. In the UK, parents still have the right to withdraw their children from RE on the grounds that they wish to provide their own RE. This provision will be the parents’ responsibility.⁶ This right of withdrawal exists for all pupils in all types of school, including schools with and without a religious designation. Students aged 18 or over have the right to withdraw themselves from RE. Parents also have the right to withdraw their child from part of RE, and can do so without giving any explanation.    ⁶ School Standards and Framework Act 1998 S71 (3)

(National Association of Teachers of Religious Education) 

If you feel you would like to withdraw your child from RE please contact your class teacher who can arrange a meeting with the RE Lead to discuss your concerns.

Early Years

In the Early Years Foundation Stage, we provide a well-planned environment to ensure children are taught new skills, gain knowledge and have the opportunity to practise and apply this learning in a meaningful way through their play.  Our Religious Education learning starts in the Early years where, through PSED and Understanding of the world children will learn to:

• Show sensitivity to their own and other’s needs
• Talk about the lives of people around them and their roles in society.
• Understand the past through settings, characters and events encountered in books read in class and storytelling.
• Know some similarities between different religious and cultural communities in this country drawing on their experiences and what has been read in class.
• Recognise that people may have different beliefs and celebrate special times in different ways.

Building on the Early Years 

Religious Education is taught weekly using the collaboratively planned NPAT scheme of work.

At East Hunsbury Primary School, we encourage a deeper understanding of the curriculum by inviting visitors to share their skills and knowledge. We have close links with St. Benedict’s Church and the local Reverend is a regular visitor to lead assemblies. Visits to local places of worship are also encouraged. At East Hunsbury Primary School, we believe it is important for our children to understand the diversity of our society and their place in society.

By the end of Key Stage 2 at East Hunsbury Primary School, our children will have acquired skills and knowledge of the diversity of world views and beliefs.  They will understand how these beliefs, values and traditions impact on communities and society. Our children will develop respect for others who hold different beliefs and views from their own. Our children will develop skills to question, discuss and evaluate information and form their own opinions. Our curriculum intent will be fulfilled.

This will be assessed through a multi–faceted approach including:

• Skilful questioning lesson by lesson,
• High quality conversations by teachers during lessons addressing misconceptions,
• Weekly retrieval practices,
• Lesson quizzes,
• Appropriate writing outcomes and
• End of unit summative tasks.

Evidence of learning will be recorded within the pupil’s RE books and teachers assess against the RE learning outcomes for each lesson and/or unit.

Leaders will monitor the quality and impact of the RE Curriculum through book-looks, pupil voice and assess which pupils know more and remember more.