It is our aim that the Religious Education curriculum at Ash Green school will give pupils a broad understanding of Christianity, world faiths and non-religious beliefs and teach them to articulate their personal beliefs and values, whilst respecting the rights of others to differ. Through the balanced study of RE we aim to nurture pupils’ social, moral, spiritual and cultural development and their understanding of diversity. Well planned and taught RE lessons will develop pupils’ critical thinking skills by posing challenging questions about meaning, beliefs, issues of right and wrong and what it means to be human. It will enable our pupils to build their sense of identity and belonging which in turn will enable them to flourish as citizens within a diverse society.
Our knowledge rich RE curriculum reflects Development Matters and the Locally Agreed Syllabus for Calderdale, Kirklees and Leeds: Believing and Belonging in West Yorkshire. There is a clear, sequential, and structured programme of learning which has been carefully and coherently planned in order to meet the needs of all the pupils at Ash Green, from when they join us in our Just Three provision right through to when they leave us at the end of Year 6. Half termly topic Knowledge Organisers which incorporate planned experiences and activities for RE linked to themes and topics are used throughout the Early Years, and discrete units of work from the RE Hub are used at Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2. Taken together, these support the development of progression of skills and knowledge in RE throughout the school, building on what has been taught before and towards clearly defined, agreed end points. Half termly Knowledge Organisers are shared with all stakeholders, including on the school website and though Class Dojo and are being further developed for Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 in order to maximise home-school learning opportunities, and encourage parents and carers to take an active role in their child’s learning.
As the school serves a community where there is a high percentage of disadvantaged pupils, we aim to provide opportunities for experiential learning in RE that children may not otherwise have. We give children opportunities to look at religions and non -religious world views in increasing depth through formal learning opportunities, memorable experiences, visits, visitors, events and enrichment activities that take place both inside and outside of the classroom. This enables our pupils to learn to hold balanced and informed conversations about religion and worldviews, and to develop respect for others and challenge prejudice.
We recognise that the children need both a sense of valuing themselves and developing aspirations for their future, therefore a primary focus of our curriculums to raise ambitions and dreams, engender a sense of personal and collective pride in achievements and provide a purpose and relevance for learning.
Implementation:
Please refer to the Religious Education Policy and Scheme of Work for a comprehensive break down of how the Religious Education Curriculum is implemented at Ash Green from Early Years to Year 6.
Impact:
Leaders in school, including the Religious Education Manager regularly measure the impact of our Religious Education Curriculum through Deep Dives and the monitoring of teaching and learning, assessment and on-going self-review. We survey staff, pupils and parents, undertake learning walks, carry out both formal and informal monitoring in order to sample typicality, and also scrutinise samples of work produced by pupils both in school, as well as remotely. We have an established system of Governor review with a Standards and Effectiveness Committee who oversee our curriculum. Governors on this committee receive regular reports, and discussions are held at this committee meeting on successes and upcoming priorities. Based on monitoring and Deep Dives, clear next step priorities for Religious Education are agreed as part of a Religious Education action plan.
The impact will be that our pupils will be academically prepared for the next phase of their education, are motivated to succeed and achieve, and are equipped with all the personal skills to do this. The Religious Education curriculum will be rooted in excellence and enjoyment which will promote achievement, collaboration, individual and collective pride, confidence and high standards of behaviour for learning.
See our Knowledge Organisers below. (Updated half termly).