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RE

AIMS OF RE

The purpose of Religious Education is to support the development of children’s own values and contribute to their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. It gives the children an opportunity to interpret and respond to a variety of concepts, beliefs and practices within religions and to their own and others cultural and life experiences. This takes the form of encountering religious stories, festivals, artefacts, places of worship, rituals and beliefs.

Living Difference IV, is the Agreed Syllabus for Hampshire schools and is the legal document to be followed for the teaching of religious education.  At Parsonage Farm we follow this guidance for teaching RE.

https://documents.hants.gov.uk/childrens-services/HIAS/living-difference-IV-2021.pdf?_gl=1*1fknbrx*_ga*MTkyNjgzMzM1NS4xNjU1NzQ1NDA2*_ga_8ZVSPZWL5T*MTY1NTc0NTY1OC4xLjAuMTY1NTc0NTY1OC4w

At Parsonage Farm our RE lessons strive to promote rich discussions, a high level of questioning and reflection. This enables children to gain a deep understanding of different beliefs, and it encourages the children to become respectful of others religious beliefs as well as encouraging them to develop their own beliefs, values and attitudes. We enable children to learn in an environment where they can develop their understanding and ask questions in a way that is respectful to others.

TEACHING AND LEARNING

The Living difference Syllabus is taught through ‘concepts’ which are approached through the ‘Cycle of Enquiry’:

Each step of the cycle requires the children to use a different skill:

  1. It starts with ‘Communicate’ part of the cycle – this is where the children communicate their own response to the concept,
  2.  ‘Apply’ - the children will apply the concept to their own and others’ lives,
  3.  ‘Enquire’ - the children enquire into religious and non-religious concepts and think what does this concept mean,
  4.  ‘Contextualise’ - this is where the children will link the concept to a specific religious practice, belief and situation,
  5. ‘Evaluate’ - the children will think about why the concept is important to the religion and what it means to them now.

In Key Stage 1 children are required to study Christianity and one other religion. The other religion we will be studying at Parsonage Farm will be Judaism.

In our Year R classes the children will engage with aspects of Christianity and begin to look at some aspects of Judaism.

In each year group the RE curriculum is delivered in half termly blocked units rather than in weekly lessons.

Parents have a right to withdraw their children from religious education (RE).   Any parent who wishes this must consult the headteacher.

PROGRESSION OF SKILLS

In the “Living Difference IV” syllabus the units of work ensure continuity and progression throughout the school.

The key skills that the children are expected to acquire by the end of Year 2 are:

 

 

WORKING TOWARDS ARE

WORKING AT ARE

Communicate

 I can talk about their own responses of the concepts explored.

I can describe in simple terms their response to their experiences of the concepts studied.

Apply

I can identify how their responses relate to events in their own lives.

I can identify simple examples of how their responses relate to their own lives and those of others.

Enquire

 I can identify and talk about key concepts explored that are common to all people.

I can describe in simple terms key concepts that are explored that are common to all people and identify and talk about concepts that are common to many religions.

Contextualise

I can recognise that the concept is expressed in the way of life of the people studied. a religious life in the religion studied.

 I can simply describe ways in which these concepts are expressed in the context of the ways of life of people living a religious life in the religion studied.

Evaluate

I can evaluate human experience of the concept by talking about it in simple terms and its importance to people living a religious life, and by identifying an issue raised

.I can evaluate human experience of the concept by describing in simple terms their value to the people who are religious and by dialoguing with others, recognise an issue raised.

IMPACT OF RE

The skills taught in RE are useful skills for the children to develop and can be used in other areas of their learning. They will build upon and develop these skills as they progress through the school and they will become more confident in being able to use these skills as they explore the RE concepts.

Teaching RE is an effective way to demonstrate and model to the school community how positively different religions feed into demonstrating British Values such as tolerance and respect. Through effective teaching of RE we provide children with an understanding of how “others” choose to lead their lives which inspires understanding and tolerance of differences.