Faith and Belief

The teaching of the RE curriculum this term focused on the teaching of specific substantive knowledge  and personal knowledge through carefully sequenced disciplinary “ways of knowing”.  This includes the meaningful beginnings of a scholarly approach which allows teachers to introduce challenging concepts confidently to the pupils including very young ones (Reception), enabling them to use human and social scientific (study of the community) methods in increasing complex way so that each stage of learning prepares them for the next stage (progression of learning and skills).

This involves undertaking sophisticated enquiries, utilising deepening questions and deploying even more complex critical thinking. This consistency of approach allows a new knowledge and skills to be built on what has been taught before, connecting a new knowledge with existing knowledge and working towards clearly defined goals.

Looking at Diwali - EYFS

This picture celebrates the EYFS’ human and social scientific approach to finding out about religious celebrations in our community. They used the guiding question, "How do members of our community observe religious festivals?" as a gateway to investigate the practices associated with the celebration of Diwali. To deepen their understanding, the pupils formulated additional enquiry questions: "What are the beliefs of Hindus concerning the Diwali festival?" "Why does light hold such important significance during the Diwali festival?" These guiding questions served as pathways for their exploration, allowing them to gain insight into the beliefs and symbolic meanings of some unique Hindu traditions.

The Creation of the World - KS1

This picture celebrates KS1's exploration of a theological and rational worldview of the purpose behind God's creation of the world. Through the enquiry question: "Why did God create the world?" the pupils delved into the perspectives of Christians and that of other religious beliefs within our community.

During their exploration, the pupils found a common thread: irrespective of differing perspectives, the central theme revolved around the responsibility to care for everything that God has brought into existence. This includes human, animals, plants and the entire natural world.

Christianity and Community - LKS2

This picture celebrates the Lower KS2 pupils' exploration of the theme of community and beliefs, particularly from the Christian viewpoint. Their primary focus revolved around the enquiry question: "What is the relevance of the covenant between God and Abraham in today's Christian context?"

They delved into Christian interpretations of this covenant but also engaged with contrasting worldviews, broadening their understanding and appreciation of differing beliefs and viewpoints.

Hinduism and Commitment - UKS2

This picture celebrates the Upper KS2 pupils' investigative approach to exploring the notions of commitment and beliefs through the lense of Hindus in our community. To delve deeper, they dissected the overarching question

"How do religious beliefs impact our actions and perspectives?

Examining the study through the enquiry question enriched their exploration, fostering a more comprehensive investigation beyond the practices and beliefs of Hindus and empowered them to unravel the intricate connections between commitment, religious beliefs, and their impact on individuals and communities.