Intent:
At Palmer, we believe that a high-quality religious education will help pupils’ gain a coherent knowledge and understanding, where they can articulate clearly and confidently their personal beliefs, ideas, values and experiences.
RE is taught using the ‘Discovery RE’ scheme. It adapts an enquiry-based approach to teaching and learning. Religious Education is a key player in engendering knowledge and understanding however, does not teach children to passively accept, but rather encourages evaluation and critical thinking, equipping them to consider beliefs and positions they encounter. Progression is evident through building upon the pupil’s prior knowledge, allowing them to follow the steps of engaging and investigating the different religions, leading to the process of evaluating and expressing to ensure understanding and progress is made. This should inspire and build each child’s ‘religious literacy’, helping them to understand the nature and diversity of religion and belief in the world in which they live and the relationships between different groups of society.
Children will be introduced to vocabulary that helps them not only to express their own views but to be knowledgeable about the range of religious objects, celebrations and Gods. Children will also be introduced to influential people throughout time who developed a knowledge of our world religions and inspired the understanding of others to build a more cohesive world.
In the Pan-Berkshire syllabus the links between the three strands of “Belonging, Believing and Behaving” are made explicit through the outcomes. The links between “learning about” and “learning from” are integrated into the expected outcomes: the questions and expected outcomes combine the need to demonstrate knowledge with an understanding of the impact, necessitating the deployment of specific skills.
Implementation:
The implementation of the R.E curriculum will be through the scheme Discovery RE for 1 hour a week in KS1 and KS2. Every year group learns about Christianity at the same time of the year and then one other major religion through the year, thus embedding their religious knowledge and long term memory. The use of Discovery RE also shows progression through the year groups and links to other curriculum areas embedding our school values. Religious celebration are highlighted in our collective worship planner and this also ensures children are returning to knowledge and world religions each year.
- Units will start with a diagnostic activity (including introducing the big question of the topic) to assess children’s prior knowledge.
- Each lesson will start with a “just checking” starter which allows teachers to assess the retention of prior knowledge and target any gaps in knowledge.
- Children will engage with debate, discussion, role-play, trips/visits and written work to show their knowledge in a range of ways.
The PAN Berkshire syllabus provides 6 – 8 key questions to explore throughout a key stage.
Impact:
We will monitor and assess children’s developing knowledge and understanding on Christianity and other world religions throughout units and across the year. Discovery RE and PAN Berkshire provide statement to support teachers in assessment children’s knowledge and skills. Teachers will accelerate progress in RE through targeted questioning, written feedback and scaffolding/adult support in class. Evidence in books and discussion through pupil voice will allow further assessment of the progression in RE knowledge across the school.
PAN Berkshire provides 4 enquiry and impact statements per key stage to assessment children against.