Religious Education at Comberton

Comberton Primary School believes that Religious Education has a vital part to play in the education of children of primary age and that the process of Religious Education promotes the values that underpin the ethos of our school.

The Legal Framework for Religious Education

Comberton Primary School fully complies with the requirements of the Education Act (1996), the school standards and framework  act (1998) and the Education Act (2002) as stated in the Worcestershire Agreed Syllabus for RE. Therefore, religious education is taught to all children, including in reception.

The school respects the legal right of parents to withdraw their children from RE. Parents inform the Headteacher and school governors in writing if they wish to withdraw their child. If a child is not to participate in the lesson he/ she will go to a parallel class where RE is not being taught.

The process of Religious Education includes:

• Developing knowledge, understanding and awareness of Christianity and other principal religions (belief).
• Developing concepts (e.g. truth, doubt, good, evil, revelation).
• Skills (e.g. investigation, reflection, empathy).
• Promoting SMSC - social, moral, spiritual and cultural education throughout the curriculum.
• Encouraging respect for those holding different beliefs.

At Comberton we aim to:

• Help each child develop a sense of his/ her own identity and worth and to grow in self-knowledge and confidence;
• Help each child to develop his/ her own beliefs so as to acquire a set of moral values, which will guide their personal behaviour;
• Foster an attitude of fair minded enquiry towards a whole range of religious and non-religious convictions;
• Extend pupils’ awareness that people do commit themselves to causes and beliefs;
• Help each pupil to develop the capacity to form individual attitudes and beliefs based on considered even though they may differ from the majority;
• Encourage respect, understanding and tolerance of those who adhere to different  faiths and the ability to recognise prejudice;
• Foster feelings of wonder, delight and mystery and to reflect upon the natural world;
• Help pupils to reflect upon their own patterns of belief and behaviour through exploring religious beliefs and practices with particular reference to Christianity and other major world religions;
• Enable pupils to investigate and reflect on some of the most fundamental questions in life.

Religious Education in this school is provided under the terms of the new Worcestershire Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education (2020).

The curriculum for RE aims to ensure that all pupils:

Know about and understand a range of religions and worldviews, so that they can:

· Describe, explain and analyse beliefs and practices, recognising the diversity which exists within and between communities and amongst individuals.

· Identify, investigate and respond to questions posed, and responses offered by some of the sources of wisdom found in religions and worldviews.

· Appreciate and appraise the nature, significance and impact of different ways of life and ways of expressing meaning.

Express ideas and insights about the nature, significance and impact of religions and worldviews, so that they can:

 · Explain reasonably their ideas about how beliefs, practices and forms of expression influence individuals and communities.

 · Express with increasing discernment their personal reflections and critical responses to questions and teachings about identity, diversity, meaning and value, including ethical issues.

· Appreciate and appraise varied dimensions of religion.

Gain and deploy the skills needed to engage seriously with religions and worldviews, so that they can:

· Find out about and investigate key concepts and questions of belonging, meaning, purpose and truth, responding creatively.

· Enquire into what enables different individuals and communities to live together respectfully for the wellbeing of all.

· Articulate beliefs, values and commitments clearly in order to explain why they may be important in their own and other people’s lives.

This agreed syllabus requires that all pupils learn from Christianity in each key stage. In addition, pupils will learn from the principal religions represented in the UK, in line with the law. These are Islam, Hinduism, and Judaism.

• Reception: Children will encounter Christianity and other faiths, as part of their growing sense of self, their own community and their place within it.
• Key Stage 1: Christian, Muslim and Jewish Faith
• Key Stage 2: Christian, Muslim, Hindu and Jewish Faith