At Fernvale, we offer an R.E curriculum that is balanced and broadly based, and which:
- Follows the Leicestershire Agreed Syllabus;
- Promotes the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental, and physical development of pupils at the school and of society, and:
- Prepares pupils at the school for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life.
- Actively promotes our chosen values and the core British values (Democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect for and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs and for those without faith.
Intent
The principal aim of RE is to engage pupils in systematic enquiry into significant human questions which religion and world views address so that they can develop the understanding and skills needed to appreciate and appraise varied responses to these questions, as well as develop responses of their own.
The Leicestershire Agreed Syllabus is structured around three aims:
- Know about and understand a range of religions and world views.
- Express ideas and insights about the nature, significance and impact of religions and world views.
- Gain and deploy the skills needed to engage seriously with religions and world views.
and three strands... Believing, Expressing and Living.
Implementation
As a school, we follow the Leicestershire Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education.
Where the following are taught:
EYFS - Discovering all faiths
KS1 - Exploring
- Christianity
- Islam
- Judaism
KS2 - Connecting
- Christianity
- Islam
- Judaism
- Hinduism
- Humanism (Year 5/6)
We value the religious background of all members of the school community and hope that this will encourage individuals to share their own experiences with others freely. All religions and their communities are treated with respect and sensitivity and we value the links, which are, and can be made between home, school, and a faith community. We acknowledge that each religion studied can contribute to the education of all our pupils. We promote teaching in Religious Education that stresses open enquiry and first-hand experiences wherever possible for both staff and children.
All of our RE lessons are taught through questioning.
Our RE curriculum explores big questions about life, to find out what people believe and what difference this makes to how they live. This enables pupils to make sense of religion, reflecting on their own ideas and ways of living. Pupils can develop the understanding and skills needed to appreciate and appraise varied responses to these questions, as well as develop responses of their own.
R.E. is taught in a variety of ways including teacher-led, independent research and class discussion. Discussions may be recorded informally to show pupils' responses and contributions. The lesson is not always recorded in writing.
Collective Worship
Staff and children meet for daily collective worship, which takes a variety of forms. The content of our assemblies encourages a positive school ethos of caring, understanding and tolerance for all. Assemblies are used to reinforce and develop our school standards, school values as well as the 4 British values.
We are also pleased to say we work closely with the local places of worship including St Luke's church who often join in our assemblies.
Right to withdraw
Although RE is very different now – open, broad, exploring a range of religious and non-religious world views. Parents still have the right to withdraw their children from RE/RME on the grounds that they wish to provide their own religious education. (School Standards and Framework Act 1998 S71 (3)). This will be the parents’ responsibility.