Curriculum Statement for Religious Education (RE)

At St Oswald’s, we want to foster pupils’ curiosity about faith, belief and spirituality, and develop a coherent understanding of the principal religions and worldviews represented in Britain and across the wider world. Through questioning, reflection, dialogue and critical thinking, our pupils will develop respect, tolerance and empathy for others. We want the children to understand the diversity of beliefs and practices, the ways in which faith shapes people’s lives, the importance of dialogue between different communities, and how exploring RE can help them reflect on their own values, identity and place within the community.

Intent

To design and deliver a curriculum that enables pupils to gain knowledge and understanding of Christianity and other major world religions, as well as non-religious worldviews.

To encourage pupils to explore questions of meaning, purpose, belief and values, and to reflect on how these impact their own and others’ lives.

To include trips, visits and opportunities for first-hand experiences, such as meeting visitors from different faith communities, exploring places of worship, engaging with stories, artefacts and key texts, and using high-quality resources such as books and digital media.

To ensure progression in developing pupils’ knowledge, understanding, and the ability to reflect, ask questions and respectfully debate different viewpoints.

Implementation

To formulate and implement an action plan ensuring policy and curriculum intent are accurately reflected in practice.

To review the content and delivery of the RE curriculum in light of changes to the locally agreed syllabus, long-term planning and topic themes.

To support staff in developing their subject knowledge and confidence in teaching RE across the school.

To continue to plan professional development and staff meetings that strengthen and enrich the coverage of RE within school.

Impact

Pupils should develop a growing knowledge and understanding of a range of religious and non-religious worldviews, and an appreciation of how belief influences people, communities and cultures.

Pupils will learn to express their own ideas and respond to questions of meaning and values with increasing depth, respect and empathy.

Children should enjoy RE, talk confidently about their learning, and demonstrate curiosity and understanding about the beliefs and practices they encounter.

Pupil interviews will be collected once a year to monitor their experiences and understanding of the RE curriculum and its coverage through the school’s framework.

Right to Withdraw from Religious Education (RE)

Parents and carers have the legal right to withdraw their child from all or part of Religious Education (RE) if they choose to do so. If you are considering this, we encourage you to first discuss your decision with the school so that we can answer any questions you may have and share information about how RE is taught here.

If, after this discussion, you still wish to withdraw your child, please put your request in writing to the Headteacher. We will work with you to make appropriate arrangements for your child during RE lessons.