Religious Education Subject Leader: Mrs G Atwal
For any more information on St Botolph’s Religious Education Curriculum, please contact the office.
To view our RE Policy, please click here
“Inspired by Jesus’s commitment to feed the five thousand, Religious Education at St Botolphs Primary, seeks to quench pupils’ thirst and hunger for knowledge, to help better develop an understanding of world views and religious beliefs. This supports in fostering mutual respect and understanding within our diverse community.
Following Jesus’s example of encouraging Peter to step out of the boat, we encourage our children to engage in thought- provoking and challenging questions about the meaning and purpose of life and their beliefs about God, whilst being guided and supported, just as Jesus guided and supported Peter.”
Intent
At St Botolph’s Primary school, we focus on providing the best learning experiences underpinned by our Christian vision as a Church of England School. Our approach to delivering the RE curriculum provides a committed and consistent approach, whilst expanding opportunities and widening horizons for all. Just as Jesus fed the five thousand and did not allow a single individual to go without, we at St Botolphs seek to feed the children’s hunger for knowledge and ensure every child meets their full potential. We promote an environment where all children feel known, accepted, and valued as individuals, within a caring community, where our Christian faith affects not only what we teach, but also how we teach.
The school vision guides Religious Education at our school and is supported by our Christian values of respect, resilience, and responsibility. We inspire and develop subject knowledge, skills and understanding of religious beliefs using ‘Understanding Christianity’ resources. Pupils are encouraged to connect, critically reflect upon, evaluate, and apply their learning to their own growing understanding of religion and belief, of themselves, the world and human experience. Modelling ourselves on Peter as he stepped out of the boat (Matthew 13: 22-32) Children take risks, show faith in themselves and are courageous when exploring and engaging in meaningful dialogue.
Striving to feed our community as Jesus fed the five thousand, we also encourage pupils to develop their sense of identity and belonging, to flourish within communities, as responsible citizens in society and global communities. Our pupils are taught to develop respect for others and their beliefs and to consider their responsibilities to themselves and to others. Our children are encouraged to explore how they may contribute to their communities and to the wider society, encouraging empathy, generosity and compassion.
Implementation
Our whole curriculum is shaped by our school vision, which aims to enable all children, regardless of background, ability, additional needs, to flourish to become the very best version of themselves they can possibly be. The curriculum reflects a balance between Theology (God/believing) Philosophy (Identity/teaching) and social sciences (believing/living). We achieve this by using the “Golden Threads”- which show how faiths and communities are woven together in thoughts, beliefs and actions. Our children are given the opportunity to learn and reflect on how faiths are linked through “Community”, “God” and “Identity”.
Using the ‘Understanding Christianity’ resource, we support pupils in exploring the significant theological concepts within Christianity as part of developing pupils’ wider religious, theological, and cultural literacy. The core concepts reflect a view that the bible tells a ‘big story’ of salvation. Pupils revisit the core concepts throughout the different key stages, deepening their understanding and making the links to the overall ‘big story’ or ‘salvation narrative.’
In keeping with the teachings of Jesus, feeding the five thousand, we feed the children’s curiosity of other faiths. Pupils’ learning is further enriched through our recognition of the key religious dates of other faiths and opportunities are taken to visit St Botolph’s Church and other religious centres. Pupils and staff increase their awareness of the community in which they live and strive for justice and equality for all people, thus building mutual respect.
Impact
By the end of their time with us, pupils are able to:
- confidently give reasoned explanations of how and why the key Christian concepts studied, are related.
- suggest meanings of biblical concepts and texts, explaining their ideas with reasons and evidence
- give reasons and examples to explain how and why Christians respond to bible texts and the concepts studied, and how and why they are influenced by them, as individuals, in church communities, and in the wider world.
- show how Christians make moral and religious decisions.
- give coherent accounts of the implications of biblical ideas and beliefs in the modern world (including local and global examples) and evaluate personally and impersonally how far these ideas help to make sense of the world.
- respond to the challenges of the biblical ideas and teachings in the world today and in their own lives, offering reasons and justifications for their responses.
- to explain the beliefs of major world religions and world views, their impact on society, culture, and the wider world, enabling them to express ideas and insights.
Pupil voice is important in reviewing our provision for RE, with children given opportunities to self-reflect or deepen their understanding at the end of each lesson. The RE Leader and SLT undertake regular learning walks to monitor the quality and impact of the RE curriculum and assess the extent to which pupils develop their knowledge and skills.
Religious Education in Each Stage
In EYFS, children begin to understand the core concepts of Creation, Incarnation and Salvation, as well as creatively reflecting on World Faith Stories.
They also explore other cultures and communities and look at the cohort’s own cultural family links. Through circle times, discussions and group tasks, the children are working towards having an understanding that people have differing beliefs, customs and cultures and traditions.
In KS1, children extend and broaden their understanding of the core concepts. They also listen to stories told by and about people of different faiths and beliefs. In Year 2, children will gain a better understanding of the Judaism and Islamic faith, practices, and beliefs.
In KS2, pupils deepen their RE thinking skills, whilst reflecting on some of the questions and puzzles that arise from the bible. They consider any implications or connections with their own lives and ways of understanding the world. KS2 pupils also study a range of religious beliefs including, Sikhism, Hinduism, Islam, and Buddhism and begin to compare, question, and reflect upon different cultures and beliefs.
Religious Education Progression
SEND Information
RE is taught at a level appropriate to the age, ability and experience of the children. Our SEND children are supported to fully access the RE curriculum.
Teachers and support staff offer adaptive teaching to enable access for all, and may provide scaffolds, pre-teaching, and other support and intervention, as outlined in the Kent Mainstream Core Standards.
Interventions, support and challenges are constantly revised and adapted to ensure all children are supported in achieving learning.
Learning is continuously monitored and assessed to ensure gaps in learning are addressed.