Religious Education

Through the intentions outlined below, pupils will all be able to meet the main aims of the RE Essex Agreed Syllabus:

• Pupils will know about and understand a range of religious and non-religious worldviews

• Pupils will become religiously literate, gaining and deploying skills that will allow them to think freely and critically.

• Pupils will express ideas and insights about the nature, significance and impact of religious and non-religious worldviews through holding balanced and well-informed conversations.

In order to fulfil our intentions, and further ensure the quality and consistency of RE teaching across our school, we have implemented the RE Essex Agreed syllabus. This builds on an enquiry-based pedagogy that places emphasis on questioning, exploration, and discovery.  This will be achieved in the following ways:

• Teachers will follow a long-term plan, available on the school website, which contains five core questions per year group, rooted in the three different disciplines known as lenses (theology, philosophy, human and social sciences).

• Teachers will impart knowledge, as well as facilitating conversations, that allow pupils to explore each core question through the designated lens.

• Teachers will provide assessment for learning through verbal feedback and a final response to the core question.

• Teachers will offer opportunities for children of all abilities to develop their skills and knowledge in each unit, and planned progression built into the scheme of work will provide all pupils with increasing challenge. 

The impact of RE teaching at Brightside will be clear as outcomes at the end of EYFS, Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 will show progress for all pupils and will also be displayed as outlined below:

• Pupils will be able to offer an independent response to each core question by the end of each unit.

• Pupils will be confident and feel that they can discuss religious and non-religious worldviews.

• Pupils will understand theology as thinking through believing; philosophy as thinking through thinking and human/social sciences as thinking through living.

• Pupils will be able to talk confidently about what they are learning and share this with their peers and other staff using accurate vocabulary and terminology as they do so.

• Pupils will be able to apply their knowledge and understanding of RE to other curriculum activities.

• Pupils will be able to utilise their skills and acquired knowledge in real life contexts, away from RE lessons, to demonstrate a deeper understanding of the subject.