Barkerend Road,
Bradford, Yorkshire BD3 0AB

01274 722981

Byron Primary School

Religious Education

RE Intent

Religious Education is an integral part of learning at our school.  We believe that children need to learn from and about different religions to enable them to understand the changing World around them.  Through the teaching of R.E we intend to promote challenging thinkers and respectful citizens who have a sense of identity.  Children have an enquiry based approach to their learning which engages them in their appreciation of different beliefs, practices and influences of principle religions within the local, national and global community. Children access RE through a variety of enriching experiences such as local visits, artefacts, meditation lessons, drama and art.  Through a progressive broad and balanced RE curriculum children feel empowered to ask and answer the bigger questions in life within a nurturing environment.  Children are also introduced to the concept that some people have no religious beliefs and hold a more philosophical view to the World around them.  Our curriculum is planned with the intent that children build upon their prior knowledge of beliefs and practices to develop them spiritually, morally, socially and culturally.  

RE Implementation

Religious Education is an integral part of learning at Byron, as we believe that children need to learn from and about different religions to enable them to understand the changing World around them.  They learn about Christianity, Islam, Sikhism and Judaism in depth, whilst learning some important aspects of Hinduism.  Our curriculum enables the understanding of the key principal religious beliefs, language, traditions and festivals and how these impact upon their own lives.  Children are also introduced to the concept that some people have no religious beliefs and hold a more philosophical view to the World around them. 

We intend to promote challenging thinkers and respectful citizens who have a sense of identity and a questioning mind.  Our curriculum is planned with the intent that children revisit and retrieve prior learning and build upon this prior knowledge.   We have an enquiry based approach to learning which engages children and is sequential; developing spiritual, cultural, moral and social development.  Through a progressive curriculum children feel empowered to ask and answer the bigger questions within a nurturing environment.  Children also learn how different faiths can work together to build awareness, foster tolerance and share values building mutual respect for each other.

At the beginning of each unit children will review previous learning by discussing possible answers to the questions posed to them or carrying out a knowledge harvest of prior learning where they have the opportunity to share what they already know. 

 

Elements of all faiths can be included in all years (e.g. festivals) and as a response to local needs and circumstances.  Diversity between and within traditions must be recognised.  Each unit of work will focus around a key question and each question will include: an analysis of the question; a critical investigation of relevant beliefs, practices and ways of life; and a reasoned response.

RE Impact

Religious Education extends the knowledge and understanding of: religious and non-religious views and beliefs; develops a religious vocabulary; and enables pupils to interpret religious symbolism in a variety of forms. Children are encouraged to reflect on questions of meaning, offering their own thoughtful and informed insights into different religious and non-religious world-views . They explore ultimate questions of beliefs and values in relation to a range of contemporary issues in an ever-changing society.

 

The impact of the curriculum is gained from: retrieval practice activities; children’s written and recorded work; interviewing pupils across school about their learning and their thoughts about religion; book trawls and taking part in/observing child-led discussions.  The subject lead ensure that RE underpins all of our whole school drivers.  Children develop effective communication skills through Dialogic talk, discussing experiences related to their learning. 

Below is the Progression of Skills grid for RE taught at Byron.