Religious Education (RE)

Why is religious education important for all learners at Stoke Lodge Primary School? Why does it matter?

The principal aim of religious education at Stoke Lodge Primary School is to engage learners in a systematic enquiry approach where they can develop an understanding and appreciation of the main religions and worldviews in the local, national and global community. Through our RE curriculum we aim to inspire, challenge and encourage learners, equipping them with the knowledge, skills and understanding to answer challenging questions about the purpose of life, issues of right and wrong and what it means to be human. Finally, we believe a high quality religious education promotes awareness and respect – enabling learners to combat prejudice, and preparing them for adult life, employment and life-long learning.

How does studying religious education help our young people to achieve?

Our religious education curriculum aims to ensure that all pupils:

Develop knowledge and understanding of the principal religions and world

views represented in Great Britain;
Develop understanding of the ways in which beliefs influence people in their behaviour, practices and in their communities
Weigh up the value of wisdom from different sources, learn to develop and express their own insights, and to agree or disagree respectfully.
Recognise the right of people to hold diverse beliefs and values and to develop positive attitudes of respect towards other people;
Reflect on modern ethical issues form a range of views with the purpose of developing well thought through opinions and attitudes.
Widen the world view of our catchment areas by developing community cohesion through the study of the place of our multicultural society in the local, national and wider global community.

Our Religious Education Curriculum

At Stoke Lodge we use Discovery RE to support our staff and pupils and quality assure our Religious Education curriculum. The scheme supports with planning, resources and professional development for our teaching team to ensure high quality teaching. It also enables us to track and show full coverage of our Key Learning Intentions (KLIs).

RE Curriculum Map (Overview)

Discovery RE

The scheme adopts an enquiry-based approach to teaching and learning. Christianity is taught in every year group, with Christmas and Easter given new treatment each year, developing the learning in a progressive way. Baha’i, Buddhism, Hinduism, Humanism, Islam, Judaism and Sikhism are also covered. Humanist perspectives are added when appropriate in some enquiries in addition to the Introduction to Humanism enquiry.

Each enquiry demands the equivalent of 6 lessons, but teaching time is sometimes blocked to enhance learning. Each enquiry has a learning objective which shows the learning over the enquiry and SMSC (Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural) development opportunities are mapped throughout as is each enquiry’s contribution to the British Values agenda.

British Values

At Stoke Lodge we believer Religious Education is a key player in engendering knowledge and understanding which can lead to tolerance and respect for others and their beliefs. It does not, however, teach children to passively accept, but rather encourages evaluation and critical thinking, equipping them to consider belief positions they encounter. Discovery RE contributes significantly to the British Values agenda.

Mindfulness

Mindfulness means cultivating a sense of awareness on purpose, in a non-judgemental way in the present moment. At Stoke Lodge, our teachers use mindfulness practices to build children’s self-awareness and skills of reflection, thus supporting their RE learning as well as their personal spiritual development. As we use Jigsaw, the mindful approach to PSHE, we also use Calm Me time in RE lessons too.