Headteacher’s Welcome

Intent

At Rectory Farm Primary School, we strive for all children to recognise, understand and respect the diversity of religious and non-religious beliefs in our world. Most pupils at Rectory Farm have no religious belief and whilst our aim is not to encourage children to become believers, we aim to develop knowledgeable, inquisitive, and respectful citizens.

R.E plays a valuable role in teaching children about the spiritual, moral, social and cultural aspects of our world and through emersion in these elements, children learn to understand and show empathy towards each other encouraging cohesion within our community.

Implementation

• Our RE curriculum is driven through opportunities to encourage oracy through rich discussion based on our whole school oracy programme. This ensures engagement for all and the opportunity for children to talk through their understanding and for teachers to check this understanding before learning moves on.
• RE is taught within a supportive environment where respect for the views of others is paramount.
• We have high aspirations for all children. Our curriculum goes beyond the expectations of the National Curriculum. Children with SEN are taught alongside their peers with scaffolds provided where necessary to ensure learners achieve good outcomes.
• A focus on building a rich bank of vocabulary with access in every lesson to rich texts provides high aspiration for all and for disadvantaged learners.
• Trips out to places of worship and visitors into school from a wide range of faiths, allow children to understand the importance of respectful relationships and the rich diversity of cultures and religions within our local community and the world. Children also learn to appreciate and respect diverse views of others and learn to understand that we can live in a harmonious society whilst upholding differencing views and beliefs. Enrichment experiences contribute to a child’s sense of place and the value of belonging.
• Lessons are well sequenced and progressive with retrieval opportunities built in within each lesson and across year groups e.g.:
  • g The Y6 unit ‘Why is the book of Exodus important to Christians and Jews?’ Children bring prior knowledge to this unit through previously taught topics: Y1 Judaism, Y2 Christianity beliefs into practice, Year 3 Festival, Y4 The Old Testament – Promises and Y5 Judaism
  • Links to other curriculum areas are made e.g. the high dividend concept of leadership is explored both in history and R.E me.g. Nelson Mandela, Moses and Muhammad
• During Reception and KS1, children explore the beliefs and practices of Christianity, Judaism and Islam and in KS2 make connections between these religions as well as being gradually introduced to the religions of Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism and those of no faith.

What our children say…