St Mary's C of E Primary School

 

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION CURRICULUM

Our Vision for Religious Education

At St Mary’s, our Christian values of Hope, Equality, Love and Forgiveness shape every aspect of Religious Education. These values guide pupils to embrace difference, seek justice, show compassion and reflect on how faith inspires positive action. At St Mary’s, Religious Education is central to our identity as a Church of England school. It enables pupils to explore big questions about life, beliefs and values while developing respect, curiosity and understanding of world faiths. RE nurtures spiritual development and offers opportunities for children to reflect, question and discover meaning.

Our curriculum, based on the Salford Agreed Syllabus and supported by RE Today planning, provides a broad and balanced RE education rooted in Christian teaching while exploring diverse religious and nonreligious worldviews. Through enquiry led learning, we encourage pupils to think deeply, express themselves confidently and engage respectfully with difference.

Our vision is that all children leave St Mary’s with an informed understanding of faith, compassion for others and the ability to reflect on their own beliefs and values.

Curriculum Intent

Our RE curriculum aims to (as guided by our SIAMS vision for a theologically rooted, inclusive and life-giving curriculum): Develop knowledge and understanding of Christianity and other principal world religions, as outlined in the Salford Agreed Syllabus.  Encourage pupils to explore questions of meaning, purpose, spirituality and morality.  Support children in understanding and respecting diverse beliefs and practices within our local, national and global communities.  Provide an enquiry-based curriculum using RE Today units that build progressively from EYFS to Year 6.  Foster skills of interpretation, reasoning, questioning and reflection.  Promote British Values including mutual respect, tolerance and individual liberty through learning about different worldviews.  Strengthen children’s ability to express their ideas, justify viewpoints and engage in respectful dialogue.  Ensure inclusive learning experiences that meet the needs of all pupils, including SEND and EAL learners.

Our curriculum is organised around three core strands from the Salford Agreed Syllabus:

1️⃣ Believing – exploring religious stories, beliefs and teachings.
2️⃣ Expressing – understanding how beliefs are expressed through worship, festivals, symbols and practices.
3️⃣ Living – investigating how faith impacts choices, behaviour and community life.

The long-term plan ensures progression through carefully sequenced RE Today units across all year groups. Each unit is enquiry-led, using specific RE Today questions such as:  EYFS: Which stories are special and why? / What is special about our world?  KS1: Who is a Christian and what do they believe? / What makes some places sacred? / How and why do we celebrate special times?  LKS2: Why is the Bible important? / What does it mean to be a Christian or Hindu in Britain today? / Why do people pray?  UKS2: What would Jesus do? / Is it better to express religion in arts or charity? / What can be done about racism?

These enquiry questions encourage pupils to explore, challenge and reflect—core expectations of SIAMS for high-quality RE.

Curriculum Implementation

RE is taught weekly as a discrete subject. Lessons follow the RE Today enquiry model—Engage, Enquire, Explore, Evaluate, Reflect—and are enriched by visits, visitors and links to worship.

EYFS

Children learn through stories, play and sensory activities, exploring themes such as belonging, special places, special people and the natural world. They encounter stories from a range of faiths and begin to talk about their own experiences.

Key Stage 1

Pupils explore Christianity, Islam and Judaism through topics such as sacred books, belonging, special places and celebrations. They learn to identify similarities and differences across traditions and respond with their own ideas.

Lower Key Stage 2

Pupils study Christianity, Hinduism and worldviews in greater depth, considering questions about prayer, God, festivals and key texts. They expand their understanding of how beliefs influence daily life.

Upper Key Stage 2

Pupils explore complex themes such as morality, expression of faith, the role of religious communities, humanism, and responses to social issues including racism and the environment. They develop critical thinking skills and are encouraged to articulate and justify their views.

Teaching and Learning Approaches

·         Use of enquiry questions to drive deep thinking.

·         High-quality RE Today resources, artefacts and texts.

·         Opportunities for debate, drama, role play and creative tasks.

·         Visits to churches and other places of worship.

·         Links with the clergy and Christian calendar through worship.

Inclusion

Lessons are adapted using visuals, key vocabulary, structured talk frames, small-step enquiry activities and support for understanding abstract concepts.

Curriculum Impact

We measure the impact of RE through:  Pupil voice, showing increased confidence in discussing beliefs, questions and ideas.  Work samples demonstrating progression, curiosity and reflection.  Assessment against RE Today age related expectations, evidencing secure knowledge and understanding.  Engagement in worship and reflection, showing spiritual and moral development.  Behaviour and relationships, demonstrating respect and empathy fostered through RE.  Feedback from clergy and visitors, highlighting understanding of Christian values.

“I like RE because we learn about different people and think about big questions.” – Year 4 pupil

By the end of KS2, pupils can:  Explain the beliefs and practices of major religions studied.  Make connections between faith, values and behaviour.  Express their own views thoughtfully while respecting others.  Reflect on spiritual and moral questions.

How Parents and Carers Can Support Learning

·         Talk about celebrations, festivals and family traditions.

·         Visit places of worship or explore virtual tours together.

·         Encourage children to ask questions about the world, beliefs and values.

·         Share stories from different cultures and faiths.

·         Attend school worships or church services when invited.

Recommended Home Links: 

Church of England Education Office 

BBC Bitesize – Religions 

National Association of Teachers of RE (NATRE)