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RE forms part of the curriculum for all children, They are encouraged to develop positive attitudes and values as they reflect upon and relate their learning to their own experiences. We teach children to be respectful of others who may hold beliefs different to their own. Learning from religion helps to enhance pupils’ spiritual, moral, cultural and social development.Our religious education curriculum at Scarning is rooted in enquiry and is guided by the Norfolk Agreed Syllabus 2019. As children move through the school, they develop, build upon and deepen their religious literacy.Units of work are characterised by key questions which are posed to promote discussion, exploration and understanding of Christianity and other principal world religions.RE helps children to hold balanced and well-informed conversations about religion and belief, both religious and non-religious. We promote the use of accurate terminology and the respectful expression of opinions.In accordance with the Agreed Syllabus, studies cover three fields of thinking in religious education: theology, philosophy and human/social sciences.Theology – about believing. Here, children are asking questions that believers would ask. We look at where beliefs come from, how they have changed over time, how they are applied differently in different contexts and how they relate to each other.Philosophy – about thinking. Here, children are asking questions that thinkers would ask. We encourage children to find out how and whether things make sense. This aspect deals with morality and ethics, dealing with the nature of reality, knowledge and existence.Human and Social Sciences - about living. Here, children are studying questions that those who study reality would ask. We explore the diverse ways in which people practise their beliefs. We consider the impact of beliefs upon individuals, communities and societies.At Scarning, the six concept threads of religion, belief, worship, morality, sacrifice and duty are referenced regularly so that children are able to articulate their meaning and recognise how they relate to the enquiries they undertake. As children move through KS1 and KS2, they will be able to make increasing sense of religion and world views around them and have a better appreciation of the complex world in which they live. Through enquiry-based learning, pupils understanding of a society of diverse religions and beliefs is enhanced. Discussion plays a vital role in all the lessons. In KS1, there is a specific focus on Christianity and Judaism as well as an introduction to some other world faiths. Year 1 pupils investigate what their senses tell them about the world of religion and belief, providing an opportunity for these two concepts to be explored. They consider how a religious celebration, such as Easter, brings people together and come to an appreciation of the symbolic significance of the cross to Christians. The former unit links to the cross-curricular concept of citizenship; the latter to that of sacrifice. The philosophical enquiry about how the universe came to be is linked to scientific concepts.In Year 2, children explore what the nativity story teaches Christians about Jesus.They consider why light is an important religious symbol, enabling a comparison between different religious groups and an investigation into the concept of worship. Building upon their study from the previous year, children look at how Jews celebrate Pesach. During a unit which explores what it means to say that God became human, non-religious views, such as Humanism, are discussed. In KS2, enquiries linked to Christianity permeate each year group. Whilst other world faiths and views are studied, Islam and Buddhism have a specific focus. Children gain a deeper knowledge and appreciation for the range of religions practised and beliefs held. Year 3 pupils look at the meaning of philosophy and think about how people make moral decisions, with clear reference to this concept thread. They explore the Trinity in Christianity and consider how people of different faiths express commitment to their religion. Pupils also learn about what Muslims believe about God and how being a Muslim makes a difference to their everyday life.In Year 4, children ask the question of where Christian beliefs come from and consider why there is so much diversity of belief in Christianity, including different approaches to worship. They look at how religious groups contribute to society in the local area and beyond, linking to the concept of culture. Through comparison of different religions and world views, children explore the idea of sacrifice.Year 5 pupils think about how reasonable it is to believe in God and explore what can be learnt about the world, knowledge and the meaning of life from great philosophers, including Christian and Buddhist perspectives. They investigate how belief has impacted on music and art throughout history, including Christian and Islamic perspectives. Pupils also look at how Hindus make sense of the world.In Year 6, children reflect upon whether religion brings peace, conflict or both, drawing upon historical knowledge and understanding. They explore how Buddhists explain suffering in the world and consider how beliefs shape identity for Muslims. Concepts of morality are considered when conducting an enquiry into what it means to be human and to what extent being happy is the greatest purpose in life. This makes reference to both religious and non-religious viewpoints. RE links effectively to RHSE, PATHS, Scarning’s Golden Code and our teaching of core British values whereby all children are called upon to consider how the actions they take affect others and to empathise with differing views and practices. The concepts of duty and morality feature strongly here.By the end of Year 6, we would like our pupils to understand that religion and belief have a profound impact in the modern world which affects our daily lives. They will be well-informed about the diverse nature of religion, belief and world views, be tolerant and understanding of others, and have developed the capacity to express ideas with accurate reference to knowledge they have acquired.
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