Religious Education

Aims and Rationale


Rationale

At The John Wallis Academy, the Religious Education curriculum inspires our pupils to explore what people believe about their spiritual existence and what difference this makes to how they live. This means our pupils can gain the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to handle the ‘big’ questions raised by religion and belief, such as ‘why are we here?’ and ‘what happens after death?’ Pupils reflect on their own ideas and ways of living. Pupils can develop key skills in areas such as discussion and debate around some sensitive issues, such as euthanasia and abortion and learn how to partake in these conversations without provoking offence whilst maintaining sensitivity. Pupils learn about other key areas that impact their daily lives, such as Human Rights, with a view of looking at these from a variety of religious and cultural attitudes across the world, which deepens their understanding of the wider world.


Aims

The John Wallis Church of England curriculum for RE aims to ensure that all pupils can:

  • Make sense of a range of religious and non-religious beliefs, so that they can:

  • identify, describe, explain and analyse beliefs and concepts in the context of living religions, using appropriate vocabulary;

  • explain how and why these beliefs are understood in different ways, by individuals and within communities;

  • recognise how and why sources of authority (e.g. texts, teachings, traditions, leaders) are used, expressed and interpreted in different ways, developing skills of interpretation.

  • Understand the impact and significance of religious and non-religious beliefs, so that they can:

  • examine and explain how and why people express their beliefs in diverse ways;

  • recognise and account for ways in which people put their beliefs into action in diverse ways, in their everyday lives, within their communities and in the wider world;

  • appreciate and appraise the significance of different ways of life and ways of expressing meaning.

  • Make connections between religious and non-religious beliefs, concepts, practices and ideas studied, so that they can:

  • evaluate, reflect on and enquire into key concepts and questions studied, responding thoughtfully and creatively, giving good reasons for their responses;

  • challenge the ideas studied, and allow the ideas studied to challenge their own thinking, articulating beliefs, values and commitments clearly in response;

  • discern possible connections between the ideas studied and their own ways of understanding the world, expressing their critical responses and personal reflections with increasing clarity and understanding.

Progression in Religious Education

Lower School Rationale

The Lower School RE programme focuses on developing skills of reading and interpretation; understanding how Christians interpret, handle and use biblical texts and making sense of meanings of texts for Christians. Pupils will examine ways in which Christians respond to biblical texts and teachings, and how they put their beliefs into action in diverse ways within the Christian community and in the world. Furthermore, pupils will start evaluating, reflecting on and connecting the texts and concepts studied, and discerning possible connections between these and pupils’ own lives and ways of understanding the world.


Readiness for Middle School

The following knowledge/concepts are non-negotiables for end of Year 4 for all pupils:

  • Order at least 5 concepts within a timeline of the Bible’s ‘Big Story’

  • List two distinguishing features of at least three different types of biblical text, for example, Gospel, parable, letter

  • Make clear links between biblical texts and the key concepts studied

  • Offer suggestions about what texts might mean, and give examples of what the texts studied mean to some Christians

  • Make simple links between Bible texts and concepts studied and how Christians live in their whole lives and in their church communities

  • Describe how Christians show their beliefs in worship and in the way they live

  • Raise questions and suggest answers about how far the big ideas explored in the Bible and the concepts studied might make a difference to how pupils think and live

  • Make links between some of the stories and teachings in the Bible and life in the world today, expressing some ideas of their own clearly


Intervention and Catch-Up

Any pupils not yet working able to demonstrate mastery of the knowledge/concepts listed above will receive the following support in Year 5, and 6:

  • 1-2-1 targeted support within and outside of class

  • Development of literacy and reading skills in liaison with English Faculty

  • Setting arrangements available on new curriculum model

  • Peer support programmes from Sixth Form

  • Extended school day and catch up programmes and sessions

  • Targeted small group work and booklets differentiated to individuals and sub-groups

Middle School Rationale

The Middle School RE programme focuses on developing further the skills of reading and interpretation; understanding how Christians interpret, handle and use biblical texts and making sense of meanings of texts for Christians. Pupils will begin to see how this impacts on religious believers’ lives. Pupils will examine ways in how different world religions put their beliefs into action in diverse ways within their own faith communities and into the world. Pupils will undertake a larger portion of the course based upon Christianity, but there are opportunities within the curriculum to study other world faiths in depth, such as Buddhism, Judaism and Islam – looking at the foundations of these religions as well as how religious teenagers commit to their faiths in today’s societies. Furthermore, pupils will start evaluating, reflecting on and connecting the texts and concepts studied, and discerning possible connections between these and pupils’ own lives and ways of understanding the world.


Readiness for Upper School

The following knowledge/concepts are non-negotiables for end of Year 8 for all pupils:

  • To understand who Jesus was

  • To be able to describe Jesus’ birth and death narratives in the Four Gospels

  • To be able to express one’s own views with reasoning

  • To understand the importance of studying world religions and the impact on followers

  • To have a basic understanding of what the Five Pillars are

  • To be able to match key religious figures with their associated religions and the importance of them

  • To be able to match key religious texts with their associated religions

  • Write analyses of statements with regards to a particular concept

  • Write and make refined and accurate judgements on Bible references/other sources of authority

  • Describe, explain and evaluate (exam skills), and development of skills in justifying opposing viewpoints


Intervention and Catch-Up

Any pupils not yet working able to demonstrate mastery of the knowledge/concepts listed above will receive the following support in Year 9, 10 and 11:

  • 1-2-1 targeted support within and outside of class

  • Development of literacy and reading skills in liaison with English Faculty

  • Setting arrangements available on new curriculum model

  • Peer support programmes from Sixth Form

  • Extended school day and catch-up programmes and sessions

  • Targeted small group work and booklets differentiated to individuals and sub-groups

Upper School Rationale

Religious Studies gives pupils the opportunity to discuss and think about many of the challenging questions that dominate our world today. Pupils are encouraged to consider for themselves the answers to those big questions such as the meaning and purpose of life and whether or not God exists. Pupils also consider and debate moral issues that provoke strong opinions within our society about what is right or wrong. For example, pupils engage with challenging questions such as if a terminally ill person should have the right to die? Does marriage have any meaning today? Should the UK reintroduce the death penalty? Can an abortion ever be justified?

Religious Studies in the Upper School develops understanding of major religions that are influential in our society today. Pupils study the central beliefs of Christianity which include the life and teachings of Jesus as described within the Gospels. As well as looking at belief, there is an enquiry into the practices of Christianity as well. Islam is an example of another world faith that is also taught as part of this GCSE. Like with Christianity, pupils learn its central beliefs and practices. By considering religious opinions, the course will give our learners an awareness of how religion can influence individuals, families, communities and cultures.

Curricular-Related Pupil Experiences

Lower School

  • Trips and visits to key locations locally, such as a local church

  • Pupil reps for RE department

  • Humanities club after school

  • Spirited Arts competition with Art Faculty

  • Opportunities to partake in assemblies/collective worship with Chaplain


Middle School

  • Trips and visits to key locations, both locally and further afield

  • Pupil reps for RE department

  • Humanities club after school

  • Spirited Arts competition with Art Faculty

  • Opportunities to partake in assemblies/collective worship with Chaplain


Upper School

  • Trips and visits to key locations linked with other Faculty subjects

  • Pupil reps for religious department

  • Sixth Form leads

  • General RE days as part of the Sixth Form curriculum

  • University and research links

  • Guest speakers

Evidence base for Rationale

  • NATRE

  • Understanding Christianity

  • Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education

  • Teachre.co.uk

  • SIAMS

  • Diocese of Canterbury