Religious Education
Intent:
The RE curriculum at Sandbach Primary Academy follows the Cheshire East agreed syllabus. The curriculum intends to allow RE to be delivered in a meaningful way, within which learners can explore beliefs, ethics and lifestyles that Religious Education includes. We all live in a multi- cultural society and a good understanding of different cultures is crucial to young people’s personal development. Our RE curriculum aims to support pupils in engaging with the challenges of the many spiritual, moral, social and cultural questions that modern life throws at them and creates opportunities for them to develop their own beliefs. At Sandbach Primary Academy we provide challenging questions about meaning and purpose in life, beliefs about God, ultimate reality, issues of life and death and issues of right and wrong and what it means to be human. In RE they learn about and from religious and non-religious world views in local, national and global contexts, to discover, explore and consider different answers to these questions. They learn to weigh up the value of wisdom from different sources, to develop and express their insights in response, and to agree or disagree respectfully. Religious Education helps pupils understand the religious experience of others and the ways in which it gives people a sense of purpose and meaning in their lives.
At Sandbach Primary Academy pupils are encouraged to be active learners. During lessons, pupils are provided with a range of opportunities to: enquire; question; develop their own responses; and formulate their own views to these fundamental questions as they encounter and respond to religion. Pupils are encouraged to show enthusiasm, curiosity, reflection, respect and tolerance. They will be encouraged to engage with Religious Education in a number of different ways through: reading; multi-sensory experiences; exploring religious art and decoration; visiting places of religious significance; handling religious artefacts; drama and dance; meeting people from faith communities; stories; stillness and reflection; research; discussion; pictures, observing rituals; music; conducting interviews and reading.
By the time our pupils leave Sandbach Primary Academy, we want them to have developed an understanding of a range of religions in society and the important beliefs and values that make up the world as it is today.
Design:
Our curriculum is designed to:
- Support pupils in their own search for meaning and purpose in life
- Develop children’s own beliefs, values and ideals
- Provide a safe and secure environment for pupils to recognise and challenge prejudices and misconceptions
- Encourage tolerance and respect for themselves and for other people
- Enable pupils to be discerning so that they can make informed choices about systems of belief whether faith based or secular
- Encourage pupils to recognise and celebrate diversity in society
- Enhance pupils’ understanding of history, art, music, literature and the media
- Develop respectful relationships with others and value differences
- Engage pupils in an open and sensitive exploration to religion
- Develop an understanding of the influence of religious beliefs, practices and values on individuals, communities, societies and cultures.
- Use the skills of interpretation, analysis and explanation.