Religious Education
Subject leader: Miss Delaney
Contact email: ks1@pennoweth.cornwall.sch.uk
Our Religious Education Curriculum Intent
‘The principal aim of religious education is to explore what people believe and what difference this makes to how they live, so that pupils can gain the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to handle questions raised by religion and belief, reflecting on their own ideas and ways of living.’
— Cornwall Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education, 2020 —
Our Religious Education curriculum, adopted from the Cornwall Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education, 2020, aims to engage, inspire, challenge and encourage children. It seeks to equip children with the knowledge and skills to answer challenging questions, explore different religious beliefs, values and traditions and develop a more rigorous understanding of the numerous religious traditions, beliefs and practices that are followed in our multicultural society and around the world. We want children to know how religious education promotes discernment and enables them to combat prejudice, preparing them for adult life, employment and life-long learning.
Religious Education at Pennoweth is taught weekly in each class. Key knowledge, skills and vocabulary have been identified and these have been mapped across the school to ensure progression. At the start of each unit, teachers establish the starting point for each child and ensure that all lessons taught are relevant and developmental, and consideration is given to how greater depth will be reached within each lesson, as well as how learners will be supported in line with the school’s commitment to inclusion.
Where possible and appropriate, cross curricular outcomes in Religious Education are specifically planned for, with strong links between the subject and English lessons identified, planned for, and utilised.
What will my child experience through Religious Education at Pennoweth?
RE is delivered through weekly timetabled lessons as well as through integrated project work or discrete mini-projects and our programme of assemblies and collective worship.
Pupils develop their knowledge and understanding of the principal religions represented in the UK through the use of current resources (Cornwall SACRE and Understanding Christianity), educational visits, ICT, handling artefacts and workshops led by specialists of different faiths.
In accordance with the requirements of the agreed syllabus, pupils explore the beliefs, values and traditions of Christians in each key stage, as well as Jews and Muslims in Key Stage One and at least one from Hindus, Jews and Muslims in each year of Key Stage Two. Pupils may also encounter other religious and non-religious worldviews (such as Humanism) through thematic units, where appropriate. As part of Christianity, pupils develop and apply their knowledge and understanding of the religious, spiritual and cultural character of Cornwall through Curriculum Kernewek. In Reception, children encounter Christianity, and other religious and non-religious world views (such as Hindus, Jews and Muslims), as part of their growing sense of self, their own community and their place within it.
What RE skills and knowledge will my child learn at Pennoweth?
Our RE curriculum is based on a key question approach whereby key questions open up the content to be studied. Our curriculum is designed in systematic units (where pupils study one religion at a time) and thematic units (where pupils build on their learning by comparing the religions, beliefs and practices studied). Three core elements (making sense of beliefs, understanding the impact and making connections) are woven together throughout each unit to provide breadth and balance.
The teaching of each religion is divided into core concepts. Christianity is divided into eight core concepts which make up the ‘big story’ of The Christian Bible (God, Creation, Fall, People of God, Incarnation, Gospel, Salvation, Kingdom of God). The core concepts fit into a spiral curriculum, whereby concepts are revisited and explored in more depth as pupils move through the school. Thus, pupils encounter core concepts in a coherent way, developing their understanding and their ability to handle questions of religion and belief.
What sort of Religious Education language will my child learn at Pennoweth?
What do Pennoweth's children think about Religious Education?
Aira (KS1)
'I loved sharing all about my faith with my friends and learning about Christianity'.
Jack (KS1)
'I enjoy learning about other people's faiths and how they are different from and similar to my own.'
Ethan (KS2)
'I like learning about Judaism because I like finding out about why Jews celebrate certain things. I liked learning about Yom Kippur.'
Amelia (KS2)
I enjoy learning about the world such as Jewish festivals like Rosh Hashanah and Shabbat.'
What does Religious Education look like at Pennoweth?
Legal Framework
Parents and carers have the legal right to withdraw their children from RE and collective worship on religious grounds. Should you wish to discuss this further, please speak to your child's class teacher or inform Mrs Andrews or Miss Delaney in writing.
Useful Websites and Links
Explore the websites below to find out more about Religious Education and activities to do with your child at home.
Please note: these are external websites which the school has no control over.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/websites/4_11/site/re.shtml
BBC Bitesize RE KS1:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/zxnygk7
BBC Bitesize RE KS2:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/z7hs34j
Buddhism
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/buddhism/
Christianity
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/religion/christianity/
Hinduism
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/hinduism/
Islam
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/islam/
Judaism
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/judaism/
Sikhism
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/sikhism/