Our Curriculum Intent for Religious Education  

In Religious Education, we study the diversity of worldviews and different religious traditions.  We follow the Hampshire, Southampton, Portsmouth and Isle of Wight agreed syllabus, ‘Living Difference IV’ which encapsulates the key religions represented in the UK. As a Church of England School, we use the 'Understanding Christianity’ resource to support our teaching of Christian Faith Traditions, which ensures progression from Year R through to Year 6.

What is this syllabus for?

The Education Act 2002 states that:

• RE is a statutory subject to be taught in all schools except nursery schools
• RE in all community, foundation and voluntary controlled schools should be taught in accordance with the locally agreed syllabus
• parents have the right to withdraw their children from RE lessons  -see section below for further information*
• an Agreed Syllabus must not be designed to convert pupils or to urge a particular religion or religious belief on pupils
• each county/council must have a Standing Advisory Council for Religious Education (SACRE)
• the agreed syllabus for RE must reflect the fact that the religious traditions in Great Britain are in the main Christian, while taking account of the other principal religions represented in the country
• SACRE should review its agreed syllabus every five years

*Withdrawal from RE

Parents have the right to withdraw their children from parts or all of the RE curriculum.  We hope however that in the first instance School would be able to discuss with parents their particular concerns.

Religious Education at All Saints - what we teach

At All Saints, we look at key concepts and ideas surrounding Christian Faith Traditions and each class has a focus world religion that is also studied. In Year 6 children also have the opportunity to study a non-religious worldview through their learning about Humanism.   

Early Years learn about Sikhi Faith Traditions and Christian Faith Traditions along with other religious traditions and worldviews as appropriate to the class.

KS1 study Christian Faith Traditions and Sikhi Faith Traditions.

LKS2 study Christian Faith Traditions and Jewish Faith Traditions 

UKS2 study Christian Faith Traditions, Muslim Faith Traditions, Humanism (Y6) and Sikhi Faith Traditions (Y5)

Our school community has a range of different cultures, religious and non-religious worldviews and we welcome opportunities to learn about these from the children.

We follow the 5 step Cycle of Enquiry (Communicate, Apply, Inquire, Contextualise and Evaluate) from Living Difference IV and explore concepts with the children from their first-hand experience before applying them to religious worldviews. The Living Difference IV syllabus is a concept based approach which progresses from looking at concepts that are common to all people, concepts that are shared by many religions to concepts that are distinctive to particular religions.

Throughout the children’s time at All Saints, they will return to the key concepts which are known as the ‘Golden Threads’  -  Love, Belonging, Special and Community as set out in Living Difference IV. These concepts are then continued in secondary school to ensure continuity and progression.

We assess children’s work in RE by making informal judgments as we observe them during lessons. We record formally using the Hampshire RE assessment procedure and use the age related expectation descriptors from the Living Difference Syllabus to assess. Teachers comment on progress in RE in each child’s annual report.  We recognise that sometimes learning may take place as part of a group and may be based on discussion or practical tasks. Work is marked once completed in line with the School’s marking policy.