Religious Education Curriculum at All Saints CE Primary School

In Religious Education, we study the diversity of the world and different religious beliefs and practices.  We follow the Hampshire, Southampton, Portsmouth and Isle of Wight  agreed syllabus, ‘Living Difference IV’ which encapsulates the key religions represented in the UK. To support us in our teaching of Christianity, we use the 'Understanding Christianity Big Picture Concepts' 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*
• 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 Christianity and each class has a focus world religion that is also studied. 

Schemes of Work

The Schemes of Work for RE follow the “Living Difference IV” strategy of delivery through the study of concepts:

Early Years look at Sikh Traditions and Christian Traditions along with other religions and beliefs as appropriate to the class.

KS1 study Christian Traditions and Sikh Traditions.

LKS2 study Christian Traditions, Jewish Traditions and Hindu Traditions in 2022-23 but then Christian and Jewish from 2023-24

UKS2 study Christian Traditions, Islam, Humanism (Y6) and a return to Sikhi Traditions (Y5)

The Living Difference IV syllabus is a concept based approach, looking at concepts that are common to all people, concepts that are shared by many religions and concepts that are distinctive to particular religions. As children move through primary school, they will have the opportunities over time to engage with all three groups of concepts.

We use the 'Understanding Christianity'  resource to support pupils in developing their understanding of Christianity, as a contribution to their understanding of the world and their own experience within it. This again is a concept based approach with pictorial references which help build a narrative and progressive understanding of Christianity.

Much of our RE teaching is carried out through exploring the children’s ideas and emphasis is given to discussion and positive, quality talk.  Our religious education learning provides a rich and wide range of experiences inside and outside the classroom, which give children opportunities to develop concepts and skills that will help them to make sense of their own experiences and beliefs, and to understand the beliefs and practices of members of faith communities through open, fair minded enquiry. Our teaching is based around an enquiry methodology which works through the ' communicate, apply, enquire, contextualise and evaluate' process. Indoctrination and conversion are not part of the educational process and therefore have no place in religious education. Religious education is an educational subject in its own right, taught within an educational framework.

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.