RE

Our school has lots of religions and we can learn about them. If you have a friend who is another religion, you can learn about what they can and can’t do. 

Our Vision

At the Federation of Oxford Road Community school and Wilson Primary School, our vision is to celebrate diversity through exploring a range of religions and worldviews. Within RE lessons, children will develop their knowledge of other worldviews, whilst also considering what they believe for themselves.

We can understand their point of view and know how they see the world. We can be respectful.

Our Curriculum

I like hearing stories from religions that are different to mine.

Curriculum Intent

Our RE curriculum aims to teach pupils key aspects of different religions and worldviews. We use Jigsaw Discovery RE units which promote the use of critical thinking and excitement when approaching new knowledge. Our curriculum aims to develop a progression of knowledge across each world view, through careful sequences of learning, lessons encourage children to evaluate and question worldviews and religions for themselves.

Curriculum Implementation

Our curriculum is drawn from the Pan-Berkshire syllabus and Jigsaw Discovery RE. Each topic consists of a 4-step enquiry process.

Step 1 – Starting with the children’s own lived experience.

Step 2 – Bridging from lived experience to subject knowledge of a worldview.

Step 3 – Application of knowledge.

Step 4 – Revisiting the children’s own lived experience and what difference this enquiry has made to them personally.

These steps aim to develop a progression of knowledge across each world view. They also encourage children to evaluate and question worldviews and religions for themselves.

Every year group will study Christianity alongside one other religion. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils will have encountered Judaism, Hindu Dharma, Islam, Sikhism, Buddhism and Humanism. Pupils explore these religions through engaging stories and activities, with a focus on key vocabulary within lessons. They are also exposed to places of worship through trips. We also encourage visitors from various religions and worldviews to come into school and share their perspective on life, showing pupils the impact that religious views can have within the real world. We also encourage pupils to be teachers themselves within RE. Particularly within Islamic and Hindu Dharma practices. Where children practice the religion themselves, they can often be the best experts in teaching their peers.

Strong subject knowledge is vital for staff to deliver highly effective teaching. The Jigsaw Discovery RE scheme supports teacher CPD and provides additional resources for this.

Curriculum Impact

Throughout each unit of RE, teachers monitor learning and address misconceptions through various formative approaches. Teachers will assess pupils against the learning objectives as well as including short quizzes and quick-fire questioning to monitor recall.

Pupils should leave school with a breadth of knowledge about religions and worldviews and a mutual respect for the differences in beliefs amongst their peers and staff, the ability to respectfully question and consider alternative beliefs creating critically accepting and harmonious citizens in later life.