At Bletchingdon Church of England Primary School we aim to help children learn about and begin to understand religious beliefs and practices to develop their own spiritual awareness, and to understand the influence of religion on people’s lives. We would like our children to gain knowledge about the world’s main religions as well as learning from religion, we believe that people from different faith perspectives can learn from each other.
Religious education enables our children to explore and question spiritual and religious experiences and to develop a sense of belonging, meaning and purpose in life. It can help children to develop critical thinking skills and draw their own conclusions.
Our RE curriculum is based on the Oxfordshire Diocese Scheme of work. We take account of the National Statement of Entitlement for RE and teach 50% Christianity and 50% other main world religions – Hinduism, Judaism, Islam, Humanism, Buddhism and Sikhi.
Each RE unit is taught through the three lenses of; Theological lens (Theology is thinking about believing and asking questions that believers of a faith may ask, with children exploring questions from inside religions). Philosophical lens (Philosophy, or the study of ideas, is about pondering “the nature of knowledge, existence and morality more broadly, which means including ethical questions and debates). Social Sciences lens (explores the ‘lived experience’ of members of a religion and what happens when theology meets everyday life). Each unit is also started with a mind-map which is repeated at the end of the unit to show progression in each unit.
Our R.E. curriculum is enriched through the use of visitors and visits which have a valuable role in providing pupils with access to outside experiences and expertise. They also provide a link with the wider community and give our children first hand experiences of other faiths through visits to a variety of different places of worship and by meeting with people of different faiths.
Our children:
Acquire a keen sense of enthusiasm as they learn about different cultural and religious backgrounds.
Are confident to question the world around them and appreciate the diversity it offers.
Understand and accept differences and similarities between religions, enables them to discuss issues respectfully and appreciate the diversity of the modern world.
Learn how to articulate their thoughts is heightened as they broaden their vocabulary and power of expression.
Explore ultimate questions of beliefs and values in relation to a range of contemporary issues in an ever-changing society.
Headteacher Caroline Walker
