Religious Education (RE)

Intent of Religious Education

Biggin Hill Primary School delivers Religious Education (RE) in line with the Bromley Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education (SACRE) whilst also using Discovery RE as a scheme of work. Academies and free schools can choose which agreed syllabus to use or create a syllabus of their own following the same guidelines as other agreed syllabus writers. Biggin Hill Primary recognises and values the religious backgrounds and non-religious backgrounds of each of our pupils. We intend to be sensitive to the home background of all and therefore work to ensure that RE is accessible to all pupils and teachers of any religious persuasion or none. We have a strong understanding of how RE can play a leading role in pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. At Biggin Hill Primary, we know how relationships with members of local communities and local faith communities can enrich pupils’ experiences in RE and we strive to cultivate and maintain these relationships. Religious Education is unique in the school curriculum in that it is neither a core subject nor a foundation subject but the 1988 Education Act states that ‘Religious Education has equal standing in relation to core subjects of the National Curriculum in that it is compulsory for all registered pupils’.

Implementation

Teaching a broad and balanced curriculum is important to the academic, social, and personal development of young people. These requirements have not changed because of the COVID-19 outbreak. Religious education remains compulsory for pupils in all year groups, in all local authority maintained schools and in academies.

At Biggin Hill Primary, we use Discovery RE to form units of work. Each year group consists of three RE units, with one RE unit being taught each term. The recommendation in England is that the minimum RE curriculum time is 36 hours per year (equivalent 60 minutes per week) for Early Years and KS1 and 45 hours per year (equivalent to 75 minutes per week in KS2). Agreed Syllabuses used in schools (maintained or academy), which are not designated with a religious character must ‘reflect the fact that the religious traditions in Great Britain are in the main Christian, while taking account of the teaching and practices of the other principal religions represented in Great Britain’. In addition to Christianity, Biggin Hill Primary also teaches Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Budhism and Sikhism.

Discovery RE brings together learning about and from religion, questioning and spiritual development in a comprehensive scheme of learning. Teaching strategies are varied and are mindful of preferred learning styles and the need for differentiation. Each enquiry starts from the children’s own life experiences using these as a bridge into the investigation of the religion being studied.

Learning is assessed and children have the opportunity to express their own thoughts and beliefs and empathise with believers of that religion or belief position.

If pupils develop thorough knowledge of a particular religion, its origins, settings, cultures, stories, sights and sounds, they will gain not only a secure sense of what a religion is but will also have a strong foundation for studying other religions. Teachers will close gaps where appropriate within RE lessons and prior knowledge will be discussed during these lessons in order to promote progression.

Religious Education Covid Recovery at Biggin Hill Primary

Teaching a broad and balanced curriculum is important to the academic, social and personal development of young people. These requirements have not changed because of the COVID-19 outbreak. Religious education remains compulsory for pupils in all year groups, in all local authority maintained schools and in academies. Teachers will close gaps where appropriate within RE lessons and prior knowledge will be discussed during these lessons.