St Paul's CofE Primary School
In your light shall we see light
Intent
Religious education has a unique place as a central subject in the curriculum of St Pauls. It is neither a core nor a foundation subject; 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’.
Through our Religious Education curriculum we aim:
Implementation
Legal requirements for Religious Education:
Religious Education is a statutory subject of the curriculum for all pupils in each year group and ‘should be provided for all registered pupils except those withdrawn at the request of their parents.’ (s 71 SSFA 1998)
Parents have the right to request that their son or daughter be excused from all or part of the RE provided at school.
The syllabus should ‘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.’ (s375 (3) Education Act 1996)
We ensure that we comply with the legal requirements by following the Herefordshire Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education 2011-2016 and Understanding Christianity: Text, Impact, and Connections.
Religious Education is generally taught on a weekly basis, but is sometimes delivered through a class topic or as a whole-school RE day. Teachers may develop their own key questions linked to the themes in the syllabus, allowing links with other subject areas where appropriate.
Lessons are planned and delivered in a variety of ways ensuring that all children can access and participate in lessons. Interactive, practical activities encourage the children to discuss their ideas and extend their understanding of difficult concepts and challenging questions.
Pupils’ progress in RE is based on the expected outcomes outlined in the Agreed Syllabus and in Understanding Christianity, which in turn have been developed in line with guidance produced nationally. These outcomes have been developed into 10 Key Performance Indicators for each year group and students are assessed regularly against these KPIs.
We track individual pupil’s progress in this way, whilst also bearing in mind that the statements do not cover all aspects of teaching and learning in RE. For example, pupil’s personal views and ideas are not subject to formal assessment, and yet are central to good RE.
Progress in RE is reported annually to parents and has a prominent position in the end of year report.
Impact
Religious Education at St Paul’s develops pupils’…
Religious Education at St Paul’s encourages pupils to…
Religious Education at St Paul’s enhances pupils’…
Religious Education at St Paul’s offers…