religious education - Colleton Primary School

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
Introduction
The Colleton Primary School believes that:
“…so many of the issues and challenges which face our society today can best be
understood and met by a generation which has had the opportunity to explore questions of
meaning, commitment and faith in interesting ways in the safe environment of school.”
(Colin James - Chairman of the Wokingham Agreed Syllabus Conference and SACRE)
and in accordance with the 1996 Education Act provides religious education for all its
pupils.
“R.E. has equal standing in relation to National Curriculum subjects…” DfEE, Circular1/94.
Objectives
The aims and objectives of Religious Education to be adopted by the staff of The Colleton
School are those specified in the Wokingham Agreed Syllabus 2006. Religious Education
should help pupils to:
Learn about religion by

acquiring and developing knowledge and understanding of Christianity and other
principal religions represented in Great Britain

developing an understanding of the influence of beliefs, values and traditions on
individuals, communities, societies and cultures.
Learn from religion by

developing a positive attitude towards other people, respecting their right to hold
different beliefs from their own and towards living in a society of diverse religions

developing the ability to make reasoned and informed judgements about religious
and moral issues with reference to the teachings of the principal religions
represented in Great Britain

enhancing their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development by:
developing awareness of the fundamental questions of life raised by
human experiences, and how religious teachings can relate to them
responding to such questions with reference to the teachings and
practices of religions and to their understanding and experience
reflecting on their own beliefs, values and experiences in the light of
their study.
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Teaching Methods
As with all areas of the curriculum, R.E. will be taught using a variety of teaching methods
appropriate to the subject matter and accessing different learning styles and abilities.
R.E. will be taught within The Colleton Primary School’s Rolling Programme to enable,
where possible, cross curricular themes to be developed.
Planning
Our scheme of work will follow the programme of study laid down in the Wokingham
Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education 2006.
All planning will be in line with school policy and will add detail to our Rolling Programme
using the Wokingham Agreed Syllabus, QCA units of work where appropriate and
additional resources. Planning will also highlight cross curricular links that will be made
each term.
Assessment
Evidence of attainment will be made through:
Observation of children at work
Questioning and listening
Assessing written work
Involving pupils in evaluating their own work.
Progress in religious education is dependent upon the application of a number of skills
and processes. (See Appendix 1 for details of Level Descriptions and expectations.)
The non-statutory National Framework for Religious Education, 2004 – ‘I Can’ Attainment
Statements are available electronically on The Colleton Primary School’s network.
By the end of Key Stage 1 most children will be able to:

use religious words and phrases to identify some features of religion and its
importance to some people. They will begin to show awareness of similarities in
religions. Most children will also be able to retell religious stories and suggest
meanings for religious actions and symbols. They can identify how religion is
expressed in different ways.

ask, and respond sensitively to, questions about their own and others’ experiences
and feelings. They recognise that some questions cause people to wonder and are
difficult to answer. In relation to matters of right and wrong, most children will
recognise their own values and those of others.
By the end of Key Stage 2 most children will be able to:

use a developing religious vocabulary to describe and show understanding of
sources, practices, beliefs, ideas, feelings and experiences. They will make links
between them, and describe some similarities and differences both within and
between religions. Most children will describe the impact of religion on people’s
lives and suggest meanings for a range of forms of religious expression.

raise, and suggest answers to, questions of identity, belonging, meaning, purpose,
truth, values and commitments. They will apply their ideas to their own and other
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people’s lives and will be able to describe what inspires and influences themselves
and others.
See also Assessment Policy for further information on assessment within the school.
Resources
Resources for Religious Education are available in the Staff Library and in the Resources
area. There are books, videos, DVDs, worksheets, posters, maps and boxes of labelled
artefacts for each of the main religions taught.
When appropriate, the internet is accessed to further research topics and a selection of
electronic resources is available on The Colleton Primary School’s network in the RE
section of the ‘Sharesoftware’ drive.
Where possible, guests will be invited into school to give a personal slant to the religion
being studied and visits may be arranged to places of worship.
Electronic copies of the Wokingham Agreed Syllabus 2006 and supporting documents are
available on the Wokingham Borough Council website.
Cross Curricular Links
Through the Rolling Programme, relevant cross curricular links will be made between R.E.
and other curriculum areas, in particular PSHE (Personal, Social & Health Education),
English, Geography, History, Art and ICT.
Health and Safety
Health and safety is paramount in all that we do. Risk assessments are carried out for all
activities and off-site visits comply with our Health and Safety policy.
Equal Opportunities
At The Colleton we provide a broad and balanced curriculum for all our pupils. All pupils
will have equal access to the R.E. curriculum in line with their individual needs. We will:

set suitable learning challenges

respond to pupils’ diverse learning needs

endeavour to overcome potential barriers to learning and assessment for
individuals and groups of pupils.
Please refer to the Special Educational Needs Policy, Able Child Policy and Equal
Opportunities Policy.
Responsibility: Curriculum Committee
Written: Anne Cronin
Review: triennially
Last Reviewed: April 2007
Next Review: April 2010
Ratified: 28/11/07
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Appendix 1
Attainment targets for Religious Education in grid form
AT1 Learning about religions involves knowledge and
understanding of:
Level
1
Vocabulary
beliefs, teachings and
sources
(what people believe)
practices and ways of
life
(what people do)
forms of expression
(how people express
themselves)
identity and belonging
(making sense of
who we are)
meaning, purpose
and truth
(making sense of life)
values and
commitments
(making sense of
right and wrong)
Pupils
Pupils
Pupils
Pupils
Pupils
Pupils
use some
religious
words and
phrases to:
recall religious stories
recognise and name
features of religious
life and practice
recognise symbols
and other verbal and
visual forms of
religious expression
talk about their own
experiences and
feelings
alk about what they
find interesting or
puzzling
talk about what is of
value and concern to
themselves and to
others
use religious
words and
phrases to:
recall religious stories
identify some
features of religion
and its importance for
some people. They
begin to show
awareness of
similarities in
religions
suggest meanings for
religious actions and
symbols. They
identify how religion
is expressed in
different ways
ask, and respond
sensitively to,
questions about their
own and others’
experiences and
feelings
recognise that some
questions cause
people to wonder and
are difficult to
answer
recognise their own
values and those of
others in relation
to matters of right
and wrong
use a
developing
religious
vocabulary to:
make links between
beliefs and sources
and begin to identify
the impact religion
has on believers’
lives
describe some key
features of religions
recognizing
similarities and
differences
describe some forms
of religious
expression; make
links between beliefs
and sources,
including religious
stories and sacred
texts
identify what
influences them,
making links between
aspects of their own
and others’
experiences
ask important
questions
about religion and
beliefs, making links
between their own
and others’
responses
make links between
values and
commitments and
their own attitudes
and behaviour
2
3
AT2 Learning from religion involves response, evaluation and
application of questions of:
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4
5
use a
developing
religious
vocabulary to:
describe and show
understanding of
sources, beliefs and
ideas making links
between them and
practices, feelings
and experiences;
describe some
similarities and
differences within and
between religions
describe and show
understanding of
practices, feelings
and experiences and
the impact of religion
on people’s lives;
describe some
similarities and
differences both
within and between
religions
suggest meanings for
a range of forms of
religious expression
raise, and suggest
answers to, questions
of identity and
belonging and apply
their ideas to their
own and other
people’s lives;
describe what
inspires and
influences
themselves and
others
raise, and suggest
answers to, questions
of meaning, purpose
and truth and apply
their ideas to their
own and other
people’s lives
raise, and suggest
answers to, questions
of values and
commitments and
apply their ideas to
their own and other
people’s lives
use an
increasingly
wide religious
vocabulary to:
show they
understand that
similarities and
differences illustrate
distinctive beliefs
within and between
religions and suggest
possible reasons for
this
explain the impact of
beliefs on individuals
and communities,
explain how religious
sources are used to
provide answers to
ultimate questions
and ethical issues,
and describe why
people belong to
religions
recognise diversity in
forms of religious,
spiritual and moral
expression, within
and between
religions
ask, and suggest
answers to, questions
of identity and
belonging relating
them to their own and
others’ lives; explain
what inspires and
influences them,
expressing their own
and others’ views on
the challenges of
belonging to a
religion
ask, and suggest
answers to, questions
of meaning, purpose
and truth relating
them to their own and
others’ lives
ask, and suggest
answers to, questions
about values and
commitments relating
them to their own and
others’ lives
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