RE Policy
Pinhoe CE VA Primary School
Policy for Religious Education
School Mission Statement:
We believe that our school, underpinned by Christian values, is a wonderful place to grow, with
the teachings of Jesus at the very heart of all we say and do. It is an exciting and loving
community in which to learn, teach and explore, with high expectations of social and academic
excellence. By understanding ourselves, our skills, our talents and one another, we can make a
difference to the world now and in the future.
Pinhoe CE VA Primary School is a Church of England Voluntary Aided School, therefore the
provision of RE must be in accordance with the Trust Deed of the School. The Governors in
consultation with the Head teacher have decided, following advice from the diocese, to adopt
the Devon Locally Agreed Syllabus and supplement this with material from the Diocese and
elsewhere.
At Pinhoe CE VA Primary School we aim that Religious Education will: Provoke challenging questions about the meaning and purpose of life, beliefs, the
self, issues of right and wrong, and what it means to be human. It develops pupils’
knowledge and understanding of Christianity, other principal religions, and religious
traditions that examine these questions, fostering personal reflection and spiritual
development
 Encourage pupils to explore their own beliefs (whether they are religious or nonreligious), in the light of what they learn, as they examine issues of religious belief and
faith and how these impact on personal, institutional and social ethics; and to express
their responses.
 Enable pupils to build their sense of identity and belonging, which helps them
flourish within their communities and as citizens in a diverse society.
 Teach pupils to develop respect for others, including people with different faiths
and beliefs, and helps to challenge prejudice
 Prompt pupils to consider their responsibilities to themselves and to others, and
to explore how they might contribute to their communities and to wider society. It
encourages empathy, generosity and compassion.
 Develop a sense of awe and wonder and mystery
The Aims of the school are to be taught through two attainment targets:
 AT1 Learning about Religion
 AT2 Learning from Religion
In Learning about Religion children learn about different beliefs and teachings, practices and
ways of life and how religions express themselves in different ways.
In Learning from Religion children reflect on and consider important questions of identity and
belonging (e.g. who and what matters to me?) questions of meaning (e.g. what do people
believe about how life began?) and values and commitments (e.g. who and what do I value?)
Units of work are planned so that pupils will acquire knowledge and understanding of the
focused faiths whilst taking into account the Church of England foundation of the school
(including the school core values, motto and mission statement) and cross – curricular links
with other areas of the school curriculum
At Pinhoe CE VA Primary School the RE curriculum also includes the opportunity for reflection
and for developing spiritual understanding. Each year group is to study 6 key bible stories over
the course of an academic year.
Key Skills in RE
At Pinhoe CE VA Primary School, RE is about developing children’s knowledge and
understanding and developing skills in investigation/enquiry, communication, interpretation,
analysis and evaluation.
These include:
 Investigation/enquiry (finding out what people believe, how their beliefs affect the way
they live and the different ways people express their beliefs).

Communication (sharing their ideas and those within religions and beliefs in a lively,
informed way including different styles of writing, oral contributions and the use if ICT).

Interpretation (recognising and talking about religious symbols, stories and sacred
texts).

Analysis and evaluation (developing their own views and ideas, recognising the views of
others).
Assessment and Recording
Both attainment targets (AT1 Learning about Religion and AT2 Learning from Religion) will be
assessed at opportunities within the schools assessment calendar. Pupils are assessed against
key ‘I can…’ statements linked to their year group and/or their ability. The RE leader produces
an overview of attainment across the school.
By the end of Key Stage 1 we expect our pupils to be able:
 Use religious words and phrases to identify some features of religion and its importance
for some people.
 Begin to show awareness of similarities in religions
 Retell religious stories and suggest meanings for religious actions and symbols
 Identify how religion is expressed in different ways.
 Recognise religious art, symbols and words, and talk about them
 Talk about what is important to me and other people
By the end of KS1, some pupils will be able to or begin to:
 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.
 Talk about what is important to me and to others with respect for their feelings
e.g. I agree with the rule about not stealing as stealing is not right.
AT1 Learning about Religion - Develop ability to describe and make links, retell, identify,
question and begin to interpret, Name, recognise and recall.
AT2 Learning from Religion - Develop making links and reflection, respond and identify,
talk about & respond simply.
By the end of Key Stage 2 we expect our pupils to be able to or begin to:
 describe some similarities within and between religions
 show an understanding of practices, beliefs, ideas, feelings and experiences
 describe the impact of religion on peoples’ lives
 raise and suggest answers to question of identity and belonging
 apply their ideas to their own and other peoples’ lives
By the end of Key Stage 2, some pupils will be able to:
 Understand that similarities and differences illustrate distinctive beliefs within and
between religions and suggest possible reasons for this
 Explain how religious sources are used to provide answers to ultimate questions
 Ask and suggest answers to questions of identity, belonging, meaning, purpose and
truth
 express their own and others’ views on the challenges of belonging to a religion
 recognise similarities and differences
 begin to identify the impact religion has on believers’ lives
 ask important questions about religion and beliefs, making links between their own and
others’ responses
AT1 Learning about Religion - Explain impact, make informed comparisons, show
understanding and describe significance & impact
AT2 Learning from Religion - Express views, explain, suggest answers, respond using
examples from religions studied, make informed comparisons.
Outcome for pupils:
At Pinhoe CE VA Primary School we aim for pupil achievement in RE to be inline with
attainment in reading, writing and maths.
Arrangements for monitoring standards of teaching and learning in RE
The co-ordinator will monitor RE within the school through analysis of assessment data,
monitoring T&L through pupil conferencing, work scrutiny, observation and discussion. Areas of
strength and development will be shared and relevant support and training put into place.
Standards within RE are reported by the RE leader to the ethos committee, school leadership
team and the governing body.
Approaches to teaching and learning in RE
RE is an exciting curriculum subject so we employ a variety of teaching methods. These
include: Visiting local places of worship and receiving visitors from faith communities
 Using art, music, dance and drama
 Children experiencing times of quiet reflection to develop their own thoughts and ideas
 Using story, pictures and photographs
 Using artefacts to help children develop their understanding of religious beliefs and
forms of expression
 Discussing religious and philosophical questions giving reasons for their own beliefs and
those of others

Developing the use of ICT (particularly DVDs and the internet) in helping children’s
awareness of religions and beliefs.
At Pinhoe CE VA Primary School, RE is taught as a discrete subject or part of a learning theme.
Learning resources
We encourage the use of a wide range of resources to enrich children’s learning. These
include children’s and teacher’s books, DVDs, music, The Internet, artefacts, CD ROMs and
guest speakers. We try to ensure RE is a lively, stimulating subject which engages all children.
Community Links
Pinhoe CE VA Primary School has special historical links with the local diocese; churches and
the community. Inviting speakers from time to time and using the local church building as a
resource strengthens these links. We visit other places of worship, both Christian and of other
faiths as part of our R.E. curriculum provision. We welcome visitors from other faiths to assist
us in the provision of the curriculum.
Personal development and well-being
RE plays an important role in preparing pupils for adult life, employment and lifelong learning.
It helps children and young people become successful learners, confident individuals and
responsible citizens. It gives them the knowledge, skills and understanding to discern and value
truth and goodness, strengthening their capacity for making moral judgements and for
evaluating different types of commitment to make positive and healthy choices.
The contribution of RE to the wider curriculum
While RE has its own distinctive subject matter it does make an important contribution to other
aspects of children’s learning across the curriculum including PSHE and SMSC.
Rights of withdrawal
We firmly believe that RE is an important subject in children’s learning.
At Pinhoe CE VA Primary School we wish to be an inclusive community but recognise that
parents, of course, have the legal right to withdraw their children religious education on the
grounds of conscience. However, the right of withdrawal does not extend to other areas of the
curriculum when, as may happen on occasion, spontaneous questions on religious matters are
raised by pupils or there are issues related to religion that arise in other subjects such as
history or citizenship.
We would ask any parent considering this to contact the head teacher to discuss any concerns
or anxieties about the policy, provision and practice of religious education at Pinhoe CE VA
School.
Responsibilities for RE within the school, (Head teacher and Governors)
As well as fulfilling their legal obligations, the governing body (through the ethos committee)
and the head teacher are responsible for:
 All pupils making progress in achieving the learning objectives of the RE curriculum
 The subject is well led and effectively managed and that standards and achievement in
RE and the quality of the provision are subject to regular and effective self-evaluation
 Those teaching RE are suitably qualified and trained in the subject and have regular and
effective opportunities for CPD
 Teachers are aware of RE’s contribution in developing pupils’ understanding of religion
and belief and its impact as part of the duty to promote community cohesion
 Teachers explore how new pedagogies and technology can be fully utilised to support
RE learning objectives
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Clear information is provided for parents on the RE curriculum and the right to withdraw
RE is resourced, staffed and timetabled so that the school can fulfil its legal obligations
on RE and pupils can make good progress
Graham Pike
October 2014