Further details: Helen Matter, Diocesan Schools’ Adviser – 01473 298570 – [email protected]
Teaching Religious
Education in Key Stage 1:
Guidance for using the Suffolk Agreed Syllabus 2012
1
Further details: Helen Matter, Diocesan Schools’ Adviser – 01473 298570 – [email protected]
Teaching Religious Education in Key Stage 1:
Guidance for using the Suffolk Agreed Syllabus 2012
The Key Stage 1 Programme of Study can be found in the
Suffolk Agreed Syllabus (2012). This details the statutory
RE requirements for all KS1 pupils in Community and
Voluntary Controlled Schools in Suffolk.
Church of England Aided Schools may also choose to
follow this syllabus although they should enrich the
Christianity content. Academies and Free schools are
invited to follow the syllabus too. Roman Catholic schools
have their own syllabus.
This Agreed Syllabus came into force in 2012-2013 and will
remain so until the Suffolk SACRE1 reviews it and decides
whether the syllabus should remain or be replaced.
Government legislation on the National Curriculum does not affect the Agreed
Syllabus for RE; RE is locally determined by law and the Suffolk Syllabus is a
statutory document in its own right.
Contents of this pack:
 Programme of Study for Key Stage 1 (from Suffolk Agreed Syllabus 2012)
 What might a Scheme of Work for KS1 look like?
 How should a KS1 Scheme differ in a CEVA school/CE academy/CE Free school?
 The Emmanuel Project: an RE Scheme of Work
 Attainment in Religious Education
 An example of ‘I can’ statements based on the Suffolk Agreed Syllabus
 What do we have to do in KS1 RE? A simple guide
 Five flexible building blocks for an effective RE enquiry
 A Sample Enquiry Cycle - Believing: Why was Jesus given the name Saviour?
 Some Resources for Key Stage 1 RE
This pack is intended to support headteachers, teachers of RE, HLTAs,
governors and RE Subject Leaders as they devise or revise their KS1
curriculum. There is a similar document for EYFS and for KS2.
Further copies may be downloaded from www.cofesuffolk.org (follow
Schools and religious education) where you will also find other support
materials and details of courses and conferences for RE teachers.
1
SACRE – Standing Advisory Council for Religious Education – a statutory body of the County Council
2
Further details: Helen Matter, Diocesan Schools’ Adviser – 01473 298570 – [email protected]
Programme of Study for Key Stage 1
Throughout Key Stage 1 pupils investigate Christianity and are introduced to at
least one other principal religion. They learn about different beliefs about God and the
world around them. They encounter and respond to a range of stories, artefacts and
other religious materials. They learn to recognise that beliefs are expressed in a
variety of ways, and begin to use specialist vocabulary. They begin to understand the
importance and value of religion and beliefs for some children and their families.
Pupils ask relevant questions and use their imagination to develop a sense of wonder
about the world. They talk about what is important to them and others, valuing
themselves, reflecting on their own feelings and experiences and developing a sense
of belonging.
Knowledge, skills and understanding
Learning about religion and belief
Pupils should be taught to:
• explore a range of religious stories and sacred writings, and talk about their
meanings
• name and explore a range of celebrations, worship and rituals in religion,
 noting similarities and differences, where appropriate
• identify the importance, for some people, of belonging to a religion and
recognise the difference this makes to their lives
• explore how religious beliefs and ideas can be expressed through the creative
and expressive arts and communicate their responses
• identify and suggest meanings for religious symbols and begin to use a range of
religious words and phrases.
Learning from religion and belief
Pupils should be taught to:
• reflect on and consider religious and spiritual feelings, experiences and concepts,
• such as worship, wonder, praise, thanks, concern, joy and sadness
• ask and respond imaginatively to puzzling questions, communicating their ideas
• identify what matters to them and others, including those with religious
commitments, and communicate their responses
• reflect on how spiritual and moral values relate to their own behaviour
• particularly those concerned with right and wrong, justice and injustice
• recognise that religious teachings and ideas make a difference to individuals,
families and the local community.
3
Further details: Helen Matter, Diocesan Schools’ Adviser – 01473 298570 – [email protected]
Breadth of Study
During this key stage pupils should be taught the knowledge, skills and
understanding through the following:
a. Religions and beliefs
• investigating Christianity introducing all the learning themes below
• introducing one other principal religion, Judaism, including at least themes 1 – 4.
• encountering examples from other religions (Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam or
Sikhism) possibly with a local presence and a secular world view as appropriate,
and touching on any relevant area of study.
• encountering a secular world view within any of the learning themes.
N.B. More time should be spent on Christianity than on any other individual religion with a
minimum equivalent of no fewer than three terms on Christianity and one on Judaism.
1 This contributes to the fulfilment of the statutory requirement to teach about all ‘principal’
religions in Britain. It does not exclude teaching of other faiths or suggest one faith is more
or less important than others.
2 Each learning theme is developed into key questions relating to the six principal religions
in the Non-statutory Curriculum Guidance for Religious Education in Suffolk Schools 2012.
This will enable teachers to construct units of work around key questions.
b. Learning themes
1. Believing
What some families believe about God, the natural world,
human beings, a significant figure.
2. Belonging
Where and how people belong and why belonging is important
3. Prayer and
Worship
How and why some people pray and what happens in a place of
worship
4. Leaders and
Teachers
Figures who have an influence on others locally, nationally and
globally in religion and why
5. Stories and
Books
How and why some stories and books are sacred and important
6. Celebrations
What celebrations are important in religion and why
7. Symbols and
Artefacts
How symbols and artefacts are used to express religious
meaning and why they are used
4
Further details: Helen Matter, Diocesan Schools’ Adviser – 01473 298570 – [email protected]
Experiences and opportunities
• visiting places of worship with a focus on stories, symbols and feelings
• listening and responding to visitors from local faith communities
• using their senses to explore religious artefacts
• experiencing times of celebration, ritual, silence and quiet reflection
• using art and design, music, dance and drama to express feelings and ideas
• beginning to use ICT to explore religions and beliefs
• encountering secular world views and sharing their own beliefs, ideas and
values
This Programme of Study comes from the Suffolk Agreed Syllabus for Religious
Education 2012.
Note from the Schools’ Adviser – Sept. 2016
The Emmanuel Project, fully trialled in schools and
providing lesson materials for each Learning Theme, is
now available. Written in the form of guided learning
enquiries, these help teachers take a conceptual
approach to RE and support teacher background
knowledge. See details later in the booklet.
Alternatively, support can still be found in the Nonstatutory Curriculum Guidance for Religious Education in
Suffolk Schools 2006. This provides key questions
relating to the six principal religions for each Learning
Theme and can be used to construct your own units of
work. If you use these questions, remember to select;
do not attempt to do them all.
Tudor CE Primary
Academy, Sudbury
KS1 Emmanuel
Project Judaism
‘Believing’ unit
This guidance can be found on Suffolk Learning website
or on www.cofesuffolk.org – following schools and
religious education.
5
What might a Scheme of Work for KS1 look like?
Here is one way of organising a Scheme of Work based on the Programme of Study for KS1. There are other ways of doing this. It is
good to lay out what you want to do over 2 years e.g. as a straight year 1 and 2 plan or as years A/B on a two year cycle.
This model gives a good balance between Christianity and Judaism in any one year and puts Learning Themes 1-4 alongside each other
so similarities and differences can be picked up more easily; this is an important feature of assessment in RE.
One half term is left free for teachers to encounter an example from another religion such as Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism or Buddhism. For
this work any learning theme could be touched upon.
In addition, a brief encounter with other religions is commended in the first four themes. This is indicated by a coloured block in the grid
e.g. when looking at Belonging, 6 hours should be spent on both Christianity and Judaism but an additional hour could be spent
looking at how Sikh babies are welcomed into their community, in Prayer and Worship an hour could be spent on Muslims
praying, in Leaders and Teachers, children could hear a simple story about Buddha, and in Believing, classes could investigate
Ganesh, a favourite deity in Hinduism.
Autumn 1
Autumn 2
Belonging
Spring 1
Spring 2
Stories
Celebrations
and Books
Summer 1
Summer 2
YEAR
Prayer
and Worship
Christianity
Judaism
Christianity
Christianity
Christianity
Judaism
Autumn 1
Autumn 2
Spring 1
Spring 2
Summer 1
Summer 2
A school-selected
unit on any religion
or learning theme.
This could be taught
anywhere in the plan.
Symbols
Leaders
and Teachers
Christianity
Judaism
YEAR
Believing
2
and Artefacts
Christianity
1
Christianity
Judaism
6
Further details: Helen Matter, Diocesan Schools’ Adviser – 01473 298570 – [email protected]
RE can often be more closely linked to other curricular areas by moving units around within a year to
establish better matches or even play the lead e.g. with a unit on Stories and Books or Belonging, but
schools should not ignore the statutory nature of the RE curriculum in KS1.
Later, in Key Stage 2, Hinduism and Islam are the main religions looked at alongside Christianity.
Judaism is revisited, having been a focus in Key Stage 1, while Sikhism, Buddhism and Humanism
are encountered in any Learning Theme wished.
The Good Samaritan, Kessingland
CE – Stories and Books unit
Here is another version:
Year 1 / A
Celebrations
Belonging
Where and how people belong
and why belonging is important
Prayer and Worship
Stories and Books
How and why some people pray and what How and why some stories and books are
happens in a place of worship
sacred and important
(Christian)
(Christian + Jewish)
(Christian + Jewish)
(Christian + Jewish)
Year 2 / B
Believing
Symbols and Artefacts
Leaders and Teachers
Celebrations
What some families believe
about God, natural world,
humans, a significant figure
How are these are used to express
religious meaning and why these are
used
Figures who have an influence on others
locally, nationally and globally in religion
and why
(Christian + Jewish)
(Christian + Jewish)
(Christian + Jewish)
(Christian)
Notes: ‘Celebrations’ Learning Theme is ongoing not restricted to a particular term or year. Staff can expand on Christian festivals in CW to enrich
RE curriculum but at least one hour lesson per half-term. Additional material may be covered in English but not replace the RE lesson.
In Year 1 / A, the syllabus requires Christian stories but here additional stories from the Christian Old Testament are included as stories shared with
the Jewish community. It is also suggested that children discuss their ‘Open the Book’ assembly stories, delivered by a local church to uncover why
their importance to believers. In Year2 / B, extra time on artefacts gives space to study symbols of Easter and some Jewish artefacts too.
7
Further details: Helen Matter, Diocesan Schools’ Adviser – 01473 298570 – [email protected]
How should a KS1 Scheme of Work differ in a CEVA Primary / CE Academy / CE Free school?
The C of E Education Office (previously The National Society) recommends up to ¾ of RE time is Christian. In CEVA schools, governors must decide
what RE should be taught; most adopt the Suffolk Agreed Syllabus. RE lessons in an Aided school, and in a CE Academy which was
previously an Aided school, are inspected regularly by the National Society as part of the SIAMS inspection process.
HMI have warned that the teaching of Christianity has been the worst of any religion. This should not be the case in a church school where RE
should be highly valued. It is to be hoped that all pupils in CEVA schools will develop a rich understanding of
Christianity, and in turn be able to share this in RE lessons in high school.
The Suffolk Agreed Syllabus for KS1 provides for sufficient Christianity to satisfy the National Society. KS1
children will, however, benefit from a richer diet of Bible stories, both Old and New Testament. A class Bible
story book for use in classroom worship time or at story-time would be an excellent start as would a good
selection of individual Bible story books in the class library or book box. Visits to the local parish church and
familiarity with the local clergy would also be beneficial.
Consideration should be given to enriching the RE curriculum in KS1 with such things as:

a Cathedral visit or a visit from the Guild of Storytellers, who work from the Discovery Centre at the
Cathedral in Bury St Edmunds

involvement in special festival days e.g. Christmas, Easter, Epiphany, Pentecost, maybe resulting in a
play or a special church service

Active choice of some Christian content for other curricular areas – a longer Bible story for Literacy, a
Christian artist or an artist working with a Christian subject, Songs from the World Church used in
music or by a school choir.

Involvement in whole school work around the celebration of Eucharist, the arrival of a (new) Bishop,
the Lord’s Prayer, a royal wedding, baptism or funeral, etc.
Governors and RE staff should be aware of the Statement of RE Entitlement from National
Society, and also the SIAMS inspection schedule for RE which all church aided, or former church
aided, schools undergo. This documentation is used to inspect RE. These documents are available from the C of E Education Office
website: https://www.churchofengland.org/education/church-schools-academies.aspx
8
Further details: Helen Matter, Diocesan Schools’ Adviser – 01473 298570 – [email protected]
The Emmanuel Project: an RE Scheme of Work
The pictures here come from the trials of the new Emmanuel Project materials for
KS1 which are being used successfully in Suffolk schools and form part of a
scheme of work which runs from EYFS through to the end of Y6.
The 7 Christianity units for KS1 are on CD 1 which costs £75 and contains 22
Christianity units from EYFS to Y6. Order from: [email protected].
Disk 2 contains 20 additional units on different world religions - for KS1 - 4 on
Judaism and one on Islam - and KS2 – 4 on Islam, 4 on Hinduism, 2 each on
Buddhism, Sikhism and Judaism and 1 on Humanism). This disk will be
available late autumn 2016 and can be ordered now from: [email protected].
Overleaf is the Programme of Study for KS1 created by the units; it covers the Agreed Syllabus by looking
at key Christian, Jewish and Muslim concepts or beliefs and unpacking stories, festivals and practices
through learning about those beliefs. Taught well, these units make an excellent and challenging
programme of study for all schools.
9
Further details: Helen Matter, Diocesan Schools’ Adviser – 01473 298570 – [email protected]
Autumn 1
Autumn 2
Belonging
Spring 1
Spring 2
Summer 1
Summer 2
Stories
and Books
Prayer
and Worship
Celebrations
(Pentecost)
Prayer
and Worship
Christianity
Judaism
Christianity
Christianity
Christianity
Judaism
Baptism /
church
Mitzvot /
tzedakah
Parables /
gospel
Prayer /
worship
Emmanuel / Holy
Spirit
Creation /
blessings
Why is belonging
to God and the
church family
important to
Christians?
Why is learning to
do good deeds so
important to
Jewish people?
What did Jesus
teach about God in
his parables?
Why do Christians
pray to God and
worship him?
How does celebrating
Pentecost remind
Christians that God is
with them always?
Why do Jewish
families say so many
prayers and
blessings?
Autumn 1
Autumn 2
Summer 1
Summer 2
Spring 1
Believing
Judaism
Christianity
Teshuvah/ G-D Saviour / Jesus
Why do Jewish
families talk about
G_D & repentance
at new year?
Why was Jesus
given the name
‘saviour’?
Spring 2
Symbols
and Artefacts
Leaders & Teachers
Islam
Peace /
obedience
Christianity
Resurrection /
joy
Christianity
Disciple / faith
Judaism
Torah / rabbi
Why do Muslims
believe peace and
obedience go
together?
What are the best
symbols of Jesus’
death & resurrection
at Easter?
Why do Christians
trust Jesus and
follow him?
Why is the Torah
such a joy for the
Jewish community?
YEAR
1
OR
A
YEAR
2
OR
B
This is the outline for the Emmanuel Project units for Key Stage 1 Religious Education.
10
Further details - Helen Matter, Diocesan Schools’ Adviser – 01473 298570 – [email protected]
Attainment in Religious Education
ASSESSMENT nationally is undergoing huge changes. The Suffolk Agreed Syllabus
(2012) still uses 8 levels to assess pupil progress. These are set out below.
Additional details can be found in the Agreed Syllabus.
Continue to use these levels to set appropriate challenges for pupils and
assess their progress.
Adapt the terminology to your current school policy on assessment.
Pupils nationally achieve lower results in RE, often it is because they are set less
challenging work or are assessed in relation to English not RE. Look at the levels
you think your pupils are likely to achieve. Use the descriptors to help plan suitable
tasks and you will rapidly become familiar with them.
Level Descriptions for Religious Education (Suffolk)
Level 1
Attainment Target 1: Learning about Religion and Belief
Pupils use some religious words and phrases to recognise and name features of
religious life and practice. They can recall religious stories and recognise
symbols, and other verbal and visual forms of religious expression.
Attainment Target 2: Learning from Religion and Belief
Pupils talk about their own experiences and feelings, what they find interesting
or puzzling and what is of value and concern to themselves and to others.
Level 2
Attainment Target 1: Learning about Religion and Belief
Pupils use religious words and phrases to identify some features of religion and
its importance for some people. They begin to show awareness of similarities in
religions. Pupils retell religious stories and suggest meanings for religious
actions and symbols. They identify how religion is expressed in different ways.
Attainment Target 2: Learning from Religion and Belief
Pupils 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,
they recognise their own values and those of others.
Level 3
Attainment Target 1: Learning about Religion and Belief
Pupils use a developing religious vocabulary to describe some key features of
religions, recognising similarities and differences. They make links between
11
Further details - Helen Matter, Diocesan Schools’ Adviser – 01473 298570 – [email protected]
beliefs and sources, including religious stories and sacred texts. They begin to
identify the impact religion has on believers’ lives. They describe some forms of
religious expression.
Attainment Target 2: Learning from Religion and Belief
Pupils identify what influences them, making links between aspects of their
own and others’ experiences. They ask important questions about religion and
beliefs, making links between their own and others’ responses. They make links
between values and commitments, and their own attitudes and behaviour.
Level 4
Attainment Target 1: Learning about Religion and Belief
Pupils use a developing religious vocabulary to describe and show
understanding of sources, practices, beliefs, ideas, feelings and experiences.
They make links between them, and describe some similarities and differences
both within and between religions. They describe the impact of religion on
people’s lives. They suggest meanings for a range of forms of religious
expression.
Attainment Target 2: Learning from Religion and Belief
Pupils raise, and suggest answers to, questions of identity, belonging, meaning,
purpose, truth, values and commitments. They apply their ideas to their own
and other people’s lives. They describe what inspires and influences themselves
and others.
Notes:
• The Non-Statutory Curriculum Guidance includes ‘P’ Levels.
• An alternative grid form of the levels is available – see overleaf. Many teachers
have found this useful for helping to plan and record assessment tasks. This is
the format used in The Emmanuel Project.
• Teachers are advised to keep some records of pupil progress and evidence of
tasks related to the assessment levels; this might include oral work, class
books, display work or individual work in books as appropriate.
• In CEVA schools, or Academies which were CEVA, RE is inspected regularly. It
is even more important that RE is assessed regularly and that evidence should
be available inspectors. If these schools wish to adapt the syllabus and use
another form of assessment this should be noted in the RE policy approved by
the governors.
12
An example of ‘I can’ statements based on Suffolk Agreed Syllabus Level Descriptors (from the Lord’s Prayer Project)
Level
1
2
3
AT1 Learning about religion
How pupils develop their knowledge, skills and understanding with reference
to:
beliefs, teachings and practices and ways of forms of expression
sources
life
I can
I can
I can
remember a Christian
use the right names for
recognise religious art,
(Hindu, etc.) story and
things that are special to symbols and words and
talk about it
Buddhists (Jews, etc)
talk about them
AT2 Learning from religion
How pupils, in the light of their learning about religion, express their responses
and insights with regard to questions and issues about:
identity and
meaning, purpose
values and
belonging
and truth
commitments
I can
I can
I can
talk about things that
talk about what I find
talk about what is
happen to me
interesting or puzzling
important to me and to
other people
e.g. talk about how
Jesus taught his
disciples to pray to God
e.g. say “That is the
Lord’s Prayer” when I
e.g. recognize the word
‘amen’ and know it
comes at the end of a
prayer
e.g. talk about who
teaches me important
things
e.g. say ‘It’s strange
that God is a swear
word.’
e.g. talk about my name
and say that respecting
God’s name is important
to some people
tell a Christian (Sikh,
etc.) story and say some
things that people
believe
talk about some of the
things that that are the
same for different
religious people
ask about what happens
to others with respect
for their feelings
talk about some things
in stories that make
people ask questions
talk about what is
important to me and to
others with respect for
their feelings
e.g. tell Jesus’ story of
the Lost Son from Luke
15 and say some things
Christians believe God
about God as father
e.g. say that Christians
and Muslims both have
special prayers that they
learn and say, and that
prayers ask God for help
say what some Christian
(Muslim, etc) symbols
stand for and say what
some of the art (music,
etc) is about
e.g. say Lord’s Prayer
e.g. ask different people
about praying to find out
what they do, or
whether they pray.
e.g. in the story of the
‘Lost Son’ ask why the
father was nice to the
son when he came back.
e.g. say I want to be
forgiven when I say
sorry and I think others
want to be forgiven too
describe what a believer
might learn from a
religious story
describe some of the
things that are the same
and different for
religious people
use religious words to
describe some of the
different ways in which
people show their beliefs
compare some of the
things that influence me
with those that influence
other people
ask important questions
about life and compare
my ideas with those of
other people
link things that are
important to me and
other people with the
way I think and behave
e.g. describe what some
phrases of the Lord’s
Prayer teach Christians
about God
hear it said or sung
e.g. note how Christians
and Muslims both have
prayers they learn by
heart, but they are
different; all Muslims
learn set prayers, not all
Christians do
reminds Christians of
Jesus; say Christians use
prayers to praise and
thank God and say sorry
e.g. talk about the
words ‘hallowed’ and
‘honoured’ and how
Christians show their
respect for God in
different ways
e.g. talk about how
Jesus influenced his
disciples then and today
and how friends
influence them
e.g. ask why the world
isn’t perfect, compare
my own ideas with
Christian ideas from the
Lord’s Prayer
e.g. talk about how
Jesus’ words and stories
about forgiveness might
make me think or
behave when I have a
grudge against someone
13
Further details - Helen Matter, Diocesan Schools’ Adviser – 01473 298570 – [email protected]
What do we have to do in KS1 RE?
A simple guide for RE Subject Leaders to use with their colleagues
1. Follow the Agreed Syllabus for Suffolk (2012). This is the legal document
which outlines the children’s entitlement.
2. Allow for 36 hours a year of RE, delivered as a stand-alone subject or
integrated into a creative curriculum approach. Be careful that RE is not distorted or
pupils’ entitlement lost because staff do not understand the statutory requirements.
3. Encourage the right attitudes in RE
The syllabus encourages 4 in particular:




self-awareness
respect for all
open-mindedness
appreciation and wonder
4. Ensure the 2 Attainment Targets are used (Learning about Religion and
Belief / Learning from Religion and Belief) to help measure progress in RE and set
challenging tasks.
5. Study the KS1 Programme of Study so everyone knows the baseline for RE
teaching in KS1. The Programme of Study contains:
 Overview for KS1 RE
 Learning about Religion and Belief / Learning from Religion and
Belief objectives for pupils at KS1
 Religions and Beliefs to be studied in KS1 in relation to Learning Themes
o Christianity - forms the core
o Judaism - provides continuity into KS2
o Other religions and worldviews e.g. Humanism - as appropriate
 7 Learning Themes through which religions are viewed at KS1
 Experiences and Opportunities for pupils at KS1
6. Look at your school scheme of work in the light
of requirements or create your own order for teaching
the requirements. Compare with other curricular areas
for possible links.
Jesus calms the Storm – Sir Robert
Hitcham CEVA Primary, Framlingham
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Further details - Helen Matter, Diocesan Schools’ Adviser – 01473 298570 – [email protected]
Planning units of work
You could plan your own units:
1. Take a learning theme e.g. Believing
This must be taught for Christianity for half-a term,
no less than 6 hours, and for Judaism for a further
half-term. It would be good to teach these close
together so comparisons may be made.
Our Tzedakah box – Kessingland CE Y1s
Teachers may find they have ideas stimulated just by the title. Or none at all!
2. Check the definition of the title. For ‘Believing’, the Programme of Study says:
What do some (Christian) families believe about God, the natural world,
human beings, a significant figure
This may give teachers more ideas or still leave them with no idea what to do!
3. Find KS1 Christianity in the Non-Statutory Guidance. Look up ‘Believing’.
This gives a series of possible areas which Christians might say are important to
them. And it frames Learning about and Learning from questions for teachers
to use. Select one or two areas to use. Look up material that relates to the
children’s interests if possible.
4. Refer to the Programme of Study ‘Experiences and Opportunities’ to help establish
a varied pedagogy in RE and use the Assessment level descriptors to help decide on
tasks and ensure there is sufficient challenge for all pupils.
Alternatively, you could adopt The Emmanuel Project units; these provide ready-made
units for your scheme of work – see p.9-10. Teachers should read these units
carefully adapting the material to their own class.
The Emmanuel Project
is based on the Enquiry Cycle model, describer
overleaf, which explores key concepts or beliefs in
each religion and the stories, practices and rituals
which arise from them.
In the Enquiry Cycle, pupils engage with concepts
in an exciting way, making links with their own
experiences of life. They develop questions to help
them enquire into religious belief and practice and
explore these in different ways. They evaluate
their work to see if they have a secure
understanding of the belief / concept and then
express their learning for another audience.
Great Prayer and Worship
Adventure in St Luke’s
Church, Beccles
From a pack produced by the
Diocesan Education Team –
available from
[email protected]
15
Further details - Helen Matter, Diocesan Schools’ Adviser – 01473 298570 – [email protected]
Five flexible building blocks for an effective RE enquiry
Engage
Express
Evaluate
Enquire
Explore
The Suffolk Agreed Syllabus 2012
recommends, among other
approaches, the use of an enquiry
model for RE. The framework is
described in more detail here and
an example of the basic enquiry
cycle given. Teachers are
encouraged to use this
framework when creating their
own units.
The Emmanuel Project units were
also written in this format and
developed into fuller lesson plans.
ENGAGE
A stimulus is offered to ENGAGE
pupils with a key religious concept.
A carousel of activities may be used to
stimulate thinking or a teacher may set
up a community of enquiry, a reflective
story telling session, a dilemma,
visualisation or creative activity.
Carefully selected stories, poems, artwork
or artefacts may also draw pupils in with
questions such as:
 What does this make you think of?
 Have you seen/heard anything like this before?
 I wonder how this is used?
 Why might this be important to some people?
Shabbat Box project
Whatever is chosen should point towards the concept being introduced, initially,
drawing on contexts related to pupils’ own experience or prior knowledge, although
it is also very powerful to use a context which grips the imagination even if it is
outside pupils’ experience.
As pupils ENGAGE with the stimulus, they begin to unpack the meaning and
significance of the key concept and any misconceptions, including those of the
teacher, can be challenged.
A good choice of stimulus should encourage pupils to take full ownership of the
ENQUIRY and lead them towards the creation or unveiling of a big or key question
which will frame their work.
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Further details - Helen Matter, Diocesan Schools’ Adviser – 01473 298570 – [email protected]
ENQUIRE
A ‘big’ question related to the key concept is
co-constructed and agreed with the pupils;
they are ready to ENQUIRE.
Where the right stimulus was chosen in the
ENGAGE stage, the question is often constructed
and agreed naturally, and sub-questions may also
be recorded. With younger pupils or those
inexperienced in an enquiry approach, the teacher may
‘model’ questions. Blooms Taxonomy is helpful in creating
good questions.
Wilby CEVC Primary
As pupils ENQUIRE further the journey of learning is mapped out: ‘What do we need
to find out in order to be able to answer our question?’ ‘Is there more than one way
of showing what we find out?’ ‘Who can we ask?’ ‘How can we show our learning?’
At this stage, the assessment criteria are introduced to the pupils along with the
‘express’ task so pupils can see where their learning journey will take them, the
purposes of the learning and what good work will look like in this ENQUIRY.
EXPLORE
Pupils set out to EXPLORE religions and/or
worldviews in relation to the key concept / focus
of the ENQUIRY and the questions developed in
the ENQUIRE stage.
The teacher takes on the role of facilitator, providing
appropriate resources and content for all abilities to
undertake investigation and research; they may also
actively teach some content. A range of pedagogies
may be used according to abilities and age groups.
Useful approaches may be: ‘Thinking Skills’, Active
Learning strategies, various forms of independent
research.
In this stage pupils are generally Learning about
religion and belief (AT1). They should use examples
from religious, philosophical or secular traditions to
explore the key concept further.
Sir Robert Hitcham CEVA
Primary, Framlingham
Some big RE questions more associated with Learning from religion and belief (AT2)
may arise as the pupils proceed with their exploration:



What does this really mean? What do I think about what it means?
Is this only important for some people? Why?
What would it be like if everyone believed this? What if I believed it?
Teachers encourage pupils to consider such questions and draw their own
conclusions. Pupils should be engaged with continual reflection on their learning.
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Further details - Helen Matter, Diocesan Schools’ Adviser – 01473 298570 – [email protected]
Supplementary questions from the ENQUIRE stage are used in plenaries to see if the
knowledge being gained is helping pupils find answers to their big question or
shedding light on key concepts.
EVALUATE
Pupils EVALUATE their learning in this
ENQUIRY; they have time for personal
reflection on and response to the key religious
concept they have been exploring.
At this stage pupils are focused on Learning from
religion and belief (AT2) with opportunities for
robust and challenging discussion with questions
posed by both teacher and pupils. They should
check their understanding of the key religious
concept as they evaluate what they have learnt.
All Saints’, Laxfield CEVA Primary
It is important to ask learners not only how well they answered the focus of the
ENQUIRY, but also how they went about their learning: Did they co-operate? Were
they good researchers? Did they show independence? What happened when they
were stuck? Did they learn from their mistakes?
EXPRESS
Pupils EXPRESS an answer to the key
question or their understanding of
the key religious concept at the
heart of the ENQUIRY.
Teachers use a range of different
approaches to enable children to express
themselves and draw together what they
have learned from each stage of the
enquiry. The TASC wheel (Thinking
Actively in a Social Context) may be a
useful strategy in this stage.
If possible, pupils choose how to express their
Jonah, Kessingland CE Primary
knowledge and understanding e.g. through the
creative arts, presentations, written tasks. Peer and
self- assessment is encouraged as pupils complete their tasks and further individual
evaluation and pupil assessment will be possible.
On the following page you will find a sample Enquiry Cycle (Believing:
Christianity) which unpacks ‘Why was Jesus given the name Saviour?’
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1. Engage with the concepts of rescuing and a rescuer
5. Express knowledge and understanding
in relation to the two Attainment Targets for RE e.g.
 Art activity – painting/drawing – showing God coming to
earth as a baby and talking about it
 Art activity – 3D (e.g. clay, plasticene), collage – Choose the
4 most important characters to put in your crib set. Make
crib set. Explain choices.




Look at pictures of rescues – who needs rescuing/who is rescued? How? Why?
Look at picture The Annunciation by Paul Woelfel. Cover most of the picture just
leaving envelope and hand visible – what do they think is in the envelope? How is it
being held? Look at whole picture – what questions do they have?
Tell the story of the Annunciation (Bible, Luke 1:26-38), using a story bible. Angel
means ‘messenger’ – what is the message? What is Mary doing, why?
Drama – responding to the painting of Simeon and Anna
‘Presentation in the Temple’ by Dinah Roe Kendall.
2. Enquire into the idea of Jesus coming as a saviour (rescuer)
4. Evaluate what pupils have learned about
Christian belief in Jesus
 Look at picture ‘Eternal God is Born’ by Sister
Mary Stephen. Use for assessment opportunities:
Who is in the picture? What do you think the
picture is about?
 What does Jesus’ name mean? Would a Christian
think it was a good name?
 Extension – God was born as a baby because...
Or Jesus was a light because …
 Look at nativity sets/pictures. What do you know about the story?
Storyline – sequencing activity. What questions do you have about the
story? Record questions.
 Why do Christians keep telling this story? Who is the most important
person in the nativity story for Christians? Why?
 Names – who chose your name? Why? What does it mean – look at baby
name books and on-line. How did Jesus get his name? (Mary was told to
call him Jesus) Why Jesus? What does it mean? (saviour) What is a
saviour? (link back to rescuing/saving in ENGAGE)
3. Explore what Jesus means to Christians i.e. as God come to help
CHRISTIANITY –
Believing
Why was Jesus given the name Saviour?
 Listen to or learn songs about Jesus as saviour/ coming from God.
 Tell the story of Simeon and Anna (Luke 2: 21-39) who had been waiting for
God to rescue their whole ‘people’. What is it like to wait for someone
special? .. or to wait for someone to help you?
 Talk about experiences of light and dark. Think about being in the dark.
Why might we need help in the dark? How is the world ‘dark’? Why do
Christians say Jesus is the ‘light of the world’?
 Candle craft e.g. Advent wreath/candle (see ‘Barnabas’ make and do crafts –
talk to Christians about the significance to them.)
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Further details - Helen Matter, Diocesan Schools’ Adviser – 01473 298570 – [email protected]
Some resources for Key Stage 1 RE
The Emmanuel Project Christianity materials are available
from [email protected] for £75. There are 22
Christianity units from EYFS to Y6 on the disk.
Disk 2 contains additional units on different world religions
- for KS1 - 4 on Judaism and one on Islam - and KS2 – 4
on Islam, 4 on Hinduism, 2 each on Buddhism, Sikhism
and Judaism and 1 on Humanism). This second disk will
be available late autumn 2016.
 RE Today Services – produce a number of teaching booklets on different
learning themes for the primary phase, which give you lots of usable ideas for
different units of work. Visit their website to see what is on offer.
 Reflective Storytelling Books – from the Cathedral Discovery Centre, Bury St
Edmunds, which also arranges school visits
 The Lord’s Prayer Project – A CD with songs and much more including lessons
for a whole school RE day on the Lord’s Prayer and enough work to support
Prayer and Worship: Christianity. Order the CD for £15 plus p and p from
[email protected] but check first to see if the school already has it.
 The Great Prayer and Worship Adventure - a photo-pack with lessons and
interactive stations to support Prayer and Worship: Christianity. Order from
[email protected] @£15 plus p and p.
 Websites like REonline and REquest provide useful links and resources which
can be freely downloaded.
 Persona dolls – The Emmanuel Project units use
two characters: Tom and Tessa. Pictures or
cartoons can be used to represent them but persona
dolls are ideal. You can also download lessons
about Elizabeth (a Christian) which could help in
mixed EYFS and KS1 classes http://www.bristol.anglican.org/2013/15659/. The
lessons would need more development for KS1
children. Other religions also available.
 Artefacts, persona dolls, DVDs and books for RE can be bought from ‘Articles
of Faith’ or ‘Religion in Evidence’.
 Focus papers on different religions with background information and lots of
ideas can be found on www.cofesuffolk.org.uk – follow Schools + Religious
Education.
Courses for KS1 teachers to help them teaching the Emmanuel units are
available each year. Contact [email protected] for more
information or see the Diocesan website: www.cofesuffolk.org.uk.
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