Statement of Intent

 

RE is an important part of the curriculum at the Sherwood School. It “contributes to pupils’ personal development and well-being and to community cohesion by promoting mutual respect and tolerance in a diverse society.”

As a UNICEF Rights Respecting School, we teach children to value and respect the beliefs of others through discussion of the Articles of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, for example:

 

Article 14: You have the right to choose your own religion and beliefs. Your parents should help you decide what is right and wrong, and what is best for you.

Article 30: You have the right to practice your own culture, language and religion - or any you choose. Minority and indigenous groups need special protection of this right.

Article 12: You have the right to give your opinion, and for adults to listen and take it seriously.

 

We follow the Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education in The London Borough of Merton 2016, which says, “Merton’s children are growing up in a highly diverse community. RE lessons are an excellent place to celebrate and collectively learn from this wide diversity”. This document states the aims of teaching Religious education. It should help pupils to:

• acquire and develop a knowledge and understanding of Christianity and the other principal religions represented in Great Britain;
• develop an understanding of the influence of beliefs, values and traditions on the way people live;
• enhance their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development by:
• developing awareness of the fundamental questions of life raised by human experiences and how religious teachings relate to them;
• responding to such questions with reference to the teachings and practices of other religions and to their own understanding and experience;
• reflecting on their own beliefs, values and experiences in the light of their study;
• develop the ability to come to reasoned and informed opinions about religious and moral issues, making specific but not necessarily exclusive reference to the teachings of the principal religions represented in Great Britain;
• develop positive attitudes towards other people, respecting their right to hold different beliefs from their own, and towards living in a religiously diverse society.

 

Implementation:

Throughout the school, children are encouraged to share their own experiences, opinions and beliefs as well as listen to and respect the opinions and beliefs of others, promoting tolerance and inclusion. This occurs through weekly RE lessons, assemblies, visits to places of worship and visitors from the local community coming into school. The school also holds annual RE days to raise the profile of the subject and give the children the opportunity to work together and share their work with the rest of the school. Themes in the past have included places of worship and special books.

 

The focus for each key stage is as follows:

 

Early Years Foundation Stage - A thematic approach drawing on Christianity and the faiths of pupils represented in the classroom. ‘Special’ places, people and things are discussed and shared.

Key Stage 1 - Christianity plus Islam. In addition, the RE curriculum draws upon examples, experiences and stories of other faith traditions or belief traditions.

Key Stage 2 - Christianity plus Islam, Judaism and Hinduism. Again, the RE curriculum draws upon examples, experiences and stories of other faith traditions or belief traditions.

 

Impact:

Children's progress and attainment in RE is continually assessed through a range of means, including questioning in class discussions, children's written work in their books, group presentations, self and peer assessment. This is reported to parents and carers in termly consultation evenings and in end of year reports.