Emley First School

The role of religious education is to provide opportunities for pupils to study and reflect on the beliefs and practices on which people base their lives, so that respect for those with religious and other beliefs is well founded. It promotes attitudes and values necessary for responsible citizenship in a democratic and pluralistic society. It is the education of young people about religion. Our schools task in RE is to enable pupils to be aware of religious ideas, feelings and activities, to reflect upon human experiences, to consider values and commitments and to understand that religious beliefs and customs are important to millions of people throughout the world. It provides opportunity to study Christianity and the other principle religions of Britain. RE contributes to the development of the pupils’ own beliefs and values and sense of identity. It does not promote a particular religion or set of beliefs.

We want the children to be excited about their learning and we believe that providing a mixture of discrete and thematic programmes of study excites, challenges and supports high quality teaching and learning.

At Emley First School we follow the Kirklees and Calderdale agreed syllabus in Religious Education, which is based mainly around Christianity. We include teaching about, Islam, Judaism, Sikhism and festivals from other faiths. As our children are taught in mixed age classes they will often cover units on a rolling programme. Class based learning is supported by multifaith visits and visitors into our school. We have a range of resources for our children to use to support their understanding of different faiths. We have strong links with our local Church and regularly hold Harvest and Christmas festivals there.

Our children are interested, engaged and understanding of a range of different beliefs. Our children are accepting, tolerant and understanding and people are respected for their own beliefs.

RE Statutory Coverage

The RE curriculum taught at Emley First school can be found in the New Kirklees Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education for Kirklees -Believing and Belonging 2024.

The Teaching and Learning Policy sets out in more detail how our curriculum is designed, taught and assessed.

EYFS In line with the DfE’s 2020 EYFS Development Matters the most relevant statements for RE are taken from Personal, Social and Emotional Development and Understanding the World. The Early Learning Goals are:

• Show sensitivity to their own and others’ needs.
• To talk about the lives of the people around them and their roles in society.
• To understand the past through settings, characters and events encountered in books read in class and storytelling.
• Know some similarities and differences between different religious and cultural communities in this country, drawing on their experiences and what has been read in class.

Key Stage One In key stage one pupils should develop their knowledge and understanding of religions and world views, recognising local, national and global contexts. They should use basic subject specific vocabulary. They should raise questions about beliefs and find out about questions of right and wrong and begin to respond with their own views. Teaching and learning should be focused around Christianity and Islam, alongside understanding of non-religious approaches to life. Aspects of other faiths may be included as appropriate, such as teaching about specific festivals or rituals.

Key Stage Two In key stage two pupils should extend their knowledge and understanding of religions, beliefs and values, recognising personal, local, national and global contexts. They should be introduced to an extended range of sources and subject specific vocabulary. They should be encouraged to be curious and to ask and discuss increasingly challenging questions about beliefs, values and human life, drawing on the insights of religions and other world views. Pupils should respond with their own ideas, identifying relevant information, selecting examples and giving reasons to support their ideas and views. At key stage 2, teaching and learning should build on the KS1 focus around Christianity and Islam, and be extended to the study of Judaism and Sikhism, alongside developing understanding of non-religious approaches to life. Aspects of other faiths may be included as appropriate, such as teaching about a specific concept, festival or practice.