RE

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RE

 

POLICY

 

EASTLANDS JUNIOR SCHOOL,

MEDEN VALE,

MANSFIELD.

 

 

 

Policy for RE

 

 

 

All state schools must teach RE to pupils at every key stage. The RE Agreed Syllabus for Nottinghamshire establishes what will be taught in RE in Nottinghamshire Schools, providing teachers with practical support and guidance about how to teach RE effectively

 

Aims

Three Areas of Learning

 

A Know about and understand a range of religions and world views so that pupils can:

• Describe, explain and analyse beliefs and practices, recognising the diversity which exists within and between communities
• Identify, investigate and respond to questions posed by, and responses offered by some sources of wisdom found in religions and world views
• Appreciate and appraise the nature, significance and impact of different ways of life and ways of expressing meaning

 

B Express ideas and insights about the nature, significance and impact of religions and world views so that pupils can:

• Explain reasonably their ideas about how beliefs, practises and forms of expression influence individuals and communities
• Express with increasing discernment their personal reflections and critical responses to questions and teachings about identity, diversity, meaning and value
• Appreciate and appraise varied dimensions of religion

 

C Gain and deploy the skills needed to engage seriously with religions and world views so that pupils can:

• Find out about and investigate key concepts and questions of belonging, meaning, purpose and truth responding creatively
• Enquire into what enables different communities to live together respectfully for the wellbeing of all
• Articulate beliefs, values and commitments clearly in order to explain reasons why they may be important in their own and other people’s lives

 

Objectives

The curriculum should:

• Provoke challenging questions about the meaning and purpose of life, beliefs about God, the ultimate reality, issues of right and wrong and what it means to be human
• Equip pupils with knowledge and understanding of a range of religions and world views enabling them to develop their ideas, values and identities
• Develop an aptitude for dialogue in pupils so that they can participate positively in our society which is diverse in relation to religions and world views
• Allow pupils to learn how to study religions and world views systematically, making progress by reflecting on the impact of religions and world views on contemporary life locally, nationally, and globally to increasing levels of complexity and depth
• Allow pupils to gain and deploy the skills needed to interpret and evaluate evidence, texts and sources of wisdom or authority
• Support children in their learning to articulate clear and coherent accounts of their personal beliefs, ideas, values and experiences while respecting the right of others to have different views, values and ways of life

 

Teaching and Learning

Why do we teach RE:

• RE is a statutory subject for all pupils from 4 to 19
• Pupils have an entitlement to learn from a rich religious diversity of a region, the UK, the world
• RE offers pupils a chance to explore themselves; questioning their identity, meaning and commitment
• RE teaches respect for all, developing tolerance and empathy for a world of differences
• All teachers can deliver RE in a primary school
• The aims and objectives will be pursued through a variety of teaching and learning styles.
• At key stage 2 learning will build upon and develop the experiences of key stage 1.
• Pupils will be given the opportunity to gather information, study it and make associations and connections between beliefs and practices.
• Pupils will begin to gain a deeper knowledge and understanding of religions they study and the contributions they make to the good of society as a whole.

 

British Values

RE makes a key educational contribution to pupil’s explorations of British values. Teaching the Nottinghamshire Agreed Syllabus for RE will enable pupils to learn to think for themselves about British values of:

• Mutual tolerance
• Respectful attitudes
• Democracy
• The rule of law
• Individual liberty

 

Equal Opportunities

All children can experience a spiritual dimension to life. They can appreciate and respect other people’s beliefs and develop a sense of their own worth and the worth of others in the community.

All staff takes into account the reading and language abilities of the pupils and set differentiated work according to the child’s needs.

 

Planning and assessment

• RE has to follow the Agreed Syllabus for Nottinghamshire
• RE has three areas of study: to know about and understand a range of religions and world views, to express ideas and insights into religions and world views and to gain and deploy the skills for learning from religions and world views

• Children acquire and apply knowledge and understanding of Christianity, Hinduism Judaism and Islam over the key stage.

• Eastlands has purchased long term, medium term and short term planning from Bronwen Surgey which has resources, PowerPoint etc with which to support the teaching and learning activities

• For medium term planning see folder of RE planning for lower and upper juniors given to all staff and an electronic copy is located on the network

 

Strategies for the teaching of RE

 

Organisation of the RE Curriculum

 The RE Curriculum is organised into two yearly cycles for lower juniors and upper juniors. Over the cycles a range of RE skills and knowledge are covered. The coverage of RE is planned for from the Agreed Syllabus, with long, medium and short term planning and resources from Bronwen Surgey.

 

Time Allowance             

SACRE and the Agreed syllabus recommends that RE occupies a minimum of 5% of the curriculum time ie. 45 hours per year.

This equals 1 hour per week every week

Collective worship is not part of the 5% mentioned above. However collective worship should be broadly Christian in character.

 

Teaching of RE

The class teacher teaches children RE, there is no specialist teaching of RE.

Children work individually, in co- operative groups and as a class as appropriate. The groups are usually mixed ability and discussion is encouraged.

Children are encouraged to present their work in a variety of ways, e.g. individually, groups, feedback sessions etc

Pupils with special needs are encouraged to develop their confidence and express their feelings. They may receive help and support in a variety of ways, e.g. individual sheets, pairing up with a more able child, differentiated activities, support from teaching assistants or teachers and careful choice of books at their level of reading ability.

Pupils with a particular flair and ability may have differentiated and extension activities.

Through the study of RE the children develop their skills and use a variety of techniques to gather and interpret knowledge and information through the Key Stage.

Resources are made available and accessible. They are regularly reviewed.

 

Strategies for Ensuring Progression and Continuity

RE is part of the topic curriculum, the coverage of which has planned for by the staff.

The RE topics are organised throughout the school on a on a two year cycle for lower and upper juniors

Medium term planning from the Agreed Syllabus is developed onto medium term planning grids. Use of Notts Agreed syllabus and RE skills ladder ensures teachers plan for progression and continuity.

Staff evaluate each RE session as an ongoing process.

Completed copies of termly planning are handed to the coordinator for monitoring purposes.

 

Role of the RE co-ordinator

To take the lead in policy development, production of schemes of work, monitoring of the delivery of the RE curriculum to ensure progression and continuity of RE teaching and learning throughout the school.

To undertake work analysis monitoring the delivery of the RE content.

To support colleagues with advice and suggestions.

To monitor progress in RE

To take responsibility for purchase and organisation of central resources for RE.

To keep up to date with developments in RE education and disseminate information to colleagues as appropriate.

To advise the head teacher of concerns or actions to be taken following the monitoring of planning and work analysis.

 

Feedback to Children and Parents

Mark children’s work with the aim of helping and encouraging children to learn with positive and constructive comments, verbal and written.

Discuss work with the child whilst they are carrying out the task.

Discuss and review work upon completion of the topic, giving the child time to reflect on their work and progress, together with setting a target to work to during their next topic.

Reporting to parents is done on a termly basis with parent interviews and with an annual written report. This focuses on the child’s RE knowledge and understanding and their ability to handle information, read for information and their use of research skills.

RE books are kept throughout the year by the class teacher and are shown to parents at parent evenings. The child may then take them home at the end of the year at the head’s discretion.

 

Resources

Each teacher has access to the County Agreed Syllabus.

Resource books for the children are stored in the library.

Resource boxes of artefacts and teaching books with information for the major religions are stored in the library

Planning and resources are found on the network for each topic

Badger resource books and sets of books are available in the library.

The local Rector and the Church of St Peter and St Paul

 

I.T.

          I.T. is a resource that can be used in RE for:

Communicating information (word process and graphics)

Handling information (Google churches local area etc )

Use of the Internet for research.

Use of PowerPoint to create presentations on a given topic.

 

 Health and Safety

          There is no specific health and safety issue in RE but safe working practises are followed at all times.