BigQuestionsin Classrooms
ProjectReport:StaffordshireUniversity
AreScienceandRE compatible?Sharing vocabularywithYear4to empowerquestioning.
Leadschools
St Augustine’s CE Academy, Draycott in the Clay
St Peter’s CE Academy, Alton
All Saints CE Academy, Denstone
Horton St Michael’s CE First School, Rudyard
(A federation of four schools who are part of Staffordshire University Academies Trust) Leadteachers
Anna Bennett, Executive Deputy Head (All Saints CE Academy, Denstone)
Rebecca Walker, Executive Headteacher (The Saints Academies)
Tellingthe storyofour project
All four of our schools are Church schools, something of which we are immensely proud We also have a passion across our schools for science For a few years now, we have been developing the STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) content in our curriculum As this became embedded, we progressed to the idea of STEAM (with the additional a standing for inclusion of the arts ) While STEM expressly focuses on scientific concepts, STEAM builds on these concepts through creative processes. The goal of STEAM is to foster the true innovation that comes with combining the mind of a scientist or technologist with that of an artist or designer It was our work and research into this and the development and integration of it into our curriculum, that led us to thinking deeply about the relationship between science and RE We found an organisation called ‘God and the Big Bang’ who delivered workshops in schools for children and staff, giving them the opportunity to discover the compatibility between faith and science They debated and discussed philosophical questions such as ‘Science can support faith in God’, ‘It is possible to believe in God and the theory of evolution’, ‘The more we understand the world through science, the more difficult it is to be religious’ The children were asked these questions at the beginning of the workshop and again at the end. Following workshops for Year 4 pupils and training for staff, we found that both children and adults were left with more questions than they had before! Drawing on this experience, we returned to our curriculum and compared the key vocabulary we had identified in science units to that used in RE units. There was a lot of vocabulary shared across the two subjects Looking at the units together helped us make links between science topics such as, plants and living things with RE topics such as the Creation story. It was a revelation! Lots of rich conversations emerged from this and big questions that were identified are now mapped across RE and science in our curriculum programme. 1
See https://gatbb.co.uk/ for more details. 1
“Looking at the units together helped us make links between science topics such as, plants and living things with RE topics such as the Creation story. It was a revelation!”
ThinkingaboutconnectingwaysofknowinginREand Science
Substantive connections between science and RE identified on our school curriculum
Awe, Wonder and Curiosity
Science: Encourages children to ask questions about the natural world, explore, and investigate
RE: Explores big questions of meaning, purpose, and awe (e g , “Who made the world?”, “Why are we here?”)
Connection: Both subjects foster curiosity and wonder, encouraging children to reflect on the world around them
How life on Earth began / Creation Science: Evolution, fossils, habitats, and life cycles.
RE: Creation stories and beliefs about the origins of life in different faiths
Connection: Children can compare scientific explanations with religious/worldview narratives.
Care for the Natural World Science: Looks at ecosystems, the environment, and human impact on the planet.
RE: Explores stewardship and teachings about caring for the Earth (e.g., Christianity, Islam, Judaism).
Connection: Both highlight responsibility for the natural world and sustainability
Light, Festivals
Science: Teaches about light, shadows, reflection, and sources of energy.
RE: Explores festivals of light (e g , Diwali, Hanukkah, Advent)
Connection: Scientific concepts can be linked with cultural/religious symbolism of light.
When looking at science and Religious Education side by side in the primary curriculum, what stood out to us was how both subjects help pupils to develop ways of knowing as well as bodies of knowledge This dual focus disciplinary and substantive shapes how children learn to make sense of the world
Continued on the next page
DisciplinaryKnowledge:WaysofKnowing
In science, children are taught to think like scientists: to ask questions, investigate, observe closely, and test their ideas They learn that knowledge in science is based on what can be measured and observed. This helps them to distinguish between facts and opinions and to practise habits such as curiosity and careful reasoning
In RE, children explore how communities draw on sacred texts, traditions, authority figures, and lived experiences to form beliefs Through enquiry, discussion, and reflection, pupils learn to weigh different interpretations and consider their own developing responses to life’s big questions Here, disciplinary knowledge is about understanding how religious and non-religious worldviews justify and express their perspectives
Together, RE and science show pupils that not all questions are answered in the same way Some are investigated through evidence and experiment, others through interpretation, tradition, and belief. Pupils learn to respect both approaches while recognising their distinctive methods
SubstantiveKnowledge
Alongside disciplinary practices, both subjects offer rich substantive knowledge In science, children encounter the building blocks of understanding the natural world: plants, the human body, ecosystems, forces and materials They gain cumulative knowledge that allows them to make sense of how the physical universe works In RE, children build knowledge of key beliefs, stories, symbols, and practices across a range of traditions They learn about creation stories, religious festivals and ideas about God, humanity, and the natural world. This gives them a grounding in the diverse ways people understand life and its purpose
WhentheTwoMeet
When topics align, children’s learning becomes even more powerful For example, studying plant growth in science alongside creation stories in RE allows pupils to compare scientific explanations with faith-based narratives Investigating light in science and exploring festivals of light in RE shows how the same phenomenon can be understood in both physical and symbolic terms. Looking at the environment through the lens of science (ecosystems, climate change) and RE (stewardship, care for creation) deepens pupils’ understanding of responsibility for the natural world.
Conclusion
The interplay between disciplinary and substantive knowledge in science and RE equips pupils not just with facts but with intellectual tools They learn that science and RE do not compete for the same answers but instead model different ways of knowing. By engaging with both, children develop curiosity, respect for diversity, and a deeper appreciation of the world and its many layers of meaning.
Deeperdialogues
During a discussion between staff from parallel classes across our Federation, we explored how both RE and Science encourage curiosity and questioning, rather than simply providing answers Teachers shared how pupils linked the idea of “evidence” in Science with “faith” in RE as different ways of knowing This conversation helped shape our next phase focusing less on resolving tension between the subjects and more on helping pupils appreciate how both contribute to a fuller understanding of the world
Sustainingthisworkinthe future
Next, we would like to embed the dialogue between science and RE more deeply across our curriculum so that it becomes part of sustained practice rather than a one-off project Building on the success of God and the Big Bang, we are welcoming Faraday Kids to continue encouraging pupils to explore Big Faith Questions through science. To sustain this work, we plan to develop joint RE–science planning sessions, create shared enquiry resources, and provide staff training Support from subject specialists and opportunities for cross-school collaboration will be key to maintaining momentum and deepening teachers’ confidence in leading these discussions 2
See https://www.faradaykids.com/
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