RE Statement of Intent As outlined by the Commission for RE, September 2018 Religious Education should: ‘explore the important role that religious and non-religious worldviews play in all human life. This is an essential area of study if pupils are to be well prepared for life in a world where controversy over such matters is pervasive and where many people lack the knowledge to make their own informed decisions. It is a subject for all pupils, whatever their own family background and personal beliefs and practices.’ At Birdsedge First School we follow the agreed syllabus for Religious Education for Calderdale, Kirklees and Leeds 2019-2024. This centred around ‘Believing and Belonging’ and has two key elements: 1. First, it is about beliefs and values. It aims to develop pupils’ understanding of world faiths and other beliefs, exploring their commonality and diversity. A good curriculum will ensure that there is both depth of study (some areas investigated in detail) and breadth (an overall general understanding of the faiths and related philosophical and ethical questions). 2. Secondly, it is about ‘belonging’. It aims to nurture pupils’ awareness of the treasury of diversity as well as sensitivity to the questions and challenges that different views and cultures can present. Ultimately, we all share a common humanity and we share this patch of the Earth. Through the delivery of our Religious Education curriculum, following this syllabus, we aim to:
Investigate the beliefs and practices of religions and other world views. Investigate how religions and other world views address questions of meaning, purpose and value. Investigate how religions and other world views influence morality, identity and diversity
We also hope to provide a stimulating and rigorous framework to teach about religion and world views, alongside nurturing tolerance, respect, empathy and kindness in our school. We believe that human beings are strengthened and empowered by learning from each other. So, through experience and culture, it is possible to explore the opportunities, challenges and purpose of our individual lives and communities. Engaging and stimulating RE helps to nurture informed and resilient responses to misunderstanding, stereotyping and division. It offers a place in the curriculum where difficult or ‘risky’ questions can be tackled within a safe but challenging context. Primarily, RE’s purpose is to give pupils a broad understanding of Christianity, world faiths and non-religious beliefs. It is essential that the curriculum ensures that there is both depth of study (some areas investigated in detail) and breadth (an overall general understanding of the faiths and related philosophical and ethical questions).Properly taught, RE is a rigorous academic subject, supporting problem solving and critical thinking skills. There are additional benefits from the balanced study of RE. It nurtures SMSC development and pupils’ understanding of diversity. A universal RE entitlement means it must aim to help pupils to understand diversity, empathy and cohesion alongside developing their own views and beliefs. This syllabus therefore deliberately integrates religious studies with aspects of philosophical questions and ethical issues. It also embraces the reality that beliefs are not always linked to faith a transcendent deity.