Kirkbymoorside Primary School

School Curriculum - RE

Intent

Our primary goal is to provide an inclusive, holistic education that promotes our children to be philosophical learners and thinkers and build awareness of cultures and diversities. We aim particularly to ensure that pupils acquire a thorough and diversified comprehension of the world's primary religions, encompassing Hinduism, Christianity, Judaism, Islam, and Buddhism. Our intent is not simply to promote an understanding of these religions but to connect these teachings to real-life situations and everyday experiences. Through our actions, our objective is to cultivate a strong sense of acceptance, respect, and tolerance towards various beliefs.

Implementation

Enrichment through Broadened Horizons: To initially familiarise the children with the five major global religions, we will employ a spectrum of engaging educational tools. These will include captivating narratives, creative and interactive lessons with a range of multimedia resources. Our curriculum will ensure an equal representation of all faiths, detailing their fundamental principles, key festivals, and deeply rooted traditions. The focus, however, will not be solely on the factual aspects but also on the moral implications of the stories and teachings associated with each religion.
Immersive Interactive Learning: Supplementary to classroom lessons, we plan to arrange cultural activities that provide real-life experiences. School trips to local places of worship and inviting religious figures from the wider community will aid in bringing these religions to life for our children.
Integrative Approach: To provide a more immersive and holistic learning experience, we link elements from these five religions to other core subjects such as History, Geography, Literature, and PSHCE where opportunity is possible. Representing religious ideas within different subject contexts helps instill a well-rounded understanding.
Realistic Understanding: To foster a contemporary perspective, pupils will be encouraged to engage in thoughtful dialogues and debates concerning the role religion plays in modern social and cultural dynamics. This will equip them with a realistic and relevant understanding of the influence of religion on the world today.

Encouraging Personal Connections: The curriculum will actively foster reflective thinking, allowing children to establish personal connections with religious values, morals, and teachings. They will be guided to express their beliefs courteously while recognising and respecting the rights of others to do the same.

Impact

Expansion of Respect and Understanding: Our educational journey is aimed at bolstering a respectful understanding of the diversity in religious and cultural beliefs present in our multi-dimensional global society.
Development of Critical Thinking and Personal Growth: The activities designed will foster critical-thinking skills as children analyse and reflect on different religious teachings and how they apply to their lives. It will encourage personal growth by promoting values such as empathy, respect, and understanding.

Promoting Civic Awareness: By correlating religious teachings with real-world situations, we intend for our children to comprehend the integral role of religion in social issues and emerge as responsible, well-informed members of society.
Facilitating Interfaith Dialogue: A key goal of our curriculum is to create an environment where children can communicate respectfully, encouraging beneficial interfaith dialogue reducing prejudices, stereotypes, and discrimination.
Acquisition of Key Life Skills: By encouraging a deeper understanding and connection with the moral teachings of these religions, we believe our children will develop valuable life skills such as compassion, consciousness, respect for differences, and conflict resolution tactics.

Our ultimate mission is to ensure we provide a balanced, comprehensive approach to Religious Education in our school, nurturing the necessary competencies for our pupils to excel in our continuously evolving, culturally diverse world.