Intent
Religious Education is an integral part of the curriculum offered at St Paul's CofE Junior School, underpinned by our core value: we embrace difference and diversity. RE plays an important role in expressing the Christian vision of our school, recognising that we are one body made up of many faiths, beliefs and worldviews.
RE plays a vital part in the social, moral, spiritual and cultural development (SMSC) of our pupils, preparing them for life in modern Britain. On their journey through St Paul’s, we aim to promote religious literacy by equipping pupils with the knowledge and understanding of a range of religious and non-religious worldviews that they will encounter in modern Britain. As well as SMSC, RE aims helps develop the children's understanding of the British Values – democracy, rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect and tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs.
Implementation
We follow the Pan-Berkshire Agreed Syllabus (PBAS). Using the Jigsaw RE scheme of work, our curriculum is enquiry-based. Using this approach encourages pupils to explore different beliefs, traditions and cultures. Through asking thought-provoking questions and engaging classes in discussion, children are encouraged to reflect upon their own personal spiritual development. Themes of Believing, Behaving and Belonging are interwoven throughout units of work and pupils learn about the beliefs and traditions of different faiths, including Christianity, Sanatana Dharma, Judaism, Sikhism and Islam, as well as other worldviews such as Humanism.
Impact
Each RE lesson strengthens at least one aspect of our pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development (SMSC) and children are given the opportunity to pause and take time for personal spiritual reflection. As they move through the curriculum, they become increasingly evaluative and critical in their thinking, which enables them to be discerning about the many worldviews they will encounter in their lives. They are also able to consider moral issues and challenge their thinking by considering what the worldview they are studying says on the topic. The outcome of which is that our pupils develop the confidence to share their views and opinions, whilst demonstrating respect and tolerance for others.