Religious Education
Intent
At Queen Eleanor’s we believe in preparing our pupils for the modern world in which they live. Through Religious Education, the children acquire knowledge and understanding of religious and cultural differences in today’s society. We provide opportunities for the children to think deeply, explore values and beliefs of the Christian faith as well as those from other religions, in order to make reasoned, informed and creative responses to religious and moral issues. Through the teaching of Religious Education at Queen Eleanor’s, we aim to promote pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.
As a Church of England school, we promote our Christian vision:
Queen Eleanor’s is a church school that serves the community:
- A loving, welcoming and respectful environment that celebrates children and families of all faiths and none
- Provides an eco-friendly oasis of green space that supports physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing
- Values a rich and growing diversity, enabling all children to have a voice and become global citizens
- Nurtures curiosity and enables children to thrive and achieve academically
Implementation
As a Church of England school, we use the new Guildford Diocesan scheme for Religious Education as of September 2023. Christianity takes the central place in Religious Education lessons (50%). Other faiths, especially those represented by pupils in the classroom, (namely Judaism, Sikhism, Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism, as well as Humanism) are always acknowledged, valued and taught in specific year groups.
Our lessons are taught in one hour weekly sessions. Visitors with areas of expertise are often invited to take part in lessons and each year group visits a place of worship e.g. parish church, cathedral or mosque.
All children from the school are involved in Harvest Festival and the Easter service at our local parish church, All Saints. All children attend the Christmas Carol service and Year 6 pupils attend the leavers’ service at Guildford Cathedral. Additionally, throughout the year, children are given opportunities to attend workshops and ‘Cathedral coffee morning’ community music events at Guildford Cathedral.
We hold an Easter or Pentecost Pause afternoon during the spring term, which involve input from visitors from our local parish churches (All Saints, Guildford URC and St Nicholas).
In the summer term we look at transition through ‘Prayer Spaces’, held at our parish church, which is planned by Miss McLean, the Faith Team and Reverend Beverly. This gives the children to be mindful and reflect on the theme of transition as they move towards the end of the academic year and look forward to what is to come.
Lessons encourage critical and creative thinking through a variety of different activities including art, drama, storytelling, visitors, discussion and technology. Children often work in pairs or small groups for these activities. Lessons often include time for debate and reflection.
Impact
In all Church schools, religious education must be considered an academic subject. All pupils are entitled to religious education that is delivered in an objective, critical and pluralistic manner. Pupils are entitled to a balanced RE curriculum which enquires into religions and world views through theology, philosophy and the human and social sciences. Our curriculum enables progress through ordered and sequential learning, developing both knowledge and skills. Through the delivery of our curriculum, we aim for children to develop the following skills:
· To know about and understand Christianity as a diverse global living faith through the exploration of core beliefs using an approach that critically engages with biblical text.
· To gain knowledge and understanding of a range of religions and world views, appreciating diversity, continuity and change within the religions and world views being studied.
· To engage with challenging questions of meaning and purpose raised by human existence and experience.
· To recognise the concept of religion and its continuing influence on Britain’s cultural heritage and in the lives of individuals and societies in different times, cultures and places.
· To explore their own religious, spiritual and philosophical ways of living, believing and thinking.
They also learn from religion by developing the ability to express curiosity about fundamental questions of life, understand and use religious language, reflect on belief, practice, values and tradition in order to understand their influence on the individual, on community life and on culture. Our children are able to make informed responses to religious and moral issues and identify the relationship between religious belief, human responsibility, global issues and the natural world.
Religious Education also contributes to pupils’ developing their own beliefs, values, and sense of self-worth, respect for other people’s faith and viewpoint, appreciation of their own and others’ contributions to society and the world and a sense of responsibility for themselves and others.
Overview of the RE Curriculum at Queen Eleanor's
