Religious Education

‘Growing, learning and living in the love of God’

At Myddle CE Primary School, Religious Education (RE) contributes dynamically to children and young people’s education by provoking challenging questions about meaning and purpose in life, beliefs about God, ultimate reality, issues of right and wrong and what it means to be human. In RE they learn about and from religions and worldviews in local, national and global contexts, to discover, explore and consider different answers to these questions. They learn to weigh up the value of wisdom from different sources, to develop and express their insights in response, and to agree or disagree respectfully.

Teaching therefore should equip pupils with systematic knowledge and understanding of a range of religions and worldviews, enabling them to develop their ideas, values and identities. It should develop in pupils an aptitude for dialogue so that they can participate positively in our society with its diverse religions and worldviews. Pupils should gain and deploy the skills needed to understand, interpret and evaluate texts, sources of wisdom and authority and other evidence.

Pupils learn to articulate clearly and coherently their personal beliefs, ideas, values and experiences while respecting the right of others to differ.

RE at Myddle aims to enable pupils to:

1. Know about and understand a range of religions and worldviews, so that they can:

• describe, explain and analyse beliefs and practices, recognising the diversity which exists within and between communities and amongst individuals;
• identify, investigate and respond to questions posed, and responses offered by some of the sources of wisdom* found in religions and worldviews;
• appreciate and appraise the nature, significance and impact of different ways of life and ways of expressing meaning.

2. Express ideas and insights about the nature, significance and impact of religions and worldviews, so that they can:

• explain reasonably their ideas about how beliefs, practices and forms of expression influence individuals and communities;
• express with increasing discernment their personal reflections and critical responses to questions and teachings about identity, diversity, meaning and value, including ethical issues;
• appreciate and appraise varied dimensions of religion or a worldview.

3. Gain and deploy the skills needed to engage seriously with religions and worldviews, so that they can:

• find out about and investigate key concepts and questions of belonging, meaning, purpose and truth, responding creatively;
• enquire into what enables different individuals and communities to live together respectfully for the wellbeing of all;
• articulate beliefs, values and commitments clearly in order to explain why they may be important in their own and other people’s lives.

Implementation: 

The RE Today Curriculum and Understanding Christianity:

RE lessons are planned and delivered using the RE Today Curriculum. This scheme is used to support all teachers to deliver consistent, high quality lessons, which encourage pupils to develop their own thinking and their understanding of Christianity, as a contribution to their understanding of the world and their own experience within it. We aim to see pupils leave our school with a coherent understanding of Christian beliefs and practices as they explore the significant theological concepts within Christianity as part of developing their wider religious, theological and cultural literacy.  The RE Today Curriculum links directly to the programmes of study within the Understanding Christianity document.

Our curriculum complies with the Shropshire Agreed syllabus for RE (SACRE) which outlines what is necessary to be taught in RE in schools across Shropshire, giving teachers the relevant guidance and pedagogical knowledge to deliver RE effectively. The new syllabus coincides directly with the National Curriculum and supports the structure of RE lessons and teaching accordingly for a progressive approach to RE and other Faiths.

The Diocese of Litchfield:

The Governing Body acknowledges the important contribution to be made by the Diocese of Lichfield’s “Resource Handbook for R.E. in Church Schools” in supporting the implementation of RE.

Documents and Websites:

RE Core Long Term Plan

2021 2026 Shropshire Agreed Syllabus (SACRE)

Understanding Christianity Website 

Lichfield Diocesan Board of Education Website