Religious Education
As with all of our teaching and learning, we are constantly looking at ways to improve the quality of our provision for the children. During the course of 2017/18, our RE leader will be attending Understanding Christianity so that we can further enhance our own teaching.
As with all schools in West Sussex, we follow the West Sussex Agreed Syllabus.
Religious education provokes challenging questions about the ultimate meaning and purpose of life, beliefs about God, the self and the nature of reality, issues of right and wrong and what it means to be human. It develops pupils’ knowledge and understanding of Christianity, other religions and other world views that offer answers to questions such as these. It offers opportunities for personal reflection and spiritual development. It enhances pupils’ awareness and understanding of religions and beliefs, teachings, practices and forms of expression, as well as of the influence of religion on individuals, families, communities and cultures.
Religious education encourages pupils to learn from different religions, beliefs, values and traditions while exploring their own beliefs and questions of meaning. It challenges pupils to reflect on, consider, analyse, interpret and evaluate issues of truth, belief, faith and ethics and to communicate their responses.
Religious education encourages pupils to develop their sense of identity and belonging. It enables them to flourish individually within their communities and as citizens in a pluralistic society and global community. Religious education has an important role in preparing pupils for adult life, employment and lifelong learning. It enables pupils to develop respect for and sensitivity to others, in particular those whose faiths and beliefs are different from their own. It promotes discernment and enables pupils to combat prejudice.
It is essential that religious education enables pupils to share their own beliefs, viewpoints and ideas without embarrassment prejudice or ridicule. Many pupils come from religious backgrounds but it is recognized that others have no attachment to religious beliefs and practices. To ensure that all pupils’ voices are heard and the religious education curriculum is broad and balanced, it is expected that there are opportunities to consider other secular philosophies such as humanism.
Pupils should also study how religions relate to each other, recognising both similarities and differences within and between religions. They should be encouraged to reflect on:
- the significance of interfaith dialogue
- the important contribution religion can make to community cohesion
- the reduction of religious prejudice and discrimination.