Religious Education & World Views

STATEMENT OF INTENT

At Sylvester Primary Academy, the teaching of Religious Education and World Views aims to allow all pupils to explore the teachings and practises of different religions and world views. We aim to enhance pupils’ awareness and understanding of the seven world religions, their practices, and the influence those forms of expression have on individuals, families, communities, and cultures. We look closely at the religion of Christianity to develop an understanding of its beliefs and festivals and the place that those play in our lives and others. Alongside this we allow pupils to explore their own beliefs and their sense of identity and belonging.

It is our intent for Religious Education and World Views to support children in developing a balanced view of a multicultural society and celebrate its diversity in the world around them. All staff work towards preparing pupils for the spiritual and intellectual challenges of living in a world with diverse religions and beliefs as well as non-beliefs. Religious Education and World Views provides an opportunity to show awareness of and celebrate our differences, which in turn, develops pupils’ tolerance, respect for and sensitivity towards others, in particular those whose faiths and beliefs are different from their own.

We aim to challenge pupils to reflect on, analyse and evaluate issues of truth, belief, faith, and ethics and communicate their responses. We learn about religion from religion, making connections between faiths and investigating differences of belief and culture. Children are encouraged to be reflective thinkers, reviewing what they have learnt and, through discussion and debate, expand and adapt their thinking.

HOW WE TEACH RELIGIOUS EDUCATION AND WORLD VIEWS

In Sylvester Primary Academy we have adapted the Wirral Agreed syllabus for Religious Education and World Views (2019). Religious Education lessons are delivered weekly using the objectives that have been adapted from the Wirral Syllabus suggested content, constantly working towards answering the ‘Big Picture’ questions. The adapted syllabus offers a progressive scheme of work from EYFS to Year 6, allowing pupils to revisit and build on previous learning to compare and contrast between faiths.

WEEKLY RELIGIOUS EDUCATION AND WORLD VIEWS LESSONS

In EYFS children will have opportunities to respond in different methods to memorable experiences while working towards the prime and specific areas of learning in the EYFS curriculum. Children will explore and begin to understand the world though stories, objects and people. In Key Stage 1 pupils will learn religious words and phrases through exploring stories, celebrations, types of worship and symbols. Children will reflect on their own learning and experiences and begin to develop their sense of identity. In key Stage 2 pupils will begin to make comparisons between different faiths, look closely at how religion shapes belief of individuals while reflecting, discussing, and debating using the knowledge they have learnt.

All children complete daily collective reflection, this is occasionally done as a whole school or, more commonly, as a class. During collective reflection children will either be exposed to a section of the Bible, a talking point from BBC Newsround or a relevant topic suitable for the class and be asked to reflect on the meaning, this is done through discussion or in silence. Within Religious Education and World Views lessons all children have the opportunity to enhance their learning using artefacts, visitors, trips to places of worship, displays and celebratory services to ignite learning and further explore religious beliefs and festivals.

CURRICULUM OVERVIEW

Please view our long-term whole school overview for Religious Education and World Views.

SEND ADAPTATIONS

Religious Education and World Views is a time when children can learn about issues of right and wrong, religious traditions and allow children the opportunity to develop their sense of identify and belonging. At Sylvester our Religious Education and World Views lessons help all children, including those with SEND, to develop their self-confidence and awareness, understand the world they live in as individuals and as members of groups and develop positive attitudes towards others, respecting their beliefs and experiences. As with all lessons it is our aim to ensure that children with SEND are fully engaged and challenged within Religious Education and World View lessons and teachers use a wide variety of differentiation and theory-based strategies to help achieve this. For children who have cognition and learning needs teachers use knowledge organisers and the scheme of work, which is cyclical in topics, to support children with key vocabulary and prompting them towards connections in prior learning. Adaptations are also made for children who have communication and interaction needs such as offering multiple ways to represent learning such as writing, scribing, group work and discussions. Teachers also often use sentence stems to support children in ensuring that their discussions avoid offence. Considerations for children who have physical or sensory needs are thoroughly thought about prior to any lessons that may include unfamiliar music, smells or food and adaptations will be made based on each individual child’s sensory diet. Social stories are regularly used for children who have social, emotional and mental health needs to allow children to prepare themselves for any cultural expectations that may occur when learning about or visiting different religions.

CURRICULUM ENRICHMENT

At Sylvester we offer multiple opportunities for enrichment in the form of trips and visits. In KS1 the children visit Saint Gabriel’s Parish Church during the celebrations of Christmas and Easter. As a whole school we are visited by Rev Canon Malcolm Rogers who holds assemblies for us on the celebrations of Christmas and Easter. In KS2 multiple classes have visitors such as a Buddhist Monk from Mahamevnawa Meditation Centre visits Year 4, Rania from Wirral Deen Centre visits Year 5 to discuss Islam and Michelle from the Merseyside Jewish Representative Council visits Year 6. Year 3 have also had opportunities to interact with the local community by working with local charities and arranging food drives.