Religious Education

Intent

At Churchfield CE Academy we have spent time reviewing and thinking about our curriculum. We have considered the context of our school and the needs of our children and wider community. Our aim is to provide the children with exciting, relevant learning experiences, a greater knowledge of metacognition and developing growth mind set to increase aspirations in the multi- cultural society and world we live in. There are opportunities in the school and wider community; good links with the local Church that enhance the children’s experiences and learning. 

 
At Churchfield, currently, we provide enrichment clubs and educational visits which include a Year 6 residential trip to Stubbers Adventure Centre and a Year 4 residential trip to a local centre. A nurture group, various interventions and a counsellor is available for selected children to increase awareness and management of emotions as well as improve social interactions. 

 
To deliver high quality RE teaching as a Church of England School, we encourage the children to have a good knowledge of the living world faiths, the ability to use their skills in applying Christian values to their everyday life, narrative and ability to make connections, articulate and to have leadership opportunities in aspects of school life.  In order to encourage these values, we encourage a Collective Worship Group, Play Leaders, House Captains and a School Council. 
 
Our school vision is central to driving our curriculum, it is based on: 

1. Christian Values 
2. Represents a learning journey using the creation story which demonstrates how our children develop over time, 
3. Everyone achieving their full potential 
4. An inclusive environment promoting development through nurture and growth 

   
Implementation

 A two-year curriculum map based on Understanding Christianity RE Agreed Syllabus and incorporating Understanding Christianity Units shaped on the school’s vision is used. It is coherent and sequential allowing children to build on and retain their knowledge and understanding of concepts from EYFS to KS2. Enabling children to look at religion and belief systematically. Help children understand Christianity as a living and diverse faith. Allow children to explore spiritual and ethical issues.  
 

Impact

• Children are engaged showing increased participation, confidence and contributing to lessons offering thoughts to big questions, through discussion and debate.  

• Demonstrating values through behaviour and interactions. 

• Pupils have developed an awareness, which they can articulate, about the diversity of faiths and people in the wider community. 

• End of year assessment children’s books showing attainment and progress. 

• Celebrating cultures and faiths provides links to our wider curriculum, British Values and knowledge of life in a wider area. 

• Pupils will have developed the skills and knowledge required to prepare them for secondary school.  

RE and SEND

For those children within the academy that have SEND, RE can be a valuable way for the children to explore with their peers different beliefs and cultures. Through using a range of visual aids, ICT and cultural resources, children develop their curiosity and understanding. The children are able to explore the different cultures and believes through the use of scaffolds, visual prompts or sentence starters in a variety of ways. The learning is carefully differentiated to meet the needs of individual children. RE is linked to other subject areas such as Geography, English and computing where children use iPads and Purple Mash for gaining information and assessing their understanding.