The Principals and Practices of RE at Havergal

Our guiding principal for Religious Education is that in all Church school should enable every child to flourish and to live life in all its fullness. (John 10:10). It will help educate for dignity and respect encouraging all to live well together.

• At Havergal RE is seen as a core subject, the provision of which reflects the Church of England Statement of Entitlement.
• Within RE the pupils and their families can expect a curriculum that enables pupils to acquire a rich, deep knowledge and understanding of Christian belief and practice.
• Parents can expect the use of high-quality resources, for example, the Understanding Christianity resource.
• Pupils can expect that teaching and learning will use an approach that engages with biblical text and theological ideas.
• Pupils can expect that the RE curriculum will engage and challenge them through an exploration of core concepts and questions.
• They can expect meaningful and informed dialogue with a range of religions and worldviews.
• There will be opportunities for them to understand the role of foundational texts, beliefs, rituals, and practices and how they help form identity in a range of religions and worldviews.
• The RE curriculum is intrinsic to the outworking of our Christian vision in enabling all pupils to flourish

Our RE curriculum will enable:

• Pupils to know about and understand Christianity as a living world faith through the exploration of core theological concepts using an approach that critically engages with text.
• Pupils to consider the impact and connection that Christianity has on Britain’s cultural heritage and the lives of people worldwide.
• Pupils to develop knowledge and understanding of other major world religions and world views and their impact on society and culture.
• Pupils to critically reflect on their own religious, spiritual and/or philosophical convictions.

RE Intent, Implementation, and Impact

Intent

Our intent in RE at Havergal is to develop religious literate pupils who flourish and thrive in and through the subject. RE will empower our pupils to develop knowledge and understanding of the belief and practices of Christianity alongside those of other religious and non-religious worldviews. The implementation of our intent through well planned and sequenced lessons and rigorous systems of assessment will ensure that pupils will gain a deepening understanding of and love for RE.

Implementation

RE teaching at this school will be in line with the recommendations of the Statement of Entitlement for Church Schools, published by the Church of England Education Office (Feb 2019). The teaching of Christianity is core to the teaching of RE in this Church of England school. However, as a Church school we have a duty to foster an accurate and increasing understanding of world religions and worldviews. As a result, pupils will gain greater insight into the world in which they are growing up. They will also learn to appreciate the faith of others and develop a deeper understanding of their own ideas and beliefs. In order to achieve this balanced curriculum, the school uses the Understanding Christianity and other resources including material from RE Today to enhance our provision.

RE is taught in discrete topics apart from Foundation Stage where RE is taught through worship and in small groups linking to the EYFS topics with special focus on different festivals through the year.

A variety of methods are used in the delivery of RE, class/group discussion, drama, art activities, use of artefacts as well as linking to other subjects, exploring big questions to promote wider thinking and debate. Teachers ensure activities are differentiated to include all abilities and evidenced in the short-term planning, taking in to consideration any Special Educational Needs as the school policy.

At Havergal we recognise the importance of partnerships in the teaching and delivery of RE and Spiritual Development. We have a mutually beneficial relationship with members of the local church and wider community.

Impact

We envision the RE curriculum impacting the pupils in the following ways:

• extend their knowledge and apply their skills, to enjoy learning and understanding of religions and worldviews
• develop a religious vocabulary and interpret religious symbolism in a variety of forms
• reflect on questions of meaning, offering their own thoughtful and informed insights into religious and secular worldviews, of their community and the wider world.
• explore ultimate questions of beliefs and values in relation to a range of contemporary issues in an ever-changing society
• gain a deeper understanding of what it means to be a person of faith in Britain today
• make connections with their own beliefs and the topics studied
• through the topics studied, gain a better understanding of the world that we share and as such, R.E. is seen as an invaluable teaching tool in an ever changing and shrinking world
• providing a safe environment where pupils can discuss encounters and experiences from life’s journey that causes them to reflect on the deeper things of life, its meaning, and their purpose within it. As a consequence, thinking is challenged, and lives are transformed.