Religious Education at Plympton St Maurice Primary School
We are in an exciting time of developing our curriculum provision at Plympton St Maurice Primary. From September 2020, all class will be following the Plymouth Agreed Syllabus for RE. The principal aim is: ‘to explore what people believe and what difference this makes to how they live, so that pupils can gain the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to handle questions raised by religion and belief, reflecting on their own ideas and ways of living’.
Our RE syllabus teaching and learning approach has three elements: making sense of beliefs, making connections and understanding the impact.
Our Intent for Religious Education
Our RE curriculum is designed to meet the content requirements of the agreed syllabus. There is a set amount of time specified for each year group. Through our religious education lessons, children should be able to develop Life skills, Understanding, Nurture curiosity, Aspiration and Resilience.
Our Implementation for Religious Education
Our RE curriculum encompasses:
Social and emotional learning,
Talk,
Mastery Learning,
the Arts,
Understand Learning,
Resilience,
Independent Personal learning and thinking,
Collaborative Learning and
Experience rich curriculum.
Our RE lessons are based on a big question each half term., we make connections and collect clues to help us to answer the big question, with different topics each half term. We often focus on key words to develop religious literacy and equip us with the skills we need to discuss religion. Our learning is recorded in books, although these are often carried across more than one year of teaching. However, we will often debate, work collaboratively in groups and try to link with other curriculum areas such as art. We currently learn about Christianity, Hinduism, Judaism and Islam. We are also introduced to Humanism as a non-religious world view with sessions in upper key stage 2.
We try to have regular visits and visitors as part of our RE curriculum and have outdoor learning opportunities in our school grounds. RE lessons may often include circle time, critical thinking, learning from believers and opportunities to unpick concepts through drama, art and Computing. Our RE helps us to learn about diversity in the United Kingdom and around the world. RE is taught weekly by each class teacher.
The Impact of our Religious Education
Pupils will be able to access their key words to help them discuss, recall knowledge and understand religion in society. Specific skills for Religious Education will have been developed including:
Key stage 1
- Retelling religious stories
- Recognising symbols
- Sharing my opinions
- Asking questions
- Responding positively to differences and similarities
Key stage 2
- Making connections between words of wisdom
- Can reflect on their own values and those of a believer
- Can understand different ways of life and ways to express meaning
- Can ask and have the skills to answer, ultimate and ethical questions from their viewpoint and that of a believer
- Discuss issues and support the development of community cohesion whilst challenging prejudice.
Our curriculum:
Foundation Class (Squirrels)
Being special: where do we belong?
Why is Christmas special for Christians?
Why is the word ‘God’ so important to Christians?
Why is Easter special to Christians?
What places are special and why?
What times/stories are special and why?
Year 1 (Hawks)
What does it mean to belong to a faith community?
What do Christians believe God is like?
Who is Jewish and how do they live?
Who do Christians say made the world?
Year 2 (Magpies)
Who is a Muslim and how do they live?
Why does Christmas matter to Christians?
Who is a Muslim and how do they live?
Why does Easter matter to Christians?
What is the ‘good news’ Christians believe Jesus brings?
What makes some places sacred to believers?
Year 3 (Hedgehogs)
What do Christians learn from the Creation story?
What is it like to follow God?
How do festivals and worship show what matters to a Muslim?
How do festivals and family life show what matters to Jewish people?
What kind of world did Jesus want?
How and why do people try to make the world a better place?
Year 4 (Swallows)
What is the ‘trinity’ and why is it important for Christians?
What do Hindus believe God is like?
What does it mean to be a Hindu in Britain today?
Why do Christians call the day Jesus died ‘Good Friday’?
For Christians, when Jesus left, what was the impact of Pentecost?
How and why do people mark the significant events of life?
Year 5 (Foxes)
What does it mean if Christians believe God is holy and loving?
What does it mean to be a Muslim in Britain today?
Who do Christians believe Jesus was the Messiah?
Why is the Torah so important to Jewish people?
Christians and how to live: What would Jesus do?
What matters most to Humanists and Christians?
Year 6 (Owls)
Creation and science: conflicting or complementary?
Why do some Hindus want to be good?
What do Christians believe Jesus did to ‘save people’?
For Christians, what kind of king was Jesus?
How does faith help people when life gets hard?
Additional opportunities for RE include visits to local places of worship, predominantly Plympton St Maurice Church where we take part in the Harvest and Christmas service. The RE curriculum lead attends meetings with local schools and is part of the Plymouth Teaching School Alliance RE hub.
