Religious Education
The Religious Education Curriculum at Parklee Community School Primary School
INTENT
Here, at Parklee Community School Primary School, the aim of Religious Education is to help children to acquire and develop knowledge and understanding of Christianity and the other principal religions represented in Great Britain; to appreciate the way that religious beliefs shape life and our behaviour, develop the ability to make reasoned and informed judgements about religious and moral issues and enhance their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.
Religious Education is taught throughout the school in such a way as to reflect the overall aims, values, and philosophy of the school.
At Parklee Community School Primary, Religious Education plays an important role, along with all other curriculum areas, particularly PSHE and Jigsaw, in promoting the spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development of our children.
IMPLEMENTATION
At Parklee Community School, it has been agreed that having taken into account the requirements and guidelines presented in the Lancashire Agreed Syllabus, the following religions have been selected for study:
- Christianity
- Islam
- Judaism
- Hinduism
- Buddhism
- Humanism
Christianity is the predominant religion in the school's pupil population and in the community surrounding the school.
There are no presumptions made as to the religious backgrounds and beliefs and values of the children and the staff. We value the religious background of all members of the school community and hope that this will encourage individuals to share their own experiences with others freely. All religions and their communities are treated with respect and sensitivity and we value the links, which are, and can be made between home, school, and a faith community. We acknowledge that each religion studied can contribute to the education of all our pupils. We promote teaching in Religious Education that stresses open enquiry and first-hand experiences wherever possible for both staff and children.
IMPACT
The children at Parklee Community School Primary enjoying learning lots about other religions and why people choose, or choose not to follow a religion. Through their R.E. learning, the children are able to make links between their own lives and those of others in their community and in the wider world. R.E. acts as a hub, therefore, between social aspects of learning, science and geography. Through R.E. our children are developing an understanding of other people’s cultures and ways of life, which they are then able to communicate to the wider community.
R.E. offers our children the means by which to understand how other people choose to live and to understand why they choose to live in that way. As such, R.E. is invaluable in an ever changing and connected world.
Parent- Carers Right to Withdraw their child from RE
By request, Parklee will make provisions for children to account for their parents’ or carers right to withdraw their child from RE lessons.
In accordance with education law, parents or carers hold the right to withdraw their child from RE lessons and collective worship, and the school must comply with the request without asking for a reason why.
For this reason, parents or carers have the right to request that their child is withdrawn from Christmas-related activities on religious grounds, as these activities could be perceived as collective worship.
Whilst it is important for schools to respect beliefs, it is also important for all pupils to be included in activities where possible, in order to avoid any discrimination and ensure that an inclusive learning environment is created. With this in mind, schools could consider making reasonable adjustments in relation to their planned Christmas-related activities.
For example, where an activity involves pupils making Christmas cards, rather than excluding pupils on religious grounds, the withdrawn pupils could instead make general celebratory cards or cards for events in their own culture, e.g. Hannukah. By doing this, the pupils would still have the opportunity to gain and practise the skills involved in the activity being undertaken by their classmates, whilst ensuring that a diverse and inclusive learning environment is promoted.
By making reasonable adjustments, schools can ensure that they are not open to allegations of discrimination and that their provision is inclusive of all religious beliefs.
Please speak to Mrs Roper Headteacher or Miss Wood Deputy Headteacher if you would like to withdraw your child from RE.
Parklee uses the Lancashire Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education:
lancashire-agreed-syllabus-for-religious-education-2021-v11.pdf
Pillars of Progression - Religious Education (Lancashire Agreed Syllabus)
The grids on page 20 – 31 identify how knowledge and skills are built on across KS1 and KS2. Although the generic skills remain the same within each grid, each one is adapted to include subject content specific matched to each religion.
Religious Education makes a significant contribution to a student’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Therefore, the need for a high quality syllabus is vital. The syllabus offers schools a range of guidance, advice and materials to make the curriculum come alive. It is also important that children understand what others believe, in order to live in peace alongside each other.
