RE | Greenbank Primary School

Religion and Worldviews

Greenbank Primary School is a large nursery and primary school that welcomes all children from the local community celebrating their rich variety, cultural and racial backgrounds as well as their different educational abilities. Each child is valued as a unique individual, as is their contribution to the life of the school community. Furthermore through the teaching of R.E we want to promote and build upon community cohesion. Religious Education is education about the world’s religions, what people believe and how that belief affects their lives and others.

Intent

At Greenbank, our intention for the teaching of RE is to provide opportunity for children to:

Encourage a sense of awe, wonder, delight, joy and mystery through links with the expressive and creative curriculum.
Develop respect for the right of others to hold beliefs different from their own.
Contribute to the pupil’s spiritual, moral, cultural and social development.
Promote and support Community Cohesion.

Implementation

R.E. is a foundation subject within the National Curriculum. The aims of teaching R.E. at Greenbank Primary School are consistent with our School Mission Statement and take into account the requirements set by the current National Curriculum. All children are entitled access to the programmes of study at a level appropriate to the needs of the individual child and we aim to develop the whole person by giving our children opportunities to reach the full potential in Religious Education.

The above intent can be achieved if we:

Extend children’s natural curiosity and help them to use their imagination in order to extend their spiritual development.
Encourage children to recognise their own value and importance as individuals; promote their social development.
Help children to understand the religious beliefs, attitudes and activities of other people and reflect, develop and express their own beliefs and values.
Help children to consider their personal response to moral issues, assist them in their early exploration of the meaning of life, and help them face and learn from painful experiences which they encounter such as fear, suffering and death.
Evaluate a range of moral and religious issues with reference to the teachings of religions.
Consider some basic religious concepts and ways in which they have been expressed in sacred books, story-telling, language and writings, symbols and the arts, daily living and rituals.
Introduce children to the lives of key figures in various religions and to people who have responded to their teaching and example.
Provide opportunities for children to share in memorable and festive experiences from various cultures and traditions, thus stimulating questions about the meaning of such occasions.
Learn about beliefs, values and the concepts of spirituality.
Understand the inter-relationships between religion, culture and society.

For Key Stage 1 and 2 Greenbank Primary School follows the Scheme of work and attainment targets for Religious Education that is written by Liverpool’s S.A.C.R.E. (Standing Advisory Council for Religious Education). The scheme is based on experience, communication, reflection and expression through a range of forms.

It reflects that religious traditions in Great Britain are in the main Christian, while taking account of the teaching and practices of the other principal religions represented in Great Britain, according to the 1988 Education Reform Act.

We aim for all pupils to progress spiritually and morally within the context of a caring environment. We take account of pupils’ ages and learning styles when planning and presenting lessons and a variety of materials, resources and experiences are offered.

In the early years, RE will be approached through pupils’ own experiences, so that they reflect on their own thoughts, feelings and attitudes. It will be built on the children’s experiences at home and linked with the general curriculum in the Early Years.

Assemblies are used to identify, promote and celebrate the school’s values. Opportunities include: celebrating individual and group achievement; raising and considering topical, political, spiritual, moral, social, and cultural issues; reflecting on personal and religious ideals, values, experiences and feelings, and those of others.

We are fortunate in having a very wide representation of faiths and cultures in our school. We actively encourage visits outside the school to destinations both secular and religious.

Practitioners of all faiths within the local community may be invited into school to explain different aspects of their beliefs to either a class or the whole school as we wish to utilise the experience of pupils, professionals and the community.

Greenbank respects the right of parents to withdraw their child from RE lessons. We hope that the scheme of work offered will mean that parents do not need to do so. In such cases other arrangements can be made via the class teacher if parents wish their children not to attend these sessions.

R.E at Greenbank

Islam Workshops at Hope University:

Pupils and parents from our Muslim community were invited to take part in a series of Islamic workshops at Hope University. During the workshops, the pupils and parents shared their knowledge and passion for Islam with the teaching students to support their understanding of the Islamic faith.

Interfaith Week:

Inter Faith Week is an important week in the religious calendar as it highlights the many different faiths and beliefs that people have, not only within our school community but globally. It aims to bring different faiths and backgrounds together, to celebrate and learn about each other, and develop new ways to work together. This year, our school took part in an Inter faith workshop day to celebrate and unite the faiths within our school community. Each class attended a workshop in the hall based on their current topic in R.E. The workshops encouraged the pupils to reflect upon their own experiences and beliefs using artefacts, thought provoking drama and music.