RE
Why is RE part of the RFA curriculum?
At the RFA, Religious Education has been specifically designed to allow young people growing up in a diverse society to understand the views and opinions of people whose beliefs and values differ from their own. Issues of religion and belief frequently top the news agenda and RE helps make sense of them. RE provides space for young people to reflect on their own ideas and develop their thoughts about questions of meaning and truth.
The purpose of Religious Education at the RFA is:
- To promote understanding and tolerance so that it contributes dynamically to your child’s education by addressing challenging questions about meaning and purpose in life, beliefs about God, ultimate reality, issues of right and wrong and what it means to be human.
- Children will learn to weigh up the value of wisdom from different sources, to develop and express their insights in response, and to agree or disagree respectfully.
- In RE they will learn about and from religions and worldviews in local, national and global contexts. They will discover, explore and consider different answers to enquiry questions set out in each thought-provoking unit.
- Children will gain essential skills to understand, interpret and evaluate sources of wisdom, authority and other evidence. They will learn to talk about their personal beliefs, ideas, values and experiences while respecting the right of others to have different beliefs.
It is not our intention to lead children to any specific faith but to use RE to encourage pupils to learn and develop the positive attitudes of curiosity, wonder and appreciation, commitment, fairness and self-awareness to the beliefs and values of others.
The threefold aims of RE:
- Knowing about and understanding religions and worldviews
- Expressing and communicating ideas related to religions and worldviews
- Gaining and deploying the skills for studying religions and worldviews
What is taught as part of the RE curriculum?
In EYFS
Religious Education is incorporated into the curriculum through the study of different religious celebrations and festivals.
In Key stages 1 and 2
- Year 1: Christianity, Judaism and Hinduism
- Year 2: Judaism, Islam, and Christianity
- Year 3: Hinduism and Christianity
- Year 4: Judaism and Christianity
- Year 5: Islam, Sikhism and Christianity
- Year 6: Buddhism, Islam, Christianity, and Judaism
* Each year group covers an additional lesson on Harvest, Christmas, and Easter
How do we teach RE at RFA?
At RFA we teach RE discreetly, using the Croydon RE Syllabus. It places great emphasis on enquiry-based learning and there are many opportunities for pupils to pose questions and undertake research of their own. It consists of six main world faiths, covered through the key stages.
Throughout the year, we also study different religious celebrations and festivals through class discussions and assemblies.
Withdrawal from Religious Education
We recognise that parents have a right to withdraw their child from Religious Education in its entirety or in part. If a parent chooses to withdraw their child from Religious Education then a letter will be provided and a meeting held with the Head teacher to discuss the reasons pertaining to this. Arrangements can be made for that child to be withdrawn during the lessons by the class teacher in consultation with the Head teacher without the school incurring any expense through this action.