Building on Meanwood’s vision and values and in accordance with the Diocesan Syllabus for Religious Education in the Dioceses of Leeds and York, we aim to provide an exceptional religious education that embraces our school vision. We believe that high quality religious education (RE) is an essential part of a rich and broad education.

Open Hearts – We create a cooperative learning environment, encouraging children to work together, share ideas and learn collaboratively.

Open Minds – We inspire our children to strive for excellence in RE, supporting them to hold balanced and informed conversations about religion and worldviews. We celebrate their achievements and encourage them to reach their full potential.

Open Arms – We foster empathy in our pupils, encouraging them to understand and appreciate different perspectives and approaches to religion and belief, encouraging respect and living well together. We promote an inclusive environment where all learners feel valued and supported.

Intent

Our RE curriculum aims to equip pupils for life, by helping them to engage in balanced and informed conversations about religion and belief. It also enables them to develop critical analytical skills alongside religious and theological literacy, as well as supporting the thoughtful and reflective development of pupils’ own beliefs and values.

At the heart of RE in church schools is the teaching of Christianity, rooted in the person and work of Jesus Christ within the wider context of the story of God’s relationship with humanity as set out in the Bible. In addition, we encourage learning about a range of religions and world views, fostering respect and understanding and enabling tolerance.

Religious Education is not religious instruction, rather it is a highly valued academic subject that allows pupils to develop religious and theological literacy through investigation of religious and non-religious beliefs, practices and values as well as considering philosophical approaches to life’s questions and the broader role of religion in society.

Implementation

As a Voluntary Aided School, The Diocesan Agreed Syllabus requires pupils to study Christianity for 50% of RE study time.  We also teach Islam, Judaism, Hinduism and Sikhism as well as thematic units which explore other religions and non-religious worldviews.

Our curriculum promotes broad and rich learning in RE through three core elements:

· Making sense of belief

· Understanding the impact

· Making connections

The use of long-term plans and knowledge organisers allow staff to implement lessons that have clear endpoints, ensuring a systematic approach to learning. We use Understanding Christianity as our main scheme for learning, which supports children to develop a broad understanding of Christianity and how religious belief can impact on the day to day lives of people.

Assessment is used as a diagnostic tool to help mould the curriculum to the needs and requirements of the learners. Quizzes, recaps and connected knowledge lessons give all children the opportunity to retain the knowledge they need to move onto the next step in their learning journey. 

In EYFS, RE sits very firmly within the areas of 'personal, social and emotional development' and 'understanding the world'.  RE teaching reflects the Diocesan Agreed Syllabus for RE and is supported by the Understanding Christianity scheme of learning.  

Impact

At Meanwood our aim is to keep all the children working together at broadly the same place by taking small steps in learning.
 

Formative Assessment

The children’s progress is assessed using regular formative assessment in lessons through questioning, regular retrieval practice, assessment of work in books and feedback. Before each unit of learning, the children complete a pre-knowledge check based on the previous learning. This allows teachers to teach any necessary connected knowledge prior to them starting the new unit of work to support the needs of pupils in their classes.
 

Summative Assessment

Summative assessment in RE takes place in the form of end of unit quizzes which take place at 2, 6 and 12 weeks after a unit has been completed. These inform the teacher of any children that need further consolidation and/or intervention. 
 

Tracking Pupil Progress

The results of these quizzes are submitted into a spreadsheet which track children’s progress. Teachers can then see where gaps in learning are and provide further consolidation and/or intervention. 
 

Staff Development

Training needs are identified as a result of whole school monitoring and evaluation, performance management and through self-analysis. The subject leader is keen to share best practice and disseminate up-to-date initiatives to staff via planned CPD and development time. This will ensure the subject is constantly evolving to meet the demands of curriculum expectations.
 

Monitoring

The subject leader, SLT and Governors all play a role in the monitoring of RE at Meanwood. Regular monitoring via learning walks, book looks and pupil/staff voice feedback ensures the subject is constantly being reviewed and regulated to ensure the best learning opportunities for all.