RE

Religious Education (RE) at Rivelin

"The principal aim of religious education 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."

Sheffield Agreed Syllabus 2024-2029

Intent
RE at Rivelin teaches our children not just what people believe but what difference this makes to how they live. This is taught for the express purpose that children will be enabled to then handle questions raised by religion and belief and reflect on their own worldview and way of living. 

Our high-quality RE curriculum contributes dynamically to children and young people’s education in schools by provoking 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. 

In Rivelin’s RE lessons, pupils learn about religions and beliefs in local, national and global contexts, to discover, explore and consider different answers to the aforementioned questions.

RE helps our children 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.

Teaching therefore should equip pupils with systematic knowledge and understanding of a range of religions and beliefs, enabling them to develop their ideas, values and identities.

RE at Rivelin aims to help our pupils develop an aptitude for dialogue so that they can participate positively in our society, with its diverse religions and beliefs.

Finally, pupils should gain and deploy the skills needed to understand, interpret and evaluate texts, sources of wisdom and authority and other evidence. They should learn to articulate clearly and coherently their personal beliefs, ideas, values and experiences while respecting the right of others to differ.

As Rivelin follows the Sheffield Agreed Syllabus, we are responding to national calls for deepening pupils’ knowledge about religions and for developing their ‘religious literacy’. This happens through studying one religion at a time (‘systematic’ units), and then including ‘thematic’ units, which build on learning by comparing the religions, beliefs and practices studied.

RE teaching at Rivelin uses the following skills, which are regularly revisited in each unit to enable pupils’ progress in using them.

Implementation

At Rivelin we teach RE through carefully planned Units of Work, one for each half-term in each academic year. We always try to include interactive resources – such as artefacts, videos, visitors and visits.

Oracy skills are a key part of our RE curriculum and woven throughout all our RE lessons, including in the use of ‘sentence stems’. The teaching implements the Education Endowment Foundation’s ‘5 a Day Principles’ to improve outcomes for all in RE.

Impact

The impact of quality RE teaching will help children learn not just what people believe but what difference this makes to how they live and in turn will help them handle questions raised by religion and belief and reflect on their own worldview and way of living. Children's learning will be measured through quizzes, creative activities, their spoken responses to questions and their recorded work in their Discovery books. Summative assessments filled in by teachers will identify those children achieving above and below age expected outcomes.

EYFS

In EYFS my RE learning will be focused upon current events. Throughout Nursery, I will celebrate birthdays, Christmas and other events.

In FS2, during Autumn 1, I will learn about where I belong and how I am special in our ‘Being special’ focus. I will share my ‘All about me’ book, showing who my family are and other places, events and people that are special to me.

In Autumn 2, I will look at two religious celebrations. Firstly, I will learn about the celebration of Diwali and will receive a visit from a Hindu person who will talk about their experience and show me their dress and other artefacts. Secondly, I will learn about why Christmas is special for Christians. As well as learning the ‘nativity’ story and performing it for my family, I will also have a visit from a leader from our local church to explain why Christmas is special to him and his community.

In Spring 1, I will consider why Lunar New Year is special to some people. I will learn stories associated with the celebration and will watch recordings of the celebrations and of how Lunar New Year is celebrated in the homes of those who celebrate it. I will also learn why Lent is a special time for some Christians.

In Spring 2, I will learn why Easter is important to Christians. I will hear from a visitor from a local church why Easter is special to his community. I will also learn about Ramadan and why it is special to Muslims. I will learn how it is observed by families in the school community.

In Summer 1, I will learn about the celebration of Eid al Fitr and will hear about how it is celebrated, receiving a visit from a member of the Muslim community at Rivelin.

Finally, in Summer 2, I will learn about special stories and think about why they are special.

KEY STAGE 1

In Year 1 I will:

Build on my understanding of Religion from EYFS and I will learn about who Christians say made the world in Autumn 1 as I make sense of belief.  In Autumn 2, my learning from EYFS about the first Christmas will be reactivated as I learn why Christmas matters to Christians – learning new words such as ‘incarnation’.

In Spring 1 I will explore the question of ‘Who is Jewish and how do they live?’ This will help me to further understand the impact of religious belief. In Spring 2 I will follow the enquiry, “What do Christians believe God is like?” and seek to give good reasons for my own views as I make connections.

In Summer 1 I will reflect on what it means to belong to a faith community, understanding the impact of belief and belonging. Finally, in Summer 2 I will think about how we should care for the world and for others, and why this matters, making connections with religious thought.  

In Year 2 I will:

Build on my understanding of the incarnation from Year 1 and I will learn what is the good news Christians believe Jesus brings. I will learn what is the “gospel” according to Christians as I make sense of belief in Autumn 1 and 2. Key vocabulary and concepts covered, such as “incarnation” will be reactivated.  

In Spring 1 I will explore the question of ‘Who is a Muslim and how do they live?’ This will help me to further understand the impact of religious belief. In Spring 2 I will follow the enquiry, ‘Why does Easter matter to Christians?’ and will explore key vocabulary such as “salvation”. As I reflect on my understanding of Easter, I will seek to give good reasons for my own views as I make connections.

In Summer 1 I will return to the topic of ‘Who is a Muslim and how do they live’, reactivating knowledge from Spring 1. Finally, in Summer 2, I will be able to reflect on ‘What makes some places special to believers?’. With my growing knowledge from Year 1 and 2 I will be able to make comparisons with Jewish, Muslim and Christian beliefs, making connections between these places and non-religious special places.

KEY STAGE 2

In Year 3 I will:

Build on my understanding of the ‘People of God’, when I looked at the lives of Muslims in Y2, and will learn about the lives of the Old Testament people of God. I will learn about the word ‘covenant’ and the importance of looking at the original text as I make sense of belief in Autumn 1. Key vocabulary and concepts covered, such as “Christians” and “The Old Testament” will be reactivated. In Autumn 2 I will learn about the Trinity and my knowledge of key vocabulary such as “incarnation” from Key stage 1 will be reactivated.  

In Spring 1 I will explore the question, “How do festivals and worship show what matters to a Muslim?” This will help me to further understand the impact of religious belief in the Muslim tradition. In Spring 2 I will contrast my learning of Muslim festivals with that of Jewish people with an enquiry asking, “How do festivals and family life show what matters to Jewish people?” and will explore key vocabulary such as “Yom Kippur”. As I reflect on my understanding of Jewish festivals and family life, I will seek to evaluate and explain their importance to Jewish people as I make connections.

In Summer 1 I will return to the topic of ‘Creation’ asking, “What do Christians learn from the creation story?” reactivating knowledge from Year 1. Finally, in Summer 2, I will be able to reflect on the question “How and why do people try to make the world a better place?”. With my growing knowledge of Christian, Jewish and Muslim people and beliefs, from Key Stage 1 and previous topics studied in Year 3, I will be able to make comparisons with Jewish, Muslim and Christian beliefs, making connections and links between how they relate to this question.

In Year 4 I will:

Build on my understanding of the concept of ‘Gospel’, when I looked at what Christians believe about the good news in Y2, and will learn about ‘What kind of world did Jesus want?’. I will learn about the word ‘parable’ and how Jesus acted towards others, setting followers an example. In Autumn 2 I will learn about Pentecost as I look at the concept of the ‘Kingdom of God’. My knowledge of key vocabulary such as “Holy Spirit’ will be reactivated and I will build upon my knowledge of the ‘Trinity’ and consider how Pentecost and the Holy Spirit affects the lives of Christians as I make sense of belief.

In Spring 1 I will explore the question, “What do Hindus believe God is like?’. This will help me to further understand the impact of religious belief in the Hindu tradition. In Spring 2 I will return to the concept of ‘Salvation’, and follow an enquiry asking, “Why do Christians call the day that Jesus died ‘Good Friday’? I will study key texts from the Bible and make connections as I seek to answer questions and give good reasons for my suggestions.

In Summer 1 I will return to the topic of the Hindu faith, asking, ‘What does it mean to be a Hindu in Britain today?’, reactivating my knowledge of Hindu belief and worship, with a focus on examining ‘Puja’ at home.    Finally, in Summer 2, I will be able to reflect on the question, “How and why do people mark the significant events of life?’, learning about and reflecting on the commitments and promises surrounding different worldviews. Whilst understanding the impact of religious belief and rites of passage, I will reflect on whether it is good for everyone to see life as a journey, and to mark the milestones.

In Year 5 I will:

Build on my understanding of ‘God’, asking, ‘What does it mean if Christians believe God is holy and loving?’. I will explore Bible texts, using ways of knowing that theologians use and learn key vocabulary, such as ‘omniscient’ and ‘omnipotent’ as I make sense of belief in Autumn 1. In Autumn 2 my knowledge from Y2 and Y3 will be reactivated as I explore the question, ‘What does it mean to be a Muslim in Britain today?’ I will seek to make connections between Muslim beliefs I study and Muslim ways of living in Sheffield and Britain.                                                                          In Spring 1 I will explore the question, “Why is the Torah so important to Jewish people?”. I will reactivate knowledge from Y1 and Y3 and seek to understand the impact of Jewish religious belief on how the Torah is treated and how Jewish people live, for example, in relation to ‘kosher’ laws.  In Spring 2 I will consider the question, ‘Creation and science, conflicting or complementary?’. I will reflect on my previous understanding of Creation stories, seeking to weigh up how far the Genesis 1 creation narrative is in conflict, or is complementary with a scientific account, making connections as I give good reasons for my views.                                                              In Summer 1 I will consider the topic of ‘How can following God bring freedom and justice?’, reactivating my knowledge of Jewish belief and the story of Exodus and making connections between the story of Exodus and agencies that work for freedom and justice. Finally, in Summer 2, I will reflect on the question, “What matters most to Humanists and Christians?”. As I make connections, I will ask questions and suggest answers about how and why people should be good.  

In Year 6 I will:

Build on my understanding of what kind of world Jesus wanted from Y4. I will look at how Christians seek to live by asking ‘What would Jesus do?’. I will explore Bible texts, using ways of knowing that theologians use and learn key vocabulary and ideas, such as ‘interpretation’ as I make sense of belief in Autumn 1. In Autumn 2, I will reactivate and develop knowledge from Y3 on the key concept of ‘Incarnation’ as I explore the question, ‘Why do Christians believe Jesus was the Messiah?’. I will seek to make connections as I weigh up the impact on the belief of Christians and support my conclusions with good reasoning.                                                                          In Spring 1 I will explore the question, “Why do Hindus want to be good?”. I will reactivate knowledge from Y4 and seek to understand the impact of Hindu beliefs about dharma, karma, samsara and moksha and ways in which Hindus live. In Spring 2 I will consider the question, ‘What difference does the resurrection make to Christians?”. I will reflect on my previous understanding of the key concept of ‘Salvation’ from Y2 and Y4, making connections as I weigh up the value and impact of ideas of sacrifice in my own life and the world today.                              In Summer 1 I will consider the topic of ‘For Christians, what kind of King was Jesus?’, reactivating my knowledge from earlier in the year on the subject of Jesus as a Messiah. I will make connections as I relate the Christian ‘kingdom of God’ model (i.e. loving others, serving the needy) to issues, problems and opportunities in the world today. Finally, in Summer 2, I will reflect on the question, “Why do some people believe in God and some not?” as I make sense of belief and define the terms ‘theist’, ‘atheist’ and ‘agnostic’ and give examples of statements that reflect these beliefs.

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