RE
School Vision
To give all the opportunity to be who God created them to be and have fullness of life.
Our RE Vision
To develop knowledge and understanding of religion, religious beliefs and practices, tradition and culture, promoting pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and to prepare all pupils for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of the present and the future. To become courageous advocates for themselves and others.
Curriculum
At St. Peter’s Elwick, we follow the Diocesan Syllabus for RE, using Understanding Christianity and Durham Diocese units. These units are used to deliver the core teaching and learning of a range of faiths, including Christianity. Durham Diocese units are also used as well as thematic units which enable pupils to compare beliefs and practices between different faiths and beliefs as well as exploring non-religious worldviews. Each class has a two-yearly cycle which enables the sequential learning of the RE curriculum. This also enables the development of key understanding through building on previous knowledge and supporting children in linking key ideas and religious understanding and theory. Our curriculum follows an enquiry approach and reflects the Understanding Christianity model of teaching.
Religious education is taught using concepts and content (this is through making sense of beliefs), methods (through understanding the impact) and personal reflection (through making connections.)
RE is provided for all pupils, and is inclusive and broad minded. Parents do have the right to withdraw pupils from RE: if you wish to do this, make an appointment with the Head of School/ RE subject leader. The school does not support selective withdrawal from RE’
Pupils at St. Peter’s Elwick have access to a rich and varied RE curriculum. This is supported by our Faith Journey, which is bespoke to our school. This journey ensures all pupils will have wider opportunities within school to carry out our school values, especially service.
Statement for SEND
Religious Education promotes a curriculum that puts all pupils, regardless of their needs, at the heart of what we do. By building mutual respect, we accept others for their differences believing that everyone is special and everyone has something to offer. Our inclusive and enriching curriculum, written for all children, provides pupils with meaningful and aspirational experiences as well as promoting personal growth for life-long learning. When the curriculum needs adapting, to suit the needs of individual children, appropriate modifications are made by the class teacher with support of the SENDCo and the Curriculum Subject Lead.
Awards
RE Quality Mark- Gold
Global Neighbours
Young Leaders Award
Cultural Capital
Every child and family who join our family will have their own knowledge and experiences that will link to their culture and wider family. This might include: languages, beliefs, traditions, cultural and family heritage, interests, travel and work. Research shows that when children and families’ cultures are valued, both the child’s experience of learning and progress can benefit (Husain et al., 2018, p. 4 and Gazzard, E. 2018 in Chalmers, H. and Crisfield, E. 2019)
Cultural capital in RE is the accumulation of knowledge, behaviours, and skills that a child can draw upon and which demonstrates their cultural awareness, knowledge and competence; it is one of the key ingredients a pupil will draw upon to be successful in society, their career and the world of work.
Curriculum Overview
| Autumn1 | Autumn 2 | Spring 1 | Spring 2 | Summer 1 | Summer 2 | |
| EYFS Cycle A | DD: EY Harvest Christianity | UC: Why do Christians perform nativity plays at Christmas? Christianity | DD: Prayer Christianity Hindu Dharma | DD: Easter (adapted to build on knowledge from UC) Christianity | F5: Which places are special and why? Christianity Islam Judaism | DD: Special Times Christianity Hindu Dharma |
| EYFS Cycle B | UC: Why is the word God so important to Christians Christianity | DD: Christmas (adapted to build on knowledge from UC) Hinduism DD Christianity Hindu Dharma | DD: Friendship Christianity | UC: Why do Christians put a cross in an Easter garden? Christianity | F4 DD: Being special: where do we belong? Christianity Humanist | F6: Which stories are special and why? Christianity Hindu Dharma |
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 | Spring 1 | Spring 2 | Summer 1 | Summer 2 | |
| Y1/2 Cycle A | 1.10 How should we care for the world and for others, and why does it matter? (6-8 hours) Christianity Judaism | UC: What is the ‘good news’ Christians believe Jesus brings? (6-8 hours) Christianity | What makes some places sacred to believers? (8-10 hours) Christianity Judaism | UC: Why does Easter matter to Christians? Core Learning Y1 Digging Deeper Y2 (6 hours) Christianity | Who is Jewish and how do they live? (10-12 hours) DD – Places of worship. Synagogue visit Judaism | Who is Jewish and how do they live? (10-12 hours) DD – Places of worship. Synagogue visit Judaism |
| Y1/2 Cycle B | UC: Who do Christians say made the world? (6-8 hours) Christianity | UC: Why does Christmas matter to Christians? (6 hours) Christianity | UC: What do Christians believe God is like? (6-8 hours) Christianity | UC: Why does Easter matter to Christians? Core Learning Y1 Digging Deeper Y2 (6 hours) Christianity | Who is a Muslim and what do they believe? (10-12 hours) Islam | 1.8 Who am I and what does it mean to belong? (6 hours) Christianity Islam Judaism |
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 | Spring 1 | Spring 2 | Summer 1 | Summer 2 | |
| Y3/4 Cycle A | UC: What do Christians Learn from the Creation Story? (6-8 hours) Christianity | UC: What kind of world did Jesus want? (6-8 hours) Christianity | UC: What is it like to follow God? (8-10 hours) Christianity | UC: Why do Christians call the day that Jesus dies ‘Good Friday’? Core Learning Y1 Digging Deeper Y2 (4-6 hours) Christianity | What does it mean to be a Hindu in Britain today? (10-12 hours) Hindu Dharma | How and why do believers show their commitments during the journey of life? (8-10 hours) Christianity Hindu Dharma Judaism |
| Y3/4 Cycle B | DD Harvest Christianity | UC: What is the Trinity? (6-8 hours) Christianity | What are the deeper meanings of festivals? (6-10 hours) Sikhi Judaism | UC: Why do Christians call the day that Jesus dies ‘Good Friday’? Core Learning Y1 Digging Deeper Y2 (4-6 hours) Christianity | What does it mean to be a Sikh in Britain today? (10-12 hours) Sikhi | UC: When Jesus left, what next? (6-8 hours) Christianity |
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 | Spring 1 | Spring 2 | Summer 1 | Summer 2 | |
| Y5/6 Cycle A | UC: What would Jesus do? (6-8 hours) Christianity | UC: What kind of king is Jesus? (6-8 hours) Christianity | UC: How can following God bring freedom and justice? (6-8 hours) Christianity | UC: What did Jesus do to save human beings? (6-8 hours) Christianity | What does it mean for a Jewish person to follow God? (10-12 hours) Judaism | U2.12 What will make our village/ town a more respectful place? (6-8 hours) Christianity Islam |
| Y5/6 Cycle B | UC: Creation and Science: conflicting or complementary? (6-8 hours) Christianity | UC: Was Jesus the Messiah? (6-8 hours) Christianity | UC: What does it mean if God is holy and loving? (6-8 hours) Christianity | UC: What difference does the resurrection make for Christians? (6-8 hours) Christianity | What does it mean for a Jewish person to follow God? (10-12 hours) Islam | U2.13 Why is pilgrimage important to some religious believers? (6-8 hours) Christianity Roman Catholic Islam Judaism Sikhi |
Our curriculum Mapping includes a variety of texts. Here are some examples
St. Peter’s Elwick would like to give thanks to the following publishers for allowing us to use their book cover image:
Reproduced from The Usborne Easter Story by permission of Usborne Publishing, 83-85 Saffron Hill, London EC1N 8RT, UK. www.usborne.com. Copyright © 2011 Usborne Publishing Limited.
Concordia Publishing House: the Pentecost Story & Ruth and Naomi
Useful links for parents
Religious Education in Church of England Schools: Statement of Entitlement
Any clubs, websites, agencies and organisations listed on this webpage outside of St Peter’s Elwick CofE Primary School are independent of the school.
