Intent
We follow the Saffron Academy Trust RE Scheme with the intent that our children develop tolerance, understanding, and respect for different beliefs and cultures. Our RE Curriculum aims to be clear, purposeful and reflective to ensure a broad and balanced curriculum is delivered that meets the requirements of the ESSEX agreed syllabus.
The school’s intent is to provide opportunities for pupils to explore a range of religious and non-religious worldviews, promoting mutual respect and understanding. This allows children to develop pupils’ critical thinking skills: enabling them to engage thoughtfully with challenging ethical and philosophical questions. We promote an inclusive ethos where all pupils feel respected and valued, regardless of their own beliefs or backgrounds and encourage pupils to reflect on their own values and beliefs while showing curiosity and empathy towards those of others.
Implementation
Across the school, we provide high-quality teaching that is engaging, challenging, and inclusive. Teachers are knowledgeable and skilled in delivering RE lessons that stimulate curiosity, provoke critical thinking, and promote open-mindedness. The school ensures that all pupils have access to a rich and diverse range of resources, including visits to places of worship across the year, guest speakers from different faith communities, and opportunities for reflective and experiential learning.
Although the Saffron Academy Trust RE Scheme underpins our RE curriculum, we continue to regularly review and update the RE curriculum to ensure it remains relevant and responsive to pupils’ needs and interests, as well as reflecting an accurate picture of the diverse demographic we have as a school. Wherever possible, we embed RE across the wider curriculum, making meaningful connections with other subjects such as history, geography and art.
As a school, oracy is an integral part of all curriculum subjects. In RE, we encourage active pupil participation through discussions, debates, presentations, and creative activities that foster independent thinking and respectful dialogue.
Impact
We aim for the impact of our RE curriculum to be far-reaching and transformative. Pupils demonstrate a deep understanding and appreciation of different religious and non-religious worldviews, showing respect for diversity and a willingness to engage in meaningful dialogue with others. They develop a strong sense of moral responsibility, empathy, and social awareness, which is evident in their behaviour, attitudes, and relationships with others.
We see the impact of our RE curriculum through:
- Pupils’ ability to articulate their own beliefs and values with confidence, while showing respect and empathy towards those with different perspectives.
- Pupils’ willingness to ask challenging questions, critically evaluate sources of information, and consider ethical issues with maturity and sensitivity.
- Pupils’ positive attitudes towards diversity, inclusion, and equality, leading to a respectful and harmonious school community where all individuals are valued and celebrated.
- Pupils’ broader academic achievements and personal development, with RE contributing significantly to their spiritual, moral, social, and cultural growth.