Religious Education is a compulsory subject for all pupils aged 5 – 18 years and forms part of the basic curriculum to which every pupil should have access. It is instrumental in promoting acceptance and understanding of others and their beliefs. RE presents an opportunity to promote the spiritual, moral and cultural development of all pupils. We are currently following the Devon and Torbay Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education 2024 – 2029.  We understand that Bishops Nympton is multi-cultural community with a variety of beliefs. We welcome the diversity of all of our families and intend to be sensitive to the home background of each child. As a school, we are grateful to have active support of religious and non-religious members of our local community to support our teaching of RE.
 

The Aims of RE at Bishops Nympton Primary School

RE at Bishops Nympton Primary School will be provided in line with legal requirements, including:

• The basic curriculum will include provision for Religious Education for all pupils on the school roll.

• The content of RE shall reflect the fact that religious traditions in Great Britain are in the main Christian, while taking into account the teaching and practices of the other principal religious traditions represented in Great Britain.

• The curriculum which is provided shall be in accordance with the locally agreed syllabus for Devon and Torbay.

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Within the framework of the law and the Agreed Syllabus, the aims in RE at Bishops Nympton Primary School are for pupils to:

• Acquire and develop knowledge and understanding of Christianity and other principal religions represented in the United Kingdom; including Islam, Hinduism, Judaism as well as Humanists who follow no religion.

• Develop an understanding of the influence of religious and non-religious world views, values and traditions on individuals, communities, societies and cultures – locally, nationally and globally.

• To develop the ability to make reasoned and informed judgements about religious and moral issues, with reference to the teachings and diversity within the religious and non-religious world views represented in the United Kingdom.

• To enhance children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development by:
   

  • Developing an awareness of the fundamental questions of life raised by human experiences and how religious teaching and other beliefs can relate to them.

  • Responding to such questions with reference to the teachings and practices of religions and world views relating to their own understanding and experience.

• To develop positive attitudes and respect towards to other people whose beliefs are different from their own and towards living in a society of diverse religions and world views.

 

Time Allocation

It is recommended that RE is taught for a minimum of 36 hours per year at Key Stage 1 and 45 hours at Key Stage 2.

 

Reception
36 hours of RE (e.g. 50 minutes a week or some short sessions implemented through continuous provision)

Key Stage 1
36 hours of tuition per year (e.g. an hour a week, or less than an hour a week plus a series of RE days)

KS2
45 hours of tuition per year (e.g. an hour a week, or a series of RE days or weeks amounting to 45 hours of RE)

RE curriculum allocation does not include assembly or collective worship, even when the assembly provides a starting point for curricular work. Christmas and Easter production rehearsal/performances are not included in RE curriculum allocation.

 

Scheme of Work

A detailed scheme of work is available for teachers and other interested individuals alongside this policy. It has been written in accordance with the Devon and Torbay Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education 2019 – 2024. 

 

EYFS

Themes emerging from the EYFS Framework

 

Key Stage 1

Christianity, Judaism, Islam

 

Lower Key Stage 2

Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism

 

Upper Key Stage 2

Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Humanism

 

Teaching and Learning Strategies
We aim to include a range of teaching and learning strategies in the delivery of RE including art, drama, thinking skills, speaking and listening activities, visits, posters, photographs, videos, ICT use, display work and other active learning strategies.  Within our school, we recognise the importance of teaching to the Devon and Torbay Agreed Syllabus in a creative, knowledge-rich, broad and balanced way.

 

Resources

Bishops Nympton Primary School provides a wide range of resources to support our teaching of RE that we continue to monitor and develop. Our school has invested in books/religious artefacts/DVDs/picture packs/posters, some of which can be found in our school library. Our staff are given protected time to familiarise themselves with any new materials. A regular audit of these resources will take place by the RE subject leader in order to continually update our school collection. We encourage families and individuals in the local community to donate appropriate artefacts and meaningful objects for our RE provision.

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Visits and Visitors

We are able to use local places of worship with in the immediate vicinity of the school, where faith leaders and other members of the local community are willing to meet with children and be involved in the teaching of RE. We aim to use this valuable resource for all classes. All pupils will have the opportunity to visit a place of worship and participate in traditions and celebrations according to beliefs held.

The RE subject leader is available to support class teachers to organise any educational visits.

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Matching work to pupil’s needs

Our whole school SEN policy also applies to the teaching of RE. We believe that all children have the right to access the RE curriculum. In order to ensure that children with Special Educational Needs achieve to the best of their ability, it may be necessary to adapt the delivery of the curriculum for some pupils. We do this by setting suitable learning challenges and responding to each child’s different needs in accordance with our SEN policy. Where appropriate we may support SEN children in small groups or on a one to one basis.

Teachers will also be made aware of the fact that some children may have special and deep experience of a religion through family practice and the impact of this on the teaching of RE in lessons.

 

Assessments

We report on pupil’s progress and attainment in RE to parents, as required by law. The Devon and Torbay Agreed Syllabus provides descriptions of progress and attainment, which our school will use as a basis for reporting at the end of each key stage. Children will have RE books to record their work in their KS1 and KS2 class. In Class 1, there is a floor book to document a chosen piece or work from sessions to represent the classes learning for the session objective.

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Transition

We ensure that transition across key stages (including to KS3) includes a simple statement of the religions and topics that pupils have covered alongside their progress and achievement.

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Withdrawal

We note the Right of parents to withdraw their children from RE and of teachers to withdraw from teaching the subject. We aim to provide an open curriculum which can be taught to all pupils, by all staff. Teachers are asked to refer to the head teacher any questions from parents about withdrawals. Requests for full or partial withdrawal from RE should be made in writing to the head teacher and a record will be kept of them.