Our curriculum is ambitious, diverse and research driven
INTENT
At Hunsbury Park Primary School, through the RE curriculum, we provide opportunities to develop children’s knowledge and understanding of world religions. This supports our children at HPPS because it encompasses and fosters respect and also the concept of democracy, which are two of our golden threads. Children develop their knowledge and understanding of Christianity and other religions and consider how the beliefs of others impact on their lives and the lives of others in the diverse world we live in. Children can also explore beliefs that are not necessarily religious.
At Hunsbury Park Primary school, we aim to deliver an ambitious curriculum that:
- Develops a positive attitude towards the subject of RE and the awareness of how RE links to everyday life.
- Creates and develops confidence to discuss our own beliefs and customs.
- Promotes the British value of mutual respect and tolerance.
- Inspires awe and wonder of the world around us.
Statutory requirements for the teaching and learning of Religious Education Guidance are laid out in the National Curriculum in England: Framework Document (2014).
IMPLEMENTATION
Religious Education is taught in a two-year cycle for each Phase therefore ensuring full coverage of the curriculum is taught. The Northamptonshire agreed syllabus (SACRE) is used to teach R.E. at Hunsbury Park Primary School. Through using this specific RE curriculum, we provide opportunities to develop children’s knowledge and understanding of world religions. This supports our children at HPPS because it reflects our diverse school community. Children can also explore their own beliefs (not necessarily religious). Therefore, our children appreciate and respect different cultures enabling them to become skilled citizens.
The RE curriculum forms an important part of our school’s spiritual, moral and social teaching. As our school RE curriculum follows the Northamptonshire County Council Local Authority’s (LA) Agreed Syllabus, it meets all the requirements set out in that document. The Education Act 1996 states that: ‘an Agreed Syllabus must reflect the fact that the religious traditions in Great Britain are in the main Christian, whilst taking account of the teachings and practices of the other principal religions represented in Great Britain. It must be non-denominational and must not be designed to convert pupils to a particular religion.’
Lessons and units allow knowledge to be built slowly so that concepts and understanding can be deepened and built upon each week. Children can reflect their learning and understanding in different ways and are given plenty of opportunities and time to ask questions and explore the diverse world they live in and the religions of those who live in it. The curriculum is built so that children begin learning about Christianity, with different aspects of the faith being introduced as they move throughout the school, building on what they have already learnt. Then from Phase 1, different world religions are introduced and studied over the course of their time at HPPS, giving them a broad understanding of the key aspects of each faith.
IMPACT
By the time children leave Hunsbury Park Primary School to go onto secondary school, we aim for our children to be tolerant respectful and celebrate diversity. We strive to support our children in achieving and developing a positive attitude towards a variety of beliefs and cultures (including those who choose not to have faith) which they can use in later education and life.
Assessment
Effective marking and feedback are known to be vital for helping all learners make good progress. At Hunsbury Park we aim to take a consistent, rigorous approach to feeding back to children on their performance and progress. All teachers have a responsibility for setting clear learning objectives and giving feedback back against them, which can be verbal. Children should be encouraged to self-evaluate their work regularly, as well as participating in peer-marking. This can be used alongside teacher feedback and helps them recognise and develop their own critical skills, targets and success criteria awareness.
Also, teacher-based assessments are carried out three times per year in Religious Education using Age Related Expectations in order to track children’s process and then recorded on Insight. Teacher marking and continual retrieval opportunities is a continuous process which is also used every day at Hunsbury Park to show progress and any gaps that need to be secured before moving on.
SEND and Disadvantaged Pupils
At Hunsbury Park Primary School we believe that inclusive education should provide all children with an appropriate curriculum and support alongside their peers. In Religious Education, this is achieved through scaffolding and effective differentiation which enables all pupils to achieve.
Where possible, additional adult intervention and opportunities for mixed ability pairing will help all children to fulfil their potential – for example, during discussions, which are a fundamental aspect of RE lessons.
How Does RE Promote British Values?
At Hunsbury Park Primary School, RE makes a key educational contribution to children’s explorations of British Values and the teaching of RE enables them to learn to think for themselves about these values. RE offers opportunities to build an accurate knowledge base about religions and beliefs in relation to values. This in turn supports the children of HPPS so that they are able to develop tolerance, increasing respect and celebrate diversity. Values education and moral development are a part of the school’s holistic mission to contribute to the wellbeing of each pupil and of all people within our communities. The RE curriculum focuses learning in some of these areas, but pupils’ moral development is a whole-school focus.