Our Religious Education Curriculum
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RE must be provided for all pupils in state funded schools in England. This is a legal requirement and is also a necessary part of a ‘broad and balanced curriculum.’ RE is locally determined not nationally. It is taught in accordance with requirements of the Standing Advisory Council for Religious Education (SACRE). Planning is based on the East Sussex's Agreed Syllabus. The RE curriculum drawn up by SACRE ‘shall reflect the fact that the religious traditions in Great Britain are in the main Christian, while taking account of the teaching and practices of the other principal religions represented in Great Britain.’ (Education Act 1996, Section 365). Please click here for the SACRE website.
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Religious Education (RE) is not part of the National Curriculum but must be taught in schools by law. We are a Church of England Controlled School and hold a strong commitment to teaching the principles of Christianity. Religion and beliefs inform our values and are reflected in what we say and how we behave. At High Hurstwood CE Primary School, RE is an integral part of the curriculum in developing an individual’s knowledge and understanding of the religions and beliefs which form part of contemporary society. Our Religious Education curriculum provokes challenging questions about the ultimate meaning and purpose of life, beliefs about God, the self and the nature of reality, issues of right and wrong, and what it means to be human. It develops pupils’ knowledge and understanding of Christianity, of other principal religions, other religious traditions and world views that offer answers to questions such as these. RE also contributes to our pupils’ personal development and wellbeing, and to community cohesion by promoting mutual respect and tolerance in a diverse society.
The agreed syllabus is supplemented with the Understanding Christianity resources which are intended to support teachers in teaching about Christianity in Religious Education. Understanding Christianity’s approach to teaching about Christianity builds up pupils’ encounters with biblical concepts through texts, placing them within the wider Bible story. Through RE, we aim to enable children to understand the nature of religions and beliefs which have influenced the lives of millions of people and heavily influenced the development of different human cultures. We also aim to enable pupils to learn more about themselves and their place in the world from their increasingly academic and creative exploration of religions and beliefs. RE is taught through an enquiry-based approach and provides opportunities for all pupils to explore questions, experiences and concepts related to identity and what it means to be human, whilst at the same time developing a good knowledge and understanding of the principal faiths in Britain. It enables teachers to develop key skills, attitudes, and dispositions in their pupils, such as critical thinking, empathy, and conceptual creativity, which will equip them better to be able to grapple with the questions that life throws at us.
Delivery of RE is usually taught as a weekly lesson, however it can also be through larger blocks of time when it is felt this would be more effective. There is also some cross-curricular coverage of RE including teaching through other subjects, whole school events, assemblies, and collective worship. Parents have the right to withdraw their child from RE lessons and collective worship and should talk to the Headteacher if this is their intention.
Please see the the High Hurstwood Curriculum Vision (implementation) document, long term overview for the whole school and the Diocese of Chichester Church Schools entitlement document.