'With all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love'
Ephesians 4:2
INTENT
We believe at Meppershall CE Academy that RE both supports and strengthens what we aim to do in every aspect of school life. Our caring Christian ethos and the value we place on the development of the whole child; spiritually, morally, socially, culturally and intellectually is reflected in the RE curriculum. Through their learning from and about different religions, children will become tolerant, respectful, thoughtful and reflective members of society. Our curriculum will enable every child to:
By addressing key questions, ‘Understanding Christianity’ encourages pupils to explore core Bible texts, examine the impact for Christians and consider possible implications. Each unit incorporates the three elements:
Making sense of the text – Developing skills of reading and interpretation; understanding how Christians interpret, handle and use biblical texts; making sense of the meanings of texts for Christians
Understanding the impact – Examining ways in which Christians respond to biblical texts and teachings, and how they put their beliefs into action in diverse ways within the Christian community and in the world
Making connections – Evaluating, reflecting on and connecting the texts and concepts studied, and discerning possible connections between these and pupils’ own lives and ways of understanding the world.
The ‘Understanding Christianity’ approach is not just allowing pupils to learn what Christians believe. Instead, it is about developing skills to help them ‘think theologically’ alongside learning knowledge of the Bible, Christian belief and practice.
We have close links with our local church, St Mary’s, and they have a central role in bringing our curriculum to life. Key festivals such as Christmas and Easter, and other important services such as the Leavers’ Service are celebrated in church with Reverend Roni. As part of their curriculum Key Stage 2 visit St. Mary’s church to make a more in-depth study of how, when and where Christians worship. They also visit St. Alban’s Cathedral where comparisons can be made. Reverend Roni and other church members make frequent visits to school to lead Collective Worship. RE is further enhanced across the school when themed RE mornings take place. This is where the whole school works on a particular theme or value and then comes together in Worship to share their experience and learning.
When teaching about other religions, we follow the ‘Bedfordshire Agreed RE Syllabus’ to ensure a good breadth and depth of learning in a meaningful sequence.
Syllabus Intention: “The RE syllabus uses a multi-dimensional model of religions and worldviews, and of RE itself. Learners explore questions of identity: who am I? Where do I fit in? What influences shape me? They discover a range of accounts of the meanings humans find in life, developing their own sense of meaning, and they consider how human values are often common and humane, but also often distinctive in the ways they are expressed and practised”.
The Bedfordshire RE Agreed Syllabus, 2018–2023
In addition to Christianity, children in KS1 learn about Judaism and in KS2, Sikhism and Islam. Each unit starts with a key question which the children explore. As they mature, contrasts and comparisons are drawn between religions, as well as considering what they can learn from a different set of beliefs. In KS2 children take part in the Queen’s Park Faith Tour, in Bedford which provides an opportunity for ‘real-life’ experience of other religions and the chance to see differing communities living and working alongside each other.
IMPACT
The impact of our curriculum will be monitored by the Subject Lead/Head Teacher. It will be apparent in: our students’ enthusiasm for the subject which is displayed both in and out of the classroom; our students’ work and their progress as evidenced in their books. Children will be able to talk articulately and respectfully about different religions, and will show good knowledge and understanding of Christianity.