Religious Education
In our diverse society children are enriched by the diversity of cultures and beliefs and need more than ever before, to understand other peoples beliefs, cultures and traditions. Therefore religious education makes a major contribution to children’s intellectual, social and emotional education. At Park Hall our vision is to enable children to question, debate, compare and consider different answers to ‘big’ questions in local, national and global contexts. Our theologists are provided with opportunities to develop skills which will enable them to become critical enquirers into the world of religion. This will be achieved by children being given opportunities to learn about and learn from religions through questioning, exploring and reflecting on religious and non religious points of view. Children will learn to articulate clearly their personal beliefs , ideas, values and life experiences whilst respecting the rights of others to differ. This will enable children to go into the world as curious, independent thinkers, who are able to appraise and consider any views that they are exposed to. At Park Hall Academy our school values are at the heart of everything we do. These are embedded throughout our RE curriculum. RE enables pupils to build their sense of identity and belonging in their community and to learn to live together respectfully in a diverse and complex multi religious and multi secular society.
Intent– RE:
Principal aim:
The principal aim of religious education is to explore what people believe and what difference this makes to how they live, so that learners can gain the knowledge, understanding and /skills needed to handle questions raised by religion and belief, reflecting on their own ideas and ways of living.
We further aim :
-for our learners to gain a clear understanding of the main principals of Christianity and a variety of other world religions namely, Islam, Judaism and Hinduism.
Making sense of beliefs:
We aim for learners to be able to identify and make sense of core religious and non religious beliefs and concepts.
Learners will understand what these beliefs mean within their traditions.
They will develop their skills of interpretation to enable them to recognise how and why sources of authority (such as texts) are used, expressed and interpreted in different ways.
Making connections:
We aim for learners to be able to evaluate, reflect and connect the beliefs and practices taught. they will ask and answer challenging questions and engage in deeper philosophical thinking to help them make possible connections between others’ and their own lives.
Understanding the impact:
We aim for our learners to examine how and why people put their beliefs in to action in lots of different ways,
within their everyday lives, within their communities and in the wider world.
Our Curriculum Offer:
Our programme of study is follows the Stoke Agreed Syllabus. It’s Principal aim is:
To explore what people believe and what difference this makes to how they live, so that children can gain the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to handle questions raised by religion and belief, reflecting on their own ideas and ways of living.
Our teaching and learning has three main elements which are woven together to provide breadth and balance. Teaching and learning will encompass all three elements, allowing for overlap between elements as suits the religion, concept and question being explored. These elements offer the structure through which pupils can encounter diverse religious traditions alongside non -religious worldviews – which reflect the backgrounds of many pupils in our school. These elements also provide a strategy that allows for different traditions to be treated with integrity.
Making sense of beliefs:
Identifying and making sense of core religious and non- religious beliefs and concepts; understanding what these beliefs mean within their traditions; recognising how and why sources of authority (such as texts) are used, expressed and interpreted in different ways, and developing skills of interpretation.
Making connections:
Evaluating, reflecting on and connecting the beliefs and practises studied; allowing children to challenge ideas studied and the ideas studied to challenge the children;s thinking; discerning possible connections between these and pupils’ own lives and ways of understanding the world.
Understanding the impact:
Examining how and why people put their beliefs into action in diverse ways, within their everyday lives, the communities and the wider world.
Through discreet R.E. lessons learners will learn about religions and beliefs in local, national and global contexts to discover, explore and consider different answers to these questions. We will enrich children’s understanding and perspectives by offering opportunities to extend that understanding through visitors and trips related to RE learning.
Effective R.E. education contributes dynamically to children and young people’s education in our school. We provoke challenging questions about meaning and purpose in life, beliefs about God, ultimate reality, issues of right and wrong and what it means to be human.
Our R.E. teaching will equip pupils with systematic knowledge and understanding of a range of religions and beliefs, enabling them to develop their own ideas, values and identities. This is turn will develop an aptitude for dialogue so that they can positively participate in society with it’s diverse religions and beliefs. Learners will learn to weigh up the value of wisdom from different sources, to develop and express their insights in response and to agree or disagree respectfully.
