At Southway Junior School we aim to introduce and celebrate the diversity of culture and religion in our world allowing students to appreciate, understand and evaluate their own community in relation to the wider world.
Part of the broad, balanced curriculum here at Southway Junior School is the teaching of Religious Education (RE). We believe that all children, from any faith or culture, should feel welcomed into the school community and this is fostered through the learning and exposure to a variety of religions and worldviews. This in turn teaches children the values of respect and kindness towards others with different beliefs. By learning about other religions, children observe how people show keen resilience within their religion such as the act of fasting during Ramadan. Children cooperate in various activities during RE lessons which show good teamwork.
Children at Southway Junior School will learn about the key characteristics of the religions and worldviews studied and their significance and impact in Britain and globally. Pupils will be able to use subject specific vocabulary, apply their learning, ask questions, share their own ideas, and make connections between religion and worldviews studied and wider learning.
During the four years at Southway Junior School, all pupils will be taught the knowledge and skills to:
- Understand Christianity
- Understand at least two other principal religions
- Understand a religious community with a significant local presence.
- Understand a secular worldview.
At Southway Junior School, teachers bring the Religious Education curriculum to life and engage children through a range of stimuli, including exploring and learning about key celebrations and religions. Children get the opportunity to visit a Hindu temple in year four, as well as the chapel at Hampton Court Palace in year 5. We interweave our ‘iii’ pedagogical approach in each year group’s learning journey via a cross-curricular approach with other subjects, including: history, RSHE and Art. Children learn about other areas of RE in special, religious celebration assemblies throughout the year.
There will be opportunities for children of all abilities to communicate their understanding using subject specific vocabulary, apply their learning, ask questions, share their own ideas, and make connections between religion and worldviews studied and their wider learning. They will be able to reflect critically on the relevance of their learning, relate this to their own experiences and personal worldview. Through this, children will develop a respect for others within school, their own community and around the world. Within lessons, children will develop their resilience, teamwork and kindness through carefully planned lessons and activities.
The introduction of RE folders where the children’s work is collated shows the children and staff, the development of the subject and how learning is built upon throughout their time at Southway.
