RE
RE at Addington
Intent
Religious Education (RE) is a statutory part of the National Curriculum and we have a statutory duty to “make provision for a daily act of collective worship and must teach religious education to pupils at every key stage.”[1]
RE is taught in England and Wales according to the locally agreed syllabus. At Addington we have adapted The Pan-Berkshire Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education and also taken into account section 71(7) of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 which states that special schools should provide RE “so far as is practicable”[2], with all pupils taking part unless withdrawn by their parents.
The aim of the Addington Religious Education curriculum is to encourage respect and tolerance for different beliefs and cultures and to promote unity in our differences, self-reflection and religious literacy by imparting pupils with knowledge and understanding of a range of major world religions. This fits within the context of Addington’s ethos, values and aims which is based on mutual respect where we are all learning together to be 'a community committed to excellence and the development of the potential of all’.
Our Religious Education curriculum also takes into account the wider cultural context of the United Kingdom. “The UK has a rich heritage of culture and diversity. This is continuing today in an era of globalisation and an increasingly interdependent world. Religion and belief for many people forms a crucial part of their culture and identity.”[3] We aim to also celebrate pupils’ own religious and cultural practices and those of the local communities and within their own school and class to bring context and meaning to our learning. RE at Addington should help pupils to learn about other cultures and promote understanding, tolerance and respect. Emphasis is placed on the similarities between religions. Trips involving visits to local places of worship or visits to see seasonal displays should be encouraged.
Pupils are able to make development in the area of Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural development through Religious Education. “Spiritual development of pupils is shown by their ability to be reflective about their own beliefs (religious or otherwise) and perspective on life…knowledge of, and respect for, different people’s faiths, feelings and values.”[4]
[1] The national curriculum in England Key stages 1 and 2 framework document September 2013 Section 2:3
[2] School Standards and Framework Act 1998 Section 71(7)
[3] Religious Education in English Schools: Non Statutory guidance 2010
[4] Ofsted via SMSC – The National Quality Mark - About
Please click the links below to view our RE Progression Planners:
How is RE delivered?
RE is delivered in different ways across Addington School:
In Early Years and Sensory and Complex classes RE is taught through half termly festival celebration days where pupils access their RE learning through sensory stories and immersive multi-sensory experiences. Pupils have opportunities to touch, taste, hear, see and smell items linked to various festivals.
In Middle School RE is explored through a carousel approach where different activities are explored between classes or in one class over the space of a day or week to immerse pupils in their RE learning. RE continues to be delivered through a multi-sensory approach to engage pupils in their learning. RE in Middle School moves on from Early Years by asking “big questions”, where appropriate, alongside learning linked to festivals each half term.
In Upper School pupils learn about RE through links to their topic themes and by posing “big questions” to discuss, where appropriate. Throughout the year pupils further consolidate and build on their learning about festivals through news and sharing their own experiences from outside school with their peers.
Progression planner documents for Semi-Formal and Formal learners are used to show a progression of skills and knowledge that can be applied to any of the themes above. These support planning for RE for the diverse range of pupils in Semi-Formal and Formal classes.
Collective Worship:
What is Collective Worship at Addington?
“Collective Worship in schools should aim to provide the opportunity for pupils to worship God, to consider spiritual and moral issues and to explore their own beliefs; to encourage participation and response, whether through active involvement in the presentation of worship or through listening to and joining in the worship offered; and to develop community spirit, promote a common ethos and shared values, and reinforce positive attitudes.”[1]
Classes across the school participate in weekly collective worship, by coming together as a class or a small group and sharing a song or story and by promoting Addington School values for “each learner to reach their full potential, lead a happy and fulfilled life and be accepted by, and contribute to, their local community. We build confidence skills, in order for our young people to have the best opportunities in life when they leave us.”[2]
Assemblies are delivered each half term on the themes above to pupils from different groups across the school as an opportunity for further collective worship.
Impact
Pupils enjoy learning about religions and why people choose, or choose not to follow religions. Pupils learn about themselves and their friends and draw comparisons between different religions and worldviews. Pupils will, where possible, learn about festivals and celebrations in context at the corresponding time of year and experience these in a multi-sensory and meaningful way. Through this Addington pupils will have good development in the area of Spiritual, Moral and Social and Cultural development and Religious Education.
[1] Religious Education and Collective Worship Section 50
