Curriculum Subjects

Religious Education

Why teach Religious Education?

Religious Education is an important subject at Greenleaf Primary School. It allows for all pupils to develop their knowledge and understanding of world religions and provides plenty of opportunities for personal reflection and spiritual development.

At Greenleaf the Religious Education curriculum encourages pupils to learn from different religions, beliefs, values and traditions while exploring their own beliefs and questions of meaning. Children are challenged to reflect on and evaluate issues of truth, belief, faith and ethics to help communicate their ideas.

Religious education encourages pupils to develop their sense of identity and belonging. It enables them to grow individually within their community and as citizens in a multicultural world.

Religious Education has an important role in preparing pupils for adult life, employment and lifelong learning. It enables pupils to develop respect for and sensitivity to others, in particular for those whose faiths and beliefs are different from their own.

Curriculum overview

The RE curriculum is determined by the local Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education (SACRE), which is responsible for producing the locally agreed syllabus for RE. Religious Education is taught across the school, from Nursery to Year 6.

In Early years children have a general view of traditions and beliefs in the wider world. They begin thinking about their own place in the world and where they belong, before moving on to looking at world views outside of their own experiences.

In Years 1 and 2 the children are introduced to the main religions we shall be covering at Greenleaf. They learn key facts about these religions, looking at core beliefs, places of worship, holy books as well as reflecting on prior learning as they make their way through the topics.

In Years 3 - 6 the children look more at how beliefs and practices impact on believers and non-believers personal lives as well as their place in society. The questions become increasingly more philosophical for great discussion to take place.