Religious Education

At Sampford Peverell CofE Primary School, our aim is to deepen pupils’ knowledge about religions and to develop their religious literacy. Pupils encounter core concepts in religions and beliefs, improving their understanding and their ability to explore these key concepts. Our approach sets the context for open investigation of diverse religious traditions as well as non-religious world views. We also include and promote British values, ensuring that children are aware of their rights and responsibilities as UK citizens. Our curriculum is designed to encourage creativity, imagination, inquiry, debate, discussion and independence.

Our school uses the Devon Agreed Syllabus for R.E as a basis for our curriculum. The syllabus is designed to support schools in developing and delivering excellence in R.E. This is achieved through studying one religion at a time (systematic units), and then including thematic units which build on the learning by comparing the religions, beliefs and practices discussed. This teaching and learning approach of the Agreed Syllabus has 3 core elements which are woven together to provide breadth and balance within teaching and learning about religions and beliefs.

These elements are:

-          Making sense of beliefs – understanding what these beliefs mean within their traditions.

-          Making connections – establishing relationships between these beliefs and pupil’s own lives and ways of understanding the world.

-          Understanding the impact – In this element, pupils examine how and why people put their beliefs into action within their everyday lives, their communities and in their wider world. The 3 core elements which underpin the Agreed Syllabus, which has been taken into account, resulting in the following topics being selected for study:

  •          Christianity
  •          Hinduism
  •          Islam
  •          Judaism

From the syllabus it is required that:

Early Years Foundation Stage (Reception and where appropriate First Steps)  - To prepare children for learning about a wide range of religions, this cohort focuses on the theme of 'discovery'; this spans an understanding of who God is to Christians and the Christian celebrations of Easter and Christmas, before an exploration of special people, places and stories. Early links are made between the different places and stories that are special to people of different religions. Most of all, there is a focus on creating a sense of wonder and curiosity that carries on into their KS1 and KS2 Religious Education.

KS1 (Years 1 and 2) – Christianity is studied and two other principal religions.

KS2 (Years 3 to 6) – Christianity is studied and three other principal religions in some depth.

At Sampford Peverell CofE Primary School, we value the religious background of all members of the school community and are also fortunate that members of our local church visit us regularly to engage and encourage us by enriching our school values. Their many visits include re-enacting stories from the Bible (Open the Book), giving talks on the significance of different ways of life and to provide support throughout the year for services such as Christingle, Harvest and Remembrance. Our Religious Education curriculum is enhanced further with regular trips to places of worship in our local area. Pupils are also able to enhance their knowledge, understanding and skills of the curriculum through:

  •          Creating memory drawings
  •          Role play
  •          Hot seating
  •          Thought tapping
  •          Freeze framing
  •          Producing emotion graphs
  •          Exploring poetry
  •          Taking part in nature walks
  •          Designing posters
  •          Making memory boxes
  •          Writing diary entries

The children at Sampford Peverell CofE Primary School extend their knowledge and understanding of religions and world views, recognising their local, national and global contexts. They become encouraged to be curious and ask increasingly challenging questions regarding religion, faith, values and human life. Pupils learn to express their own ideas in response to the material they engage with and are able to give their own coherent reasons to support their ideas and views. Through their R.E. learning, pupils are given the opportunity to wonder about the world, explore connections between beliefs and practices studied and can reflect about life in the world today.