Statement of Intent

At Harrietsham Church of England Primary School, we aim for RE to allow every child to flourish and live life in all its fullness. We believe RE is an essential aspect of children’s education - it not only allows them to explore their own spiritual beliefs, development and the beliefs of others, but also provides crucial context for understanding human history, society and culture. Through the RE curriculum, children will be prepared for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of life in modern Britain. They will acquire a rich, deep knowledge and understanding of Christian belief and practice, as well as learning about a range of other religions and worldviews. They will explore the diversity within these, fostering respect for others in the process.

RE is vital in enabling children to see the common ties that bind people across countries and cultures, and to understand that spirituality and belief are an innate and universal part of the human experience. As such, at Harrietsham we aim to encourage children to see links between major world religions at every stage of their school journey.

"Effective use of big questions within religious education (RE) enables pupils to reflect. This includes on the impact of Christianity and worldviews on themselves and others."

SIAMs Inspection 2024

The Big Frieze by Emma Yarlett

Implementation

Our curriculum is shaped by our school vision which aims to enable all children, regardless of background, ability and additional needs to flourish and become the very best version of themselves.

RE learning at Harrietsham takes a fun, active and challenging question-led approach, with ample opportunities for discussion. This allows children to feel confident in expressing their own views, while respectfully considering the views and beliefs of others. Through RE lessons, children engage with religious texts and theological ideas. They develop the important skills of enquiry, critical analysis, oracy, interpretation and reflection, which will enable them to be informed and active members of society.

We ensure that we fully follow the Church of England Education Office’s Religious Education in Church of England Schools: A Statement of Entitlement, which lays out the entitlement of all children in church schools to receive a high-quality Religious Education, which supports them in all aspects of their learning.

We also follow the Kent Agreed Syllabus, incorporating materials from Understanding Christianity and RE Today, supported by a clear skills and knowledge progression. This ensures that skills and knowledge are built on year-by-year and sequenced appropriately to maximise learning for all children. Our RE curriculum aims to develop the “whole child” through a spiral curriculum approach to developing knowledge, skills and understanding within three golden threads running throughout:

• God
• Community
• Reality

Through our curriculum, we ensure that children are given the opportunity to become religiously literate. In most year groups, children will spend four terms learning about Christianity and two terms learning about another faith or faiths. Christianity is explored through seven core Christian concepts using the Understanding Christianity materials. Children are also taught about the big story of the Bible, supported by the Big Frieze artwork by Emma Yarlett, which is displayed in every classroom.

Faiths other than Christianity are taught using a combination of materials from RE Today and the Diocese of Canterbury. Children will explore the different religions and concepts using a range of inspiring activities as they move through the school, developing a greater depth of understanding and knowledge year-on-year.

RE lessons all start with a key/big question which is explored through a range of activities including texts, drama, art, discussion, use of artefacts, pictures, visits and visitors. Children will also be given, ‘I wonder…’ questions to challenge their thinking further. In line with the aims of Understanding Christianity, we believe children should not only show an understanding of religious texts and teachings, but they should also demonstrate a thoughtful and reflective approach to their learning.