Religious Education

The aim of R.E. is to support children in affirming and developing their own beliefs, values and attitudes through an exploration of shared human experiences and of the place and significance of religion in the contemporary world. In addition to the subjects taught as required by the National Curriculum, Religious Education is taught in accordance with the Questful RE Blackburn Diocesan Syllabus. The R.E. curriculum focuses mainly on Christianity but also reflects society, locally and nationally, by including units of work based on other faith traditions. Children are encouraged to learn about religions, to understand why people do certain things and to learn from religious traditions. At all times, children are encouraged to respect the beliefs and traditions of other people. During their R.E. studies, children visit St. James’ Church and the local Mosque, as well as other places of worship in the locality and further afield. The school has also held a ‘Bible Week’ which provided many opportunities for links with other curriculum areas.

Religious Education Curriculum at St James Church of England Primary School

Religious Education Curriculum Overview

Key Learning - Religious Education

Religious Education in Action at St James'

Yr2 RE – Easter Holy Week

In celebration of our Holy Week, Yr1 have been busy painting Easter Symbols on to their special stones. They have also tasted Easter foods and made Easter nests to represent hope and new life. Take a look at some of their creations.

Yr2 RE – Easter Holy Week

Yr1 RE – Easter Super Learning Week: Palm Sunday

🌴 Palm Sunday 🌴 Year 1 began Holy Week by learning about Palm Sunday 🙏🏽 The children made beautiful, collaged palms to represent this. Palm Sunday holds great significance as the leaves were used to welcome Jesus into Jerusalem - it was a day of great celebration 🎉 Well done Year 1!

Yr1 RE – Easter Super Learning Week: Palm Sunday

Yr4 RE - Easter Super Learning Week

Yr4 have kick started their RE Super Learning Week. The children explored Palm Sunday and the events of the day. They also wrote some amazing newspaper articles and created some Palm Leaf Bookmarks.

Yr4 RE - Easter Super Learning Week

Yr4 RE - Is Easter a story of betrayal or trust?

During RE, Yr4 started their new unit on the Easter story exploring the key question of ‘Is this a story of betrayal or trust?’. The children took part in some trust games to explore what trust and betrayal means to them.

Yr4 RE - Is Easter a story of betrayal or trust?

Yr3 RE - Christmas Around the World

Year 3 carried out some fantastic research on how Christmas is celebrated around the world in different cultures and countries. They produced some fantastic reports about their chosen countries. 🌍 🎄

Yr3 RE - Christmas Around the World

Yr4 RE - The Story of David and King Saul

In RE the children have been exploring the story of David and King Saul. They used their drama skills to freeze frame key parts of the story whilst thinking about David and his thought process.

Yr4 RE - The Story of David and King Saul

Yr2 RE - Bible Visits

Year 2 had a special visitor. Reverend Judith came in to talk to them about the Bible. She brought a range of Bibles for them to look at and compare. They found out lots of interesting facts and enjoyed exploring the different types of Bibles.

Yr2 RE - Bible Visits

Our overarching aim at St James’ Haslingden, is for our pupils to live life in all its fullness. Offering a well-rounded and balanced curriculum is one way we work towards achieving this and Religious Education provides the perfect platform for children to explore what living a full life might look like for them and the people around them.

Through our Religious Education curriculum we aim:

to engage pupils in inquiry into questions arising from the study of religion and belief, so as to promote their personal, spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.
to provide learners with knowledge and understanding of Christianity and other principal religious traditions and beliefs represented in Great Britain.
to develop their understanding of the ways in which beliefs influence people in their behaviour, practices and outlook.
to enable learners to apply the insights of the principal religious traditions to their own search for identity and significance.
to facilitate learners’ individual journeys to developing their own beliefs and values and to have a positive attitude to the search for meaning and purpose in life.
to encourage learners to develop a positive attitude towards other people who hold religious beliefs different from their own.

Religious Education is typically taught for one hour per week in both Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 and has a regular place on the weekly timetable in all of these classes. Further opportunities for Religious Education teaching are implemented through special religious festivals, such as Christmas, Easter, Sukkot, Diwali and Eid, and themed weeks. In EYFS, as well as these further opportunities, children take part in discrete Religious Education lessons as well as those interwoven through the early years curriculum.

At St James Haslingden, we follow the Blackburn Diocesan RE revised syllabus (2022) – Questful RE – alongside Understanding Christianity. Lessons are planned and delivered in a variety of ways ensuring that all children can access and participate in lessons. Interactive, practical activities encourage the children to discuss their ideas and extend their understanding of difficult concepts and challenging questions. Learning is recorded both individually and in a class scrapbook, with greater emphasis on scrapbook work in Early Years and Year 1.

Pupils’ progress in RE is based on the expected outcomes outlined in the Agreed Syllabus using the ladder of expectation for teacher assessment. Pupils are assessed on a termly basis. Teachers are mindful that pupils’ personal beliefs and ideas are not subject to formal assessment, but are central to good RE. Progress in RE is reported annually to parents in the end of year report.

At St James’ Haslingden, Religious Education develops pupils’…

knowledge and understanding of Christianity, other principal world religions, other religious traditions and world views;
ability to respond thoughtfully to ‘BIG’ questions about religions, beliefs and life as a whole;
understanding and respect for different religions, beliefs, values and traditions (including ethical life stances), through exploring issues within and between faiths;
understanding of the influence of faith and belief on individuals, societies, communities and cultures;
skills of enquiry and response through the use of religious vocabulary, questioning and empathy;
skills of reflection, expression, application, analysis and evaluation of beliefs, values and practices, and the communication of personal responses to these.

At St James Haslingden, Religious Education encourages pupils to…

consider challenging questions of the meaning and purpose of life; beliefs about God, the self and the nature of reality, issues of right and wrong and what it means to be human;
learn from different religions, beliefs, values and traditions while exploring questions of meaning and their own beliefs;
learn about religious and ethical teaching, enabling them to make reasoned and informed responses to religious, moral and social issues;
develop their sense of identity and belonging, preparing them for life as citizens in a plural, global society;
develop respect for and sensitivity to others, in particular those whose faiths and beliefs are different from their own.

At St James Haslingden, Religious Education enhances pupils’…

awareness and understanding of religions and beliefs, teachings, practices and forms of expression;
ability to reflect on, consider, analyse, interpret and evaluate issues of truth, belief, faith and ethics and to communicate their responses.
opportunities for personal reflection and spiritual development.