Religious Education
Kirstie O'Malley
RE Subject Leader
"My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness."
Dalai Lama
The study of Religious Education provides an opportunity for learning about people, about cultures and faiths and also relationships, tolerance, understanding and appreciation of the beliefs and values of others.
Vision for Religious Education
Progression in Knowledge and Skills for Religious Education at Floreat Montague Park
In Early Years, RE is taught within the curriculum area of ‘Understanding the World’ and ‘Personal, Social and Emotional Development’. Children encounter all major world religions and explore non-religious world views to help them see themselves as valuable individuals and to see the world from the perspective of others. Learning is experiential and is thematic.
In Key Stage 1, RE is taught as a separate curriculum area focussing on Christianity and one other religion each year; children explore Judaism in Year One and and Islam in Year Two. We use an enquiry-based approach so that each half term, a religion is explored through asking a key question, and investigating in order to enable children to answer that key question in their own way. Children work as a whole class to consider what aspects of the theme they would like to explore, and learn to reflect on these with increasing independence.
In Lower Key Stage 2, RE continues to be taught as a separate curriculum area focussing on Christianity and one other religion each year; children explore Sikhism in Year Three and Judaism in Year Four. The enquiry-based approach continues, with children beginning to build on their wider base of knowledge and experience to make reasoned answers. Children also work as individuals to consider what aspects of the theme they would like to explore, and learn to reflect on these independently.
From September 2022 the children in Year Five will explore Hinduism (currently Sikhism) and in Year Six, Islam (currently they are investigating all major religions over the course of the year). Children attempt to answer enquiries using appropriate knowledge and reflections, explaining their conclusions and how they reached them. Children consider what aspects of the theme they would like to explore, and take increasing responsibility in investigating these.
