Religious Education (RE)
"Peace cannot be kept by force; it can only be achieved by understanding.”
Albert Einstein
At Hinchley Wood Primary, our vision is to equip learners with the knowledge and opportunities to develop an understanding of Christianity and other world views. We believe this will contribute to their understanding of themselves, their community and the wider world thus enabling them to live, contribute and flourish as part of a multi-faith society.
We are a Surrey school that uses the Guildford Diocesan’s Agreed Syllabus. We plan rich and creative lessons, offering cross curricular links to ensure RE is enjoyable and accessible to all. We feel the best way to learn is to offer first hand experiences, engagement with key texts and access the religious artefacts which will encourage curiosity, lead to questioning and promotes understanding and tolerance. A ‘Golden Thread’ runs through each year to encourage pupils to assimilate their learning to gain a deeper understanding of themselves, their relationship with their community and their engagement with different world views. Pupils are encouraged to think and reflect on both learning about religion and learning from religion.
Our curriculum is designed to interweave closely with the Spiritual, Moral, Social & Cultural (SMSC) curriculum by encouraging conversations about the key concepts of different religious and foundational belief systems within and beyond our community. We enquire into the lived and diverse reality of religions and beliefs of the world today and examine how our beliefs influence and affect our thinking and when making judgements.
Through learning about different religions and why people believe, our students develop their understanding of the purpose of their lives and the values they live by. They learn about shared and differing moral values while debating moral dilemmas. They will discuss issues such as personal responsibility towards the world and future generations.
Students will also explore similarities and differences in religions and cultures through which they should begin to link religion to personal action in everyday life. This is reflected in their relations with others in the classroom and their ability to work together co-operatively. Through the study of different religions, stories and artefacts students are made aware of the similarities and differences they may have with other students in their class promoting understanding and tolerance of others.
Through learning about other religions, pupils are given the opportunity to see what it means to belong, to develop confidence in themselves and be able to respond positively to similarities and differences in our multi-faith and changing society.
Overall, we aspire to create strong and eloquent individuals who have developed their own set of beliefs and values as well as understanding and respecting those of others. They will positively engage with their community and be inspired to help make the world a better place.
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION SKILLS & KNOWLEDGE
Religious Education Road Map 2023