Religion and World Views
Intent
At St. John’s Religion and World Views has a significant role for the development of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Religion and World Views is underpinned by our school Christian values and we aim to inspire and engage all our children in their learning. We want Religion and World Views to equip them with the knowledge and skills to ask and answer challenging questions, explore different religious beliefs, values and traditions. We want our children to appreciate the way that religious beliefs shape life and our behaviour and develop the ability to make reasoned and informed judgements about religious and moral issues. Our intention is to promote religious understanding, respect and open-mindedness in our multi-cultural school to prepare for our multi-cultural society. We aim to challenge prejudice, discrimination and stereotyping. We want to encourage pupils to develop their sense of identity and belonging through self-awareness and reflection, and so preparing them for adult life.
Implementation
At St. John’s we follow the Programme of Study for Religion and World Views as suggested in the Leeds and York Diocesan Agreed Syllabus (2022) and we use the Understanding Christianity resource to deliver some of the Christianity units of work. Our Religion and World Views curriculum plan follows three outcomes, making sense of texts/beliefs, understanding the impact and making connections. Across school, we learn about a range of different religions to develop our understanding of diversity. During EYFS and Key Stage One our focus is on Christianity, Islam and Judaism. During Key Stage Two we focus on Christianity, Islam, Judaism and Hinduism. Christianity is taught for 50% of the Religion and World Views curriculum time and 50% is other world religions. Lessons are planned, developed and taught in a variety of ways ensuring that all children can access and participate in lessons. Interactive, practical and creative lessons encourage our children to discuss their ideas and extend their understanding of difficult concepts and challenging questions. We do this through drama, art, debate and discussion, poetry, questioning, music, prayer and reflection. In lessons, we ask life’s big questions and provide a safe environment in which to challenge ideas studied and learn how to discuss and debate respectfully. Pupil voice is a key part of each lesson. A knowledge organiser, which outlines key facts/knowledge and vocabulary for children to master by the end of each topic, is used throughout school. The three outcomes covered during lessons are:
1. Making sense of beliefs: Identifying and making sense of core religious and non-religious concepts and beliefs; understanding what these beliefs mean within their traditions; recognising how and why sources of authority are used, expressed and interpreted in different ways, and developing skills of interpretation.
2. Making connections: Reasoning about, reflecting on, evaluating and connecting the concepts, beliefs and practices studied; allowing pupils to challenge ideas and the ideas to challenge pupils’ thinking; discerning possible connections between these ideas and pupils’ own lives and ways of understanding the world
3. Understanding the Impact: Examining how and why people put their beliefs into action in diverse ways, within their everyday lives, within their communities and in the wider world.
Our curriculum overview is a yearly plan which incorporates units of work from The Leeds/York Diocesan Syllabus (2022) and the Understanding Christianity resource. A different unit of work/topic is taught each half term. Each half termly topic takes into account prior learning and then builds upon this to show continuity and progression. Religion and World Views is taught weekly for one hour in Key Stage 1 and one hour and fifteen minutes in Key Stage 2. By teaching Religion and World Views in this way, we are ensuring that we deliver the aims and expected standards of the syllabus and the Church of England’s Statement of Entitlement.
Impact
Pupils’ progress in Religion and World Views is based on the expected outcomes outlined in the Leeds Diocesan syllabus (2022) and the Understanding Christianity document. Children will make progress in line with, or above that of other core subjects in school. This progress will be measured by end of phase outcomes (EYFS, KS1, Lower KS2 and Upper KS2). Ongoing informal assessment and outcomes are moderated within school and by a Religion and World Views network group, which is attended each term by the Religion and World Views Curriculum Leader. When children leave St. John’s, the expectation is that all pupils are religiously literate and as a minimum pupils are able to: Give a theologically informed and thoughtful account of Christianity as a living and diverse faith.
Show an informed and respectful attitude to religions and non-religious world views in their search for God and meaning.
Engage in meaningful and informed dialogue with those of other faiths and none.
Reflect critically and responsibly on their own spiritual, philosophical and ethical convictions. Our children will be prepared for adult life, employment and lifelong learning. They will be enabled to develop respect for and sensitivity to others, in particular to those whose faiths and beliefs are different from their own. Our Religion and World Views curriculum will promote discernment and enable pupils to combat prejudice. They will develop their sense of identity and belonging, which will help them to flourish as citizens in the different communities they will be part of throughout their lives.