At Southmead Primary School, our intention is to equip pupils with the knowledge, skills and understanding of a range of beliefs, religions and lifestyles, whilst encouraging them to simultaneously develop their own ideas, values and identities.

Through their religious education, we want the children to understand they have the right to their own beliefs religion, as long as they don’t stop others from having their religion (Article 14). We believe the fundamental British values of mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs can be developed successfully through our curriculum and help the children to become positive contributors in their own communities.

To be able to do this effectively our curriculum focuses on shared experiences and common values through visiting places of worship, exploring themes within different religions and by encouraging the children’s personal responses to questions, and reflections on what they have learnt, and how this is applicable in the multi-cultured, multi-faith world in which we live.

Our RE Curriculum is based on the Wandsworth SACRE, where children learn about key faiths and world views (Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism and Humanism). Children learn about religion and beliefs (AT1) and then have opportunities to reflect, empathise and make links with their own lives (AT2). The children begin in KS1 with thematic related activities and progress in KS2 to more focused work on the key religions.  RE is taught once a fortnight.  We are forward thinking and have begun to think about the future developments in RE to Religion and Worldviews.

Quality resources are used to help bring believers’ experiences of their faiths, alive for the children and visits to places of worship and visiting speakers are used wherever possible. Visuals, recap, questioning and discussion are used to ensure that all children are accessing and understanding the learning. Teachers make use of opportunities for creative activities such as role play, creating music or art to help the children capture their understanding and knowledge, including cross-curricular activities with subjects like English, Geography and History.  The learning environment is one where children are encouraged to question, give their views and experiences and to make links between the various faiths.  Each lesson ends with a reflection time, which further allows the children to make connections and reflect on AT2.

There is a relevant UNRC Rights Respecting Article connected to each unit of work and respect and excitement about different faiths are modelled.