Religious Education

Intent 

At Oasis Academy Henderson Avenue we aim to deliver a curriculum which is accessible to all and which maximises the outcomes for every child so that they know more, remember more and understand more. As a result of this, our children will become independent and responsible members of a society who understand and explore big questions about life, they will find out what people believe and what difference this makes to how people live their lives, so that they can make sense of religion, reflecting on their own ideas and ways of living. 

We provide our children with opportunities for them to learn both about and from religions within the local community, and beyond. We aim to promote respect and open-mindedness towards others with different faiths and beliefs and encourage pupils to develop their sense of identity and belonging through self-awareness and reflection

 

Through the driver of community, we want our children to explore and learn about religions within their immediate locality, and beyond. We would like children to be mindful that they are part of a global community and understand where their place in the world is. Through the driver of possibilities, we want our children to recognise and celebrate cultural diversity so that they understand what it means to be a British Citizen or, someone from another country who lives in Britain. Our children will have the opportunity to develop an awareness and tolerance of living in a multi-cultural society and being mutually respectful towards the beliefs of others.

Our school curriculum for RE meets the requirements of the North Lincolnshire Agreed Syllabus  with supporting documentation from Re-Imagining RE (the Oasis RE curriculum development project).

 

The North Lincs Agreed Syllabus 2016 reflects the fact that religious traditions in Great Britain are, in the main, Christian, but also takes account of the teachings and practices of the other five principle religions. It aims to ensure that all pupils:

 

·      Know about and understand a range of religions and worldviews

·      Express ideas and insights about the nature, significance and impact of religions and worldviews

·      Gain and deploy the skills needed to engage seriously with religions and worldviews

 

In KS 1&2 Children are taught across the three strands of:

·       Identity and Values

·       Beliefs and Practices

·       Meaning and Purpose

In the Foundation Stage, RE is taught through topics based upon the children's own lives and experience.

 Implementation

R.E is taught within year groups. Staff plan from the RE pack, (containing MTPs, units of work, supporting resources from RE Today publications and linked texts) appropriate to their year group. Emphasis is placed on first hand experiences. Use is made of visitors and excursions to broaden the children’s experiences, if possible.

 

Foundation stage:

RE in the Early Years Foundation Stage is not a stand-alone subject but is an essential part of provision in order for children to achieve expected levels at the end of Foundation Stage, particularly in the People and Communities strand of Understanding the World. 

As with other aspects of learning new ideas will be introduced through adult-led activities but children will need opportunities to develop and consolidate their understanding through continuing provision (eg the use of  Persona dolls, nativity sets, dressing up costumes, role-play, resources that support cultural diversity and storybooks).

We believe it is important to encourage children to ask questions and explore answers, as this can help them to:

·       develop emotionally, spiritually and morally

·        find out about themselves, their family and community 

·       develop a sense of place in their family and community, in the world and in the universe

·       learn about similarities and differences between themselves and others.

To this end, during the foundation stage children are introduced to /have experience of a wide range of religious festivals and celebrations. 

 

 

Key Stages 1&2

Although mainly Christian in content, we aim to give the children a more in-depth look at Sikhism in Key Stage 1, and Judaism (years 3 & 4) and Islam (years 5 & 6) in Key Stage 2. There are also resources available to support the teaching of Buddhism and Hinduism, as appropriate.

 

Our focus is such that we enable children to build on their own experiences and to extend their knowledge and understanding of religious traditions. We use their experiences at religious festivals such as Easter and Eid, to develop their religious thinking. We have links with a range of local religious groups, and invite representatives to come into school and talk to /work with the children.

 

We offer opportunities for children of all abilities to develop their skills and knowledge in each unit, and we ensure that the progression planned into the scheme of work offers the children an increasing challenge as they move through the school.

 

 

 

 Impact
We believe that children at Oasis Academy Henderson Avenue have access to an RE curriculum which is both engaging and thought-provoking, providing them with the foundations for understanding the world around them and the impact that people have on the world. Our engagement with the different local religious groups ensures that children learn through varied and first-hand experiences of what life is like for different faith communities. 

Pupil voice is used to further develop the RE curriculum, through questioning of pupils’ views and attitudes to RE and to support the children’s enjoyment both in lessons and “Pause Days”.