Our Vision (Intent)

St Augustine’s is a Church of England school, however we have a wide range of different beliefs among our children and as such we celebrate our own religious identities while promoting the core Christian values. These values enable our children to grow in faith, love and understanding and to develop key qualities such as honesty, trust and respect for each other.

The principal aim of RE is to engage pupils in systematic enquiry into significant human questions which religion and worldviews address, so that they can develop the understanding and skills needed to appreciate and appraise varied responses to these questions, as well as develop responses of their own.

Basically, RE explores big questions about life, in order to find out what people believe and what difference this makes to how they live, so that pupils can make sense of religion and worldviews, and reflect on their own ideas and ways of living.

The curriculum for RE aims to ensure that all pupils:

1. Know about and understand a range of religious and non-religious worldviews, so that they can:

• describe, explain and analyse beliefs and practices, recognising the diversity which exists within and between communities and amongst individuals
• identify, investigate and respond to questions posed, and responses offered, by some of the sources of wisdom found in religious and non-religious worldviews
• appreciate and appraise the nature, significance and impact of different ways of life and ways of
• expressing meaning.

2. Express ideas and insights about the nature, significance and impact of religious and non-religious

worldviews, so that they can:

• explain, using reasoned arguments, their ideas about how beliefs, practices and forms of
• expression influence individuals and communities
• express with increasing discernment their personal reflections and critical responses to questions
• and teachings about identity, diversity, meaning and value, including ethical issues
• appreciate and appraise varied dimensions of religion.

3. Gain and deploy the skills needed to engage seriously with religious and non-religious worldviews, so that they can:

• investigate key concepts and questions of belonging, meaning, purpose and truth, responding
• creatively
• enquire into what enables different individuals and communities to live together respectfully for
• the wellbeing of all
• articulate clearly beliefs, values and commitments in order to explain why they may be important in their own and other people’s lives

What does this look like in our school?(Implementation)

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) describes the phase of a child’s education from birth to the end of the reception year at the age of five. Religious education is statutory for all pupils registered on the school roll. The statutory requirement for religious education does not extend to nursery classes in maintained schools. RE may, however, form a valuable part of the educational experience of children throughout the key stage. In the EYFS curriculum learning does not fit into boxes: play-based and child-centred approaches will encourage the learning to follow where the child’s interest and curiosity leads.

RE in the Nursery

Activities children engage in during their nursery years are experiences which provide the building blocks for later development. Starting with things which are familiar to the children and providing lots of hands-on activities and learning are important parts of pupils’ learning at this stage.

Some ideas for religious education in the nursery can include:

• creative play, make-believe, role play, dance and drama
• dressing up and acting out scenes from stories, celebrations or festivals
• making and eating festival food
• talking and listening to each other; hearing and discussing stories of all kinds, including religious

and secular stories with themes such as goodness, difference, the inner world of thoughts and

feelings, and imagination

• exploring authentic religious artefacts, including those designed for small children such as ‘soft toy’

artefacts or story books

• seeing pictures, books and videos of places of worship and meeting believers in class
• listening to religious music
• starting to introduce religious terminology
• work on nature, growing and life cycles or harvest
• seizing opportunities spontaneously or linking with topical, local events such as celebrations,

festivals, the birth of a new baby, weddings or the death of a pet

• starting to talk about the different ways in which people believe and behave, and encouraging children to ask questions.

RE in Reception

(Non-statutory guidance for RE for all 4–5s in Reception)

The approach outlined for Nursery also serves Reception, especially in the earlier months of the reception year. In addition to this, the following questions, outcomes and content ensure good provision for RE in Reception.

The questions, outcomes and content are non-statutory.  However, for RE teaching to be good quality, the questions, learning outcomes and content need to be taught together.

RE in Key Stage 1

Pupils should develop their knowledge and understanding of religious and non-religious worldviews, recognising their local, national and global contexts. They should use basic subject specific vocabulary. They should raise questions and begin to express their own views in response to the material they learn about and in response to questions about their ideas.

RE at St Augustine’s should enable our children to

By the end of Key Stage 1, our pupils should be able to

 RE in Key Stage 2

 Pupils should extend their knowledge and understanding of religious and non-religious worldviews, recognising their local, national and global contexts. They should be introduced to an extended range of sources and subject specific vocabulary. They should be encouraged to be curious and to ask increasingly challenging questions about religion, belief, values and human life. Pupils should learn to express their own ideas in response to the material they engage with, identifying relevant information, selecting examples and giving reasons to support their ideas and views

RE at St Augustine’s should enable our children to

By the end of Key Stage 2, our pupils should be able to

What's been going on in R.E. across school this term?