Progression of Skills and Knowledge in Religious Education
Religious Education
Progression of Skills and Knowledge in Religious Education
Religious Education Overview written by Hanna Hannam, Subject Leader
Curriculum Intent
At Elton Church of England Primary School, children receive a high-quality religious education (RE) curriculum that is predominantly Christian.
This inspires all pupils to understand the beliefs of others, respecting and valuing the practices and beliefs of world religions and those of non-
faith. We aim to underpin Christian values in all our lessons to encourage all children to learn, express themselves and support their ability to live
with one another in harmony. It enables them to flourish, not only as an individual but also as a valued member of the Body of Christ.
We provide opportunities to allow children to explore and question religion which will help to embed Christian values whilst making connections to
the values of our school and beyond.
Curriculum Implementation
We follow the Cambridgeshire County Council Locally Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education, with support and guidance from the Diocese of
Ely, using the Emmanuel Project scheme to teach Christianity and world faiths. We refer to Understanding Christianity to supplement and
deepen our teaching when appropriate.
RE has a high profile within our school curriculum and is comparable with other core curriculum areas. Quality teaching in RE helps generate
respect for different views and interpretations where real dialogue takes place. Learners develop and use a wide range of higher-level skills such
as enquiry, analysis, interpretation, evaluation and reflection to deepen their understanding of the impact of religion and world views as lived by
believers. We use an enquiry led approach to the teaching of RE starting with a ‘big question’ which is then revisited at the end of a unit of work.
Outcomes will not always be written and children are encouraged to choose how they demonstrate their learning and reflection creatively using a
range of media such as art, poetry or music. In EYFS and KS1, this is recorded in the form of a “floor book” which all members of the class
contribute to. It captures the discussion, reflections and personal responses to the big questions. In KS2 children use their personal RE books
to record their learning experiences. This approach shows progression through the school and is a useful tool for building on prior knowledge and
learning. Re is taught in a multisensory way allowing pupils of all abilities to achieve and flourish within each lesson
RE is continuously assessed throughout each unit. Quick quizzes and discussion-based tasks are used to formatively assess and guide the
direction of the subsequent lessons. The children have multiple opportunities throughout a unit to express their knowledge in creative ways using
a variety of art, drama, music. At the end of each unit the children are assessed using picture and word prompts that allow them to express the
knowledge they have gained during the unit. This allows pupils to express the depth of their knowledge and make links and connections between
concepts and previous learning.
Progression of Skills and Knowledge in Religious Education
Curriculum Impact
Our pupils are confident, inquisitive and respectful individuals that are allowed the opportunity to question and deepen their knowledge and
understanding of the world we live in. Our pupils of all backgrounds and abilities engage enthusiastically and demonstrate their participation in a
deeply spiritual and personal way.
Extracurricular opportunities
RE also plays a significant role in our Homework Matters projects. As part of a whole school homework project linked to our big question each
term is a place for children to express themselves creatively in the “My Faith Matters” suggested tasks.
Termly church services provide the opportunity for children to celebrate a festival or event with the local community. They write prayers, select
readings and perform hymns, songs and poems to show their understanding
Worship Leaders give up their own time to plan and lead Collective Worship and to show faith in action. They use Picture News as a resource to
promote Christian values-led thinking and display the values and questions they would like other children to reflect on.
Progression of Skills and Knowledge in Religious Education
Progression of Skills and Knowledge in Religious Education
Progression of Skills and Knowledge in Religious Education
Progression of Skills and Knowledge in Religious Education
Progression of Skills and Knowledge in Religious Education
Progression of Skills and Knowledge in Religious Education