We want every child to understand the wide variety of beliefs and worldviews they may meet in school and in life. Through stories, traditions, and real-life examples, pupils learn how religion and non-religion shape people's lives. This helps them see the role of different beliefs in Britain today.
How does our curriculum work?
Building Knowledge and Vocabulary
Children learn important words and ideas early on, such as God, covenant, and dharma. These are revisited in different contexts as they grow, helping them build confidence and understanding step by step.
Lessons are planned so that children build on what they already know. For example, pupils first meet dharma in simple Hindu stories about kindness and truth, then later see how it appears in other traditions such as Sikhi and Buddhism.
We use proven teaching methods to make learning clear and memorable. Lessons include simple explanations, well-chosen images, and activities that help children practise and remember.
From the start, children learn that people can be religious or non-religious, and that there is diversity within each group. They explore celebrations like Christmas or harvest festivals in different cultures, helping them see religion as a global phenomenon.
Our curriculum is designed to support every child, including those with special educational needs. Lessons are broken into manageable chunks, use accessible fonts and colours, and include captions in videos. Stories are used to explain big ideas in ways children can understand.
Children learn that religion and non-religion are not the same everywhere. We use real-life examples to show how people practise their beliefs in different ways. For instance, pupils explore how families celebrate important events like baptisms or naming ceremonies. They also learn about traditions from around the world, such as Buddhist communities in the UK and Asia.
We know children bring their own experiences and values to lessons. Our curriculum encourages them to think about their own perspective when learning about others. For example, after hearing stories about forgiveness, pupils are invited to reflect on what forgiveness means to them.
Religious Education is about more than just facts. Children are introduced to different ways of studying religion, such as looking at stories, asking philosophical questions, or exploring how communities live out their beliefs. For example, when learning about pilgrimage, pupils hear case studies of people who have taken part and think about what this experience means.
There is no set national curriculum for RE. Instead, our programme follows guidance from the Religious Education Council of England and Wales, which sets a standard for high-quality RE. We carefully plan when and how different worldviews are introduced. For example, Hindu traditions are taught in Key Stage 1, and Sikh traditions are added in Key Stage 2. Buddhist traditions are also introduced in Key Stage 2. This step-by-step approach helps children build a clear and connected understanding.
We use threads to connect groups of lessons that build knowledge over time. Think of a thread weaving through fabric — each lesson adds to the bigger picture.
Our six RE threads are:
Every unit links to at least one thread, and most touch on several. As children revisit these threads, they deepen their understanding of religious and non-religious worldviews. For example, in Key Stage 2 the thread authority and influence helps pupils learn about the teachings of Jesus and the Prophet Muhammad, and how these shape the lives of Christians and Muslims.
Reports from Ofsted and education experts show that strong RE teaching comes from carefully chosen content that avoids superficial learning. Our curriculum uses threads and enquiry questions to guide this content. This means children revisit important ideas like covenant or dharma, and explore key stories such as the revelation of the Qur'an or the birth of Jesus. Case studies also show that diversity within religion is normal — for example, by looking at different mandirs, churches, and synagogues.
RE is a subject that draws on different ways of knowing:
Each unit is guided by one of these disciplines. For example, in Year 6 pupils explore census data about religion in their community, using social science methods to ask questions about change and diversity. In other units, they may use theology to explore the meaning of stories, or philosophy to think about values.
To reflect the diverse society we live in, children meet case studies of:
These are introduced in Key Stage 1 and revisited in Key Stage 2, where pupils also learn about Sikhs and Buddhists. This step-by-step approach helps children build a broad and connected understanding of different worldviews. An overview of our long-term curriculum planning can be seen here:
How is Religious Education taught in Preschool and Foundation Stage?
In the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), learning is organised into seven Areas of Learning, not subjects like in Years 1–6. This means RE is not taught as a separate subject. Instead, it is part of everyday experiences, stories, celebrations, and play.
The focus is on:
In EYFS, children learn mainly through play, language, and social experiences. RE supports this by encouraging empathy, respect, and curiosity about others. Children might do this through acting out a birthday party, hearing a story about Diwali or talking about their family's Christmas traditions.
These experiences prepare children for Key Stage 1, where RE becomes more structured. From Year 1 onwards, pupils begin to explore big questions, learn new vocabulary, and compare different religions and worldviews
Children have weekly lessons of about 40 minutes in Key Stage 1 and about 50–60 minutes in Key Stage 2. Lessons are planned across 36 weeks, leaving space for trips, assessments, and other activities.
This structure ensures children have regular, manageable opportunities to explore big ideas about religion and worldviews.
Our RE curriculum helps children:
It's all about preparing them to grow into thoughtful, respectful, and informed members of society.
Withdrawal from RE
Parents have a right to withdraw their children for all or part of RE lessons and collective worship. Please contact Mr Keene (Headteacher) to notify the school of this.
