RELIGIOUS EDUCATION



RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

Introduction

Religious Education is an entitlement for all pupils and its place in the school curriculum is an acknowledgement of the important role which beliefs and values play in people's lives, regardless of particular religious commitments. It is also an acknowledgement that religious beliefs and practices play a key part in the lives of many people worldwide today as they have done throughout history. As a curriculum area Religious Education offers pupils an opportunity to develop a better understanding of themselves, the people around them and the world in which they live.

Parkside is a Complex Needs Special School for pupils aged 7-16 and Religious Education is taught in line with the requirements of the relevant Education Acts. These are that:

• The basic curriculum must include Religious Education provision for all pupils on the school roll.

• The content of Religious Education must reflect the fact that religious traditions in Great Britain are in the main Christian, whilst taking account of the teaching and practices of the other principal religious traditions represented in Great Britain.

• Religious Education must be provided according to the Norfolk Agreed Syllabus - . 2012

We recognise that our pupils come from a variety of religious and secular backgrounds and welcome this diversity. The Religious Education programme seeks to be sensitive to the home background of each child; it is not the function of Religious Education to promote or disparage particular religious views.

The Aims of Religious Education

"Religion is the experience and expression of faith. Learning about religion and learning from religion are important for all pupils, as RE helps pupils develop an understanding of themselves and others. RE promotes the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of individuals and of groups and communities' planning, teaching and assessing the curriculum for pupils with learning difficulties" - Religious Education, QCA.

More specifically the aims of RE teaching at Parkside are:

• To enable each pupil to explore the human experience people share and the questions of meaning and purpose which arise from those experiences, with reference to the teachings and practices of religions.

• To enable pupils to know about and understand the beliefs and practices of some of the great religions of the world, particularly those represented in Norfolk and the UK. Among these Christianity has a particular place and is taught throughout the school.

• To help pupils develop an understanding of the influence of religious beliefs, values and traditions on individuals in their personal lives and as part of wider communities, societies and cultures.

• To promote respect, sensitivity and cultural awareness and prepare pupils to live in a religiously diverse society by teaching about the religions represented in the region and the country.

• To affirm each pupil in his/her own family tradition, religious or secular.

• To allow pupils to understand concepts of body, mind and spirit, in order to enhance their own spiritual, moral, cultural and social development.

The Norfolk Agreed Syllabus gives more details of the importance of Religious Education in the curriculum and selects two main aims for its Programmes of 'Study and Attainment Targets': Learning about Religion and Learning from Religion.

Time Allocation

The New Curriculum recognises Religious Education as a 'core' subject for all pupils. The time allocated at Parkside for Religious Education is 50 minutes per week in all key stages. Religious Education curriculum time does not include collective worship.

Teaching and Learning

Norfolk Agreed Syllabus (2012)

The Norfolk Agreed Syllabus identifies core religions that are practiced in the UK today; Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism and Humanism (as an example of a non-theistic belief system). This selection reflects that the religious traditions in Britain are mainly Christian whilst taking into account the teaching and practices of other religions. The Norfolk syllabus is divided into the following areas;

• Beliefs and questions

• Inspirational people

• Teachings and authority

• Religion and the individual

• Religion, family and community

• Worship, pilgrimage and sacred places

• The journey of life and death

• Symbols and religious expression

• Beliefs in action in the world.

In each area the student learns about the religion and then reflects this knowledge on their own life story to enable them to learn from the religion.

Enquiry questions are used to create ‘learning enquiries’ for all key areas. These questions may be used as titles for enquiries and/or may help in assessing pupils’ attainment in RE.

Active Learning

Active learning within RE is extremely important; pupils learn more readily and show greater enthusiasm when they are actively involved in their learning. In RE we use;

• Talking Partners throughout the lesson.

• Drama/role play

• Discussion/debates

• Dance

• Music/song

• Games

• Art

• Reflective storytelling

These approaches to teaching and learning emphasis that religion is a deeply sensory experience where to enact, to explore and to create makes a path to understanding.

Visits and Visitors

These enable RE to be brought to life for the children. When undertaking an RE visit, pupils should understand why the place is special and why it is important for them to respect the laws and customs of a particular group of people. Likewise, when a visitor has been invited in, all efforts should be made to prepare the children for what to expect well in advance. In this way, any laughter, embarrassment, confusion etc should be kept to a minimum. Members of the school community, including parents, are used to enhance RE teaching by sharing their beliefs and practices.

Resources and Artefacts

Many of the religious practices and beliefs taught in school will be unfamiliar to some of the children. It is therefore crucial that artefacts, posters, videos, online resources etc. are used whenever possible in order to extend the childrens’ understanding of the religion. All religious artefacts should be treated with respect, as they can be aids to worship and in some cases represent a divine being. They can be used in the classroom as starting points for discussion and role-play. In addition, they can help pupils understand about the rituals in which they are used, the stories they tell and what they represent to the members of that particular faith.

Religious education plays an important part in helping our school foster the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of our students (please refer to SMSC policy). We therefore plan and provide opportunities for students to ask questions about and reflect on their own experiences and their responses to these experiences and to consider the questions of meaning and purpose.

Assessment, Recording and Reporting

Assessment of pupils' levels of knowledge, skills and understanding in Religious Education is carried out in accordance with school assessment policy. Pupil attainment, which is often demonstrated orally, is recorded as part of the teacher's ongoing assessment of each individual pupil and individual pupil records updated at least annually. B squared is used as an assessment tool and then is fed into CASPA to analyse student attainment.

Monitoring, Evaluation and Review

The subject leader's role includes monitoring and evaluation of this policy in practice.

This takes place in part at half-termly curriculum meetings where the subject leader is able to discuss resources, visits, professional development issues and address other staff concerns. Planning and assessment arrangements are monitored by meeting with individual staff. Teaching and learning in the classroom is monitored through lesson observations.

Provision for Withdrawal from Religious Education

Two provisions of law need to be noted:

1. Parents may ask for their child to be totally or partially withdrawn from Religious Education in accordance with the Education Act 1944, sections 25(4) and 30, which was re-enacted in 1988. Reasons for withdrawal do not have to be given and the school must enable parents to exercise this legal entitlement. Where such requests are made by parents at Parkside, arrangements are made for alternative Religious Education or supervision, after discussion with the Head Teacher.

2. Teachers may withdraw from Religious Education. Their classes, however, are legally entitled to Religious Education. The Head Teacher is responsible for alternative provision for pupils. Staff are not required to give reasons for withdrawal.

Religious Education and its relationship to Collective Worship

In law Religious Education and Collective Worship are distinct. Religious Education is part of the school curriculum; it has to be delivered appropriately for pupils of different ages and abilities. It cannot be delivered during Collective Worship, although assemblies complement and bring depth to our Religious Education programme. A separate policy is available for Collective Worship.

Signed………………………………………………………Date……………………………….

Date of next review Spring 2016

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