Religion & Worldviews Education – Our content, aims and concepts
Our Religious Education curriculum is taught weekly beyond EYFS and is supported by Somerset SACRE (Standing Advisory Council on RE). All classes study aspects of Christianity termly using Understanding Christianity, with the religions of Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam and Humanism taught across the school. Our RE curriculum is designed to ensure that religions, themes and vocabulary are revisited, consolidated and extended as pupils move through the school.
Within all units of work, children have the opportunity to extend their knowledge and understanding of different holy texts and scriptures, significant people and places, in addition to religious events, rituals and festivals.
Our RE lessons offer a structured and safe space during curriculum time for reflection, discussion, dialogue and debate, offering distinctive opportunities to promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. In line with our school value of respect, pupils learn to articulate clearly and coherently their personal beliefs, ideas, values and experiences while respecting the right of others to differ.
‘RE is like an iceberg. As you unpack ideas, you come to understand deeper meaning’ Primary school pupil.
At Baltonsborough Primary School, we believe that Religious Education is important because like every other subject, it provides a particular set of materials through which pupils come to understand important things about the world, and themselves. The word religion has its roots in the Latin ‘to bind’, and it is the sacred texts, practices, literature, stories, art and practices that bind communities within a tradition together. At Baltonsborough School, our aim in RE is to explore the influence of religions and beliefs on individuals, culture, behaviour and national life, following the agreed syllabus for Religious Education in Somerset which is entitled Awareness, Mystery and Values and Understanding Christianity
In RE, we will take our children on a journey of discovery delving into a variety of faiths including Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism and Buddhism as well as aspects of Humanist beliefs. Within these learning journeys we explore and use a variety of resources including: sacred texts and stories from faith traditions as well as personal reflections and philosophical contemplations; artefacts as ways of understanding belief and practice; visits and visitors to provide the unique insights of lived religion and belief; and art and sacred music as ways of understanding and expressing religion.
We utilise a variety of strong links with the local community, including with St Dunstan’s Church, Glastonbury Abbey and Wells Cathedral to explore links between RE, history and art. During pupils’ time at Baltonsborough School, we will have given pupils the opportunity to visit these places of worship together with other sacred buildings from different faith communities within Somerset.
Religion & World Views – Examples of Religion & World View Experiences
Religion & World Views – Examples of Religion & World View Learning Journals
