Newbrough C of E Primary School RE Curriculum Overview
Newbrough C of E Primary School's RE curriculum aims to cultivate children's theological understanding, enabling them to engage in thoughtful inquiry about religion and its significance in the world. This overview examines how the school's long-term plan and curriculum intent documents align with lesson planning, showcasing how these elements support the overarching goals of the RE curriculum.
quality Religious Education that enables them to develop an understanding of the world around them. We use 'Understanding Christianity' and the agreed diocesan syllabus of Newcastle and Durham to teach RE.
Curriculum Intent: Fostering Theological Understanding
The curriculum intent emphasises developing children's religious understanding and knowledge to a high standard, equipping them to ask profound questions about religion and its nature, truth, and value. It promotes understanding of major world religions and non-religious worldviews, highlighting their impact on society, culture, and the wider world.
The school also seeks to foster children’s ability to connect the study of religion and belief with personal reflections on meaning and purpose. This is accomplished through:
- Making sense of a text: Analysing religious texts and understanding their meaning.
- Understanding the impact: Exploring the influence of religious beliefs and practices on individuals and communities.
- Making connections: Relating religious ideas and teachings to contemporary issues, personal experiences, and other areas of learning.
Implementation: A Structured Approach
The implementation of the curriculum is based on a well-defined structure:
- Understanding Christianity: 50% of the RE curriculum focuses on Christianity, using the 'Understanding Christianity' resource, which explores eight key concepts: God, Creation, Fall, People of God, Incarnation, Gospel, Salvation, and Kingdom of God.
- World Religions: The remaining 50% of the curriculum introduces children to other major world religions.
- Two-Year Cycles: The syllabus is organized into two-year cycles for EYFS, KS1, LKS2 and UKS2, ensuring progressive development of understanding.
- Mixed Ability Groups: Children are taught in mixed-ability groups, fostering collaboration and peer learning.
- Engaging Learning Experiences: Lessons employ diverse teaching methods including storytelling, scripture exploration, inquiry-based activities, creative presentations, drama, computing, and godly play.
Long-Term Planning: Mapping the Learning Journey
The long-term plan for RE maps out the key questions and learning objectives for each unit across different year groups. It ensures a balance between Christianity and other world religions, providing children with a comprehensive understanding of diverse beliefs and practices.
For example, in Year 1/2, the long-term plan covers units on God/Creation, Incarnation, Thematic (exploring a better world), Gospel, and Kingdom of God. Each unit focuses on a central question that guides children’s exploration of the topic. For instance, the Incarnation unit asks, “Why do Christians perform nativity plays at Christmas?”. This question leads children to understand the significance of the nativity story and the Christian belief in Jesus as God incarnate.
Connecting Intent with Action
Lesson plans translate the curriculum intent and long-term plan into engaging and meaningful learning experiences. They provide specific learning opportunities aligned with the key concepts, learning outcomes, and pedagogical approaches outlined in the curriculum documents.
Several examples illustrate how lesson planning supports the broader aims of the curriculum:
- God and Creation in KS1: The creation unit in KS1 aims to help children understand that God is the Creator of the universe. Lesson plans utilize a variety of activities, such as creating artwork representing God's creation, exploring the Genesis account through keywords and drawings, and discussing questions about the world-maker. These activities encourage children to engage with the concept of God as Creator through visual representation, storytelling, and inquiry.
- Incarnation in Reception: The Reception Incarnation unit, focusing on the question, “Why do Christians perform nativity plays at Christmas?” uses role-playing and exploration of different nativity characters to help children understand Jesus' birth and significance.
- Salvation in KS1: The KS1 Salvation unit, which asks, "Why does Easter matter to Christians?", connects with the theme of new life through a spring walk and discussion about eggs as symbols of new life. Lesson plans also include the use of an "Easter lunchbox" containing symbolic foods to stimulate discussions about the true meaning of Easter for Christians. Activities such as creating tableaux of Holy Week events and exploring the concept of Jesus as a bridge between God and humanity further reinforce the key message of salvation and forgiveness.
A Coherent and Purposeful Approach
Newbrough C of E Primary School’s RE curriculum demonstrates a cohesive and purposeful approach to religious education. The clear articulation of curriculum intent, the structured implementation through 'Understanding Christianity' and the inclusion of world religions, and the detailed long-term and lesson planning work together to create a rich and engaging learning experience for children. Through this comprehensive approach, the school effectively fosters children's understanding of Christianity and other faiths, encouraging them to become thoughtful and informed individuals capable of engaging with the complexities of religious belief and its impact on the world.
For further information, please see our curriculum plans and I would recommend downloading our curriculum audio Deep Dive (please excuse the American accents!)
