Religious Studies

At Willow Tree We follow the North Yorkshire agreed syllabus for Religious Education:  SACRE.  Our key aim in RE is to allow pupils the opportunity to explore the big questions of life, appreciating their own and other’s beliefs and cultures in an environment of acceptance and respect. 

Through this, children can make sense of religion and worldviews and then can reflect on their own views and experience, beginning at a local level, then broadening to national and global perspectives.  We offer children a wide range of activities and opportunities to equip pupils with systematic knowledge and understanding of a range of religious and non-religious worldviews, enabling them to develop their ideas, values and identities.

Implementation

Our curriculum for RE aims to ensure that all pupils: 

1. Know about and understand a range of religious and non-religious worldviews, so that they can:

• describe, explain and analyse beliefs and practices, recognising the diversity which exists within and between communities and amongst individuals
• identify, investigate and respond to questions posed, and responses offered, by some of the sources of wisdom found in religious and non-religious worldviews
• appreciate and appraise the nature, significance and impact of different ways of life and ways of expressing meaning. 

2. Express ideas and insights about the nature, significance and impact of religious and non-religious worldviews, so that they can:

• explain, using reasoned arguments, their ideas about how beliefs, practices and forms of expression influence individuals and communities
• express with increasing discernment their personal reflections and critical responses to questions and teachings about identity, diversity, meaning and value, including ethical issues
• appreciate and appraise varied dimensions of religion. 

3. Gain and deploy the skills needed to engage seriously with religious and non-religious worldviews, so that they can:

• Investigate key concepts and questions of belonging, meaning, purpose and truth, responding creatively
• Enquire into what enables different individuals and communities to live together respectfully for the wellbeing of all
• articulate clearly beliefs, values and commitments to explain why they may be important in their own and other people’s lives.