RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

At Villa Real School, our ambitious Religious Education curriculum is mapped from EYFS to Key Stage 5 and is based upon the Durham Agreed Syllabus. It is designed to provide all pupils with opportunities to explore religious and non-religious worldviews through an inclusive, adaptive and meaningful curriculum that meets their individual needs and starting points. Building on our Humanities intent, Religious Education supports pupils to develop curiosity about beliefs, cultures and communities, whilst fostering a sense of identity, belonging and respect for diversity.

Our curriculum aims to enable pupils to:

Develop knowledge and understanding of a range of religious and non-religious worldviews.
Describe and explain beliefs, teachings, practices and sources of authority.
Understand how beliefs influence individuals, communities and societies.
Explore religious diversity locally, nationally and globally.
Develop specialist vocabulary and communication skills.
Engage in enquiry, reflection and critical thinking.
Reflect on their own ideas, beliefs, values and experiences.
Make connections between belief, authority, expression and impact across different traditions.
Appreciate and respect different perspectives and worldviews.
Become active, informed and respectful members of their communities.

CONTENT

Our Religious Education curriculum follows the Durham Agreed Syllabus and is adapted to meet the needs of pupils across all pathways. Learning is structured around:

Core Elements

Knowledge and understanding of religion and worldviews.
Personal reflection.
Critical thinking and enquiry

Key Concepts

Belief
Authority
Expression of Belief
Impact of Belief

Types of Enquiry

Philosophical
Theological
Ethical
Sociological
Phenomenological

Curriculum Progression

Learning is carefully sequenced to ensure continuity and progression from EYFS through to Post-16.

EYFS

Exploration of festivals, celebrations, special people and experiences through a thematic and sensory curriculum.
Development of communication, understanding of the world and early personal reflection.

Key Stage 1

Introduction to key religions, beliefs and practices.
Development of basic subject vocabulary.
Exploration of similarities and differences between beliefs and traditions.

Key Stage 2

Deepening understanding of religious beliefs and practices.
Increased use of subject-specific vocabulary.
Exploration of religious diversity and the impact of belief.

Key Stage 3

More sophisticated understanding of religious and non-religious worldviews.
Development of analytical and enquiry skills.
Consideration of ethical and philosophical questions.

Key Stage 4 and 5

Religious Education delivered through accredited pathways, including ASDAN and NOCN. If new qualifications are available, this will be reviewed in light of pupils' needs.
Application of knowledge, reflection and discussion linked to preparation for adulthood.

Across all key stages, content may be revisited to consolidate learning and ensure knowledge is embedded and transferable.

PEDAGOGY

In line with the Humanities curriculum intent, Religious Education is delivered through engaging, enquiry-based and experiential learning approaches which are adapted to meet the needs of all learners.

Teaching enables pupils to:

Learn about religions and worldviews.
Reflect upon personal beliefs, experiences and values.
Ask questions and explore different perspectives.
Develop communication and interaction skills.
Build knowledge progressively over time.

Teaching Approaches

Across pathways, teachers use:

Artefacts and religious objects.
Sensory stories and sensory experiences.
Objects of reference.
Visits
Visitors
Festivals and whole-school celebrations.
Makaton, PODD and ADL symbols and visual supports.
Computing and digital resources.
Discussion, storytelling and role play.
Research and enquiry activities where appropriate.

Pathway Adaptations

Pathway 1

Sensory exploration, communication and shared attention.
Experiences centred around sensory engagement and developing awareness.

Pathway 2

Real-life experiences, artefacts and sensory learning.
Supported exploration of celebrations, beliefs and communities.

Pathways 3,4,5

Structured enquiry, discussion and reflection.
Research, recording, comparison of worldviews and evaluation of ideas.

Teachers ensure learning is meaningful, accessible and challenging while building upon prior knowledge and preparing pupils for future learning.

ASSESSMENT

Assessment in Religious Education is continuous and begins from each pupil's individual starting point.

Formative Assessment

Teachers assess learning through:

Observations
Questioning
Discussion
Evidence captured through Earwig
Completed learning activities
Communication and interaction responses
Engagement in experiences and visits

EYFS Assessment

Progress is recorded through observations linked to individual curriculum targets.
Assessment is tracked and linked to developmental pathways and next steps.

Engagement Model

For pupils working below subject-specific learning, assessment focuses on:

Exploration
Realisation
Anticipation
Persistence
Initiation

Religious Education learning may be evidenced through sensory experiences, interaction with artefacts, participation in festivals and responses to stories and visitors.

Summative Assessment

Progress is reviewed termly.
Attainment and progress are monitored at individual, class, pathway, key stage and whole-school level.
Assessment information is used to identify next steps and additional support where required.
Progress is measured against EHCP outcomes, curriculum expectations and pathway-specific learning goals.

EVALUATION

The Religious Education curriculum is regularly reviewed to ensure it remains ambitious, relevant and effective for all learners.

Evaluation are captured on the Whole School Quality Assurance Monitoring:

Joint planning conversations
Learning walks
Pupil interviews
Use of TAs
Work sample
Data analysis
Evaluation of enrichment activities, visits and visitors.
Review of curriculum resources.
Annual review of curriculum documentation, policies and accreditation pathways.

The Religious Education Subject Leader monitors the quality of teaching, learning, and curriculum implementation to ensure that pupils develop the knowledge, understanding, reflection, and enquiry skills outlined in the Humanities curriculum intent and the Durham Agreed Syllabus.

Learning walks, pupil interviews and work samples will be monitored with governors bi-annually.