Crossley Hall Primary School Staff Login

Intent, Implemantation, Impact

Crossley Hall Primary School: Science Intent, Implementation and Impact

‘The ability to understand the faith or belief of individuals and communities and how these may shape their culture or behaviour, is an invaluable asset for children in modern day Britain.’  

INTENT:

First, it is about beliefs and values. We aim to develop pupils’ understanding of religions and worldviews, exploring their commonality and diversity.

  • Enable pupils to develop a broad and balanced understanding of religions and worldviews

RE’s primary purpose is to give pupils a broad understanding of Christianity, world faiths and non-religious beliefs; sometimes referred to as ‘religious literacy’. Our curriculum ensures that there is both depth of study (some areas investigated in detail) and breadth (an overall general understanding of the faiths and related philosophical and ethical questions).

  • Develop critical thinking skills

Well taught, RE is a rigorous academic subject, supporting problem solving and critical thinking skills. Engaging and stimulating RE helps to nurture informed and resilient responses to misunderstanding, stereotyping and division. It offers a place in the curriculum where difficult or ‘risky’ questions can be tackled within a safe but challenging context.

Secondly, the syllabus is about ‘belonging’. We strive to nurture pupils’ awareness of the treasury of diversity as well as sensitivity to the questions and challenges that different views and cultures can present. Ultimately, we all share a common humanity and share this patch of the Earth. In this way it plays a part in helping our pupils to discover their own place and journey through life.

  • Broaden perspectives of faiths and cultures, encouraging tolerance of diversity
  • Nurture spirituality
  • Contribute to developing pupils as positive, participating citizens of the world

IMPLEMENTATION:

Investigate the beliefs and practices of religions and other world views, including:

  • Beliefs and authority: core beliefs and concepts; sources of authority including written traditions and leaders; 
  • Worship and Spirituality: how individuals and communities express belief, commitment and emotion. 

Investigate how religions and other world views address questions of meaning, purpose and value, including: 

  • The nature of religion and belief and its key concepts; 
  • Ultimate Questions of belonging, meaning, purpose and truth.
  • Investigate how religions and other world views influence morality, identity and diversity, including: 

Build in the required coverage of religions and worldviews 

We focus on specific core religions at each key stage: Christianity and Islam from KS1, adding Sikhism and Judaism at KS2. Year 4 and year 6 learners also have the opportunity to conduct a “Religion deep-dive” in Hinduism and Buddhism respectively. This is to ensure that our pupils have understanding of various worldviews. RE recognises and reflect the huge variety within different religions and the many other faiths and systems of belief beyond the six defined world faiths. RE challenges stereotypes rather than reinforcing them. 

Develop units of work 

Each unit of work focuses around a key question related to the subject content of the syllabus. Enquiry and investigation of the key question should include: 

  • Analysis of the question; 
  • Critical investigation into relevant beliefs, practices and ways of life; 
  • A reasoned and critical response. 

Great care should be taken to ensure planning and resources are appropriate in terms of learning content, quality and sensitivity. If teachers use ready-made materials they should be checked thoroughly to satisfy these requirements. Careless or insensitive use of resources may cause needless misunderstanding, confusion or upset. Ensure sufficient time is allocated to teach RE effectively. It is a legal requirement that each pupil is entitled to religious education throughout their school career. It follows that there must be sufficient time to teach the syllabus comprehensively and with integrity.

IMPACT

At Crossley Hall Primary School, we seek to ensure that all pupils in our school are educated to develop spiritually, academically, emotionally and morally to enable them to better understand themselves and others and to cope with the opportunities, challenges and responsibilities of living in a rapidly changing, multicultural world. Regular assemblies and celebrations of religious and non-religious festivals and events, implemented alongside a half-termly RE week, will help to celebrate the diversity of the wider community in Bradford, including their beliefs, traditions, culture, language and history.