At Southfields Religious Education is a subject taught to educate our pupils about the different religions of the world. It is a core subject of the basic curriculum for all pupils and is taught in accordance with the locally agreed syllabus (see below). 

The main aim of RE at Southfields is to:

• Acquire and develop knowledge and understanding of Christianity and the other principal religions in the United Kingdom.
• Develop an understanding of the influence of beliefs, values and traditions of individuals, communities, societies and cultures.
• Develop positive attitudes of respect towards other people who hold views and beliefs different from their own; living in a society of diverse religions.
• Develop the ability to make reasoned and informed judgements about religious issues, with reference to the teachings of principle religions represented in Peterborough and the United Kingdom.
• Enhance their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

Thus creating:

• Successful learners who enjoy learning, make progress and achieve.
• Confident individuals who are able to live safe, healthy and fulfilling lives.
• Responsible citizens who make a positive contribution to society.

Religious Education is taught at Southfields in accordance with the Peterborough Agreed Syllabus as outlined below.

Core and school designed units are based upon the ‘community of enquiry’ approach to learning. This is where a key question is explored through a number of smaller questions over a series of lessons.

The Agreed Syllabus contributes to a coherent curriculum for RE and promotes continuity. It facilitates the transition of pupils between schools and phases of education and can provide foundations for further study and lifelong learning.

Resources available to teach the pupils are:

• Pictures
• Photographs
• Stories
• Reference books
• Artefacts
• Teacher resource books
• Newspapers
• First News
• Espresso
• Multi Media
• First hand experience

 Contribution to other areas of the curriculum

Religious Education teaching can be used to enrich and be enriched by other areas of the curriculum such as:

SMSC and British Values

• Encourages children to listen to others
• Encourages teamwork and democracy
• Encourages mutual respect and tolerance including different faiths and beliefs
• Encourages the rule of law
• Encourages individual liberty

Computing

• Improves and increases research skills through using the Internet and multi media including social networking
• Encourages more independent pupil learning.
• Improves research and presentation skills.

English

• Provides discussion opportunities to develop speaking and listening.
• Encourages skim reading when extracting information from books as well as higher order reading skills such as inference and deduction.
• Improves writing with expression such as writing poems and re-telling stories.
• Develops a greater vocabulary and word understanding.

Mathematics

• Encourages a greater understanding of large numbers including dates and chronology
• Encourages understanding of shape and measures through patterns

History

• Providing a better understanding of time-lines and chronology.
• Offering a study of different and diverse cultures.
• Seeking connections between current and past events.
• Learning from the past so it doesn't happen again in the future.

• Studying dances/movements used in worship or within different festivals.

Art

• Understanding how art is interpreted in religious expression.
• Illustrating pictorially religious faiths and beliefs.
• Understanding how symbols represent faiths and beliefs.

Music

• Learning about the music played at acts of worship or festivals.
• Experience instrument from different cultures.

  Equal opportunities and Inclusion

Schools are required to teach Religious Education to all pupils on the school roll, unless parents exercise their right to withdraw their children from the subject. Children will be given equal access to Religious Education irrespective of race, gender, creed, level of ability or nationality. When planning and teaching Religious Education, teachers will consider:

• Setting suitable learning challenges.
• Responding to pupils diverse learning needs.
• Overcoming potential barriers to learning and assessment for individuals and groups of pupils.

  Parents, please see information on your right to withdraw by clicking here.

   Community Links

The school aims to promote close links with the local community:

• The children attend a Christingle and Easter services at St John’s the Baptist Church.
• The Christian Options in Peterborough Schools (CROPS, Educational Trust) deliver assemblies and workshops.
• The children visit places of multi-faith worship throughout the year.
• Members of faith groups deliver assemblies and work alongside the children to enhance the curriculum.
• We work with the Peterborough Inter-faith Council and also take part in the annual celebration of the United Nations Children’s Day Service.

Assessment

There are two attainment targets which set out the knowledge, understanding and skills that pupils of different abilities and maturities are expected to have by the end of each key stage. These are:

AT1 –Learning about religion and belief (enquiring into, investigating and understanding religions and beliefs).

AT2- Learning from religion and belief (questioning, exploring, reflecting upon, and interpreting human experience in the light of religions and beliefs studied).

  Reporting

Progression and achievement in Religious Education is reported annually through individual pupil reports to parents and discussed in parent’s evenings. End of key stage data is to be submitted to the Standing Advisory Council for Religious Education (SACRE) at the end of the summer term. Samples of pupils work (different levels) and pictures (some annotation) of various ‘Religious Education’ activities that have taken place in the School are kept in the subject portfolio.

   Review and Monitoring

The monitoring of the standards of the children’s work and the quality of the teaching in Religious Education is the responsibility of the Religious Education subject co- ordinator. This involves supporting colleagues with the planning, teaching and assessing of Religious Education. The co-ordinator will monitor schemes of work, pupil experiences, resources, teaching methods and pupil needs. These areas will be evaluated in discussion with the head teacher, subject co-ordinator and teaching staff and amendments made accordingly who report to the Governors in their annual report.

   Statutory Guidance and Curriculum Information below