Religious Education
Religious Education (RE) is not a National Curriculum subject, but must be taught to all registered pupils. As RE is not nationally determined, the Local Education Authority must provide an Agreed Syllabus for us to follow. It is this North Yorkshire Agreed Syllabus of Religious Education 2019-2022, which we have used as the basis of our planning and delivery of RE.
RE is concerned with “learning about religions and beliefs” and “learning from religions and beliefs” and it is not the practice of this school to preach to or convert the children. The faith background of both the staff and child’s family is respected at all times.
RE both supports and strengthens what we aim to do in every aspect of school life. Our caring ethos and the value which we place on the development of the whole child; spiritually, morally, socially, culturally and intellectually is reflected in the RE curriculum.
Specifically, RE at our school aims to enable pupils of whatever ability and level of development to:
1. Acquire and develop knowledge and understanding of principal world faiths practised in Great Britain. These include Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism and Sikhism, each of which is represented in North Yorkshire.
2. Develop an understanding of the influence of beliefs, values and traditions on individuals, communities, societies and cultures, including the local community;
3. Develop the ability to make reasoned and informed judgements about religious and moral issues with reference to the teachings of the principal religions;
4. Enhance their own spiritual, moral, social and cultural development by:
- developing awareness of the fundamental questions of life arising from human experiences, and how religious beliefs and practices can relate to them;
- responding to the fundamental questions of life in the light of their experience and with reference to religious beliefs and practices;
- reflecting on their own beliefs, values and experiences in the light of their study;
- expressing their own personal viewpoints in a thoughtful, reasoned and considerate way;5. Recognise the right of people to hold different beliefs within an ethnically and socially diverse society.
Parents of a pupil at a community, foundation or voluntary school have the right to withdraw their children from all or part of the RE programme. Where parents have concerns about their children taking part in RE, they are asked to discuss their concerns first with the Headteacher.