Skip to content ↓
Richard Hill Church of England Primary School

Richard Hill Church of England Primary School

Religious Education

Religious Education 

In Church of England schools, where pupils and staff come from all faiths and none, religious education (RE) is a highly valued academic subject that enables understanding of how religion and beliefs affect our lives. At the heart of RE in church schools is the teaching of Christianity and pupils also learn about other faiths and world views.

At Richard Hill C of E Primary school Religious Education is taught using the NATRE Scheme of Work which includes the Leicestershire Agreed Syllabus and the Understanding Christianity scheme of work.

In line with guidance, 50% of all RE teaching is about Christianity with lessons being taught, in the main, using the lesson outlines found in the Understanding Christianity scheme of work. For the other 50% of RE lessons, the children are taught about Judaism, Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism and Sikhism along with learning about those who hold a different World View rather than follow a particular religion.

In EYFS and Key Stage 1, the children have a weekly 45 minute lesson of RE. In KS2 the children in Years 3 – 6 take part in weekly 1 – 1 ½ hour lesson of RE. In these sessions, the children are taught using a range of activities which encourage learning through different learning styles. Teachers use drama, art, craft, music, film, internet, religious artefacts, visits to places of worship, visits from members of faith communities, as well as small group and whole class discussion time.

At Richard Hill we believe that RE is fundamental to understanding, appreciating and responding to the world in which we live. It is therefore a subject that will be essential to pupils beyond their school life as they navigate their own lives and encounter ways of life and beliefs that are different from their own. Additionally, it is particularly vital when considering the needs of our pupils in the context of their local community. Leicester is a vibrant multi-cultural city and it is important to us that our pupils are aware of this and have an appreciation and respect for the diversity of their local area. It is also necessary to acknowledge that some of our pupils will have had less experience of the diversity that their community has to offer. Therefore, RE becomes a very special opportunity to create this link and begin the journey towards broadening their cultural experiences.

The children are encouraged to develop their questioning skills and to explore, with others, their own and other people’s views about life and spirituality. They are taught the importance of listening to and respecting the views other people hold. The children are also encouraged to share their opinions and beliefs with others too.

RE is for all pupils

• Every pupil has a legal entitlement to RE.

• RE is a necessary part of a ‘broad and balanced curriculum’ and must be provided for all registered pupils in state-funded schools in England, including those in the sixth form, unless withdrawn by their parents (or withdrawing themselves if they are aged 18 or over).

• This requirement does not apply to pupils below compulsory school age (although there are many examples of good practice of RE in nursery classes).

• The ‘basic’ school curriculum includes the National Curriculum, RE, and relationships and sex education.3 RE is locally determined, not nationally

• A locally agreed syllabus is a statutory syllabus for RE, recommended by a local standing advisory committee for RE (SACRE) for adoption by a local authority.

• RE is compulsory for all pupils in academies and free schools as set out in their funding agreements. This is a contractual responsibility. Academies may use their locally agreed syllabus, a different locally agreed syllabus (with the permission of the SACRE concerned) or may devise their own curriculum. RE is multifaith, and recognises the place of Christianity and the other principal religions in the UK. Non-religious worldviews are included

• The RE curriculum, drawn up by a SACRE or used by an academy or free school, ‘shall reflect the fact that the religious traditions in Great Britain are in the main Christian, while taking account of the teaching and practices of the other principal religions represented in Great Britain’.5 Contemporary guidance from the Government makes clear that the breadth of RE will include the six principal religions of the UK and non-religious worldviews.

Parental right of withdrawal from RE

This was first granted in 1944 when curricular RE was called ‘Religious Instruction’ and carried with it connotations of induction into the Christian faith. RE is very different now – open, broad and exploring a range of religious and non-religious worldviews. In the UK, parents still have the right to withdraw their children from RE on the grounds that they wish to provide their own RE. This provision will be the parents’ responsibility. This right of withdrawal exists for all pupils in all types of school, including schools with and without a religious designation. Students aged 18 or over have the right to withdraw themselves from RE. Parents also have the right to withdraw their child from part of RE, and can do so without giving any explanation.

The Teaching of RE

The Leicestershire Local Authority released a new RE syllabus for schools to follow from 2021 -2025. This has been used to design our long term plan for this year. Both documents can be accessed below.

Useful Websites for RE