RE
Subject leader: Sarah Allchurch
Intent
Anchored in our school mission, "Walking in the footsteps of Jesus, we learn, grow, achieve and flourish together in God’s love, we believe that high quality Religious Education (RE) is the key to enabling every child to flourish.
Our aim is for our children to develop positive attitudes to their learning, and to the beliefs and values of others. These are:
- Self awareness
- Respect for all
- Open Mindedness
- Appreciation and Wonder
Our children will build on their existing knowledge, making links and developing their understanding and knowledge. Our aim is that all our children leave Bretherton with a rich and well-informed understanding of Christianity. Equally important is the development of a commitment to generous hospitality, expressed through deep respect for the integrity of other religious and belief traditions, and for the religious freedom of every individual.
Implementation
We use Blackburn Diocese syllabus who are committed to producing quality resources that will provide Bretherton teachers with the knowledge and skills they need to ensure that the children experience the best RE curriculum.
We deliver our intent through an open, investigative enquiry approach. Rather than just learning facts, questions set the route through our curriculum content, giving pupils the opportunity to investigate, reflect, evaluate, and make meaning.
- The Three Essential Disciplines
Our curriculum content maintains a careful balance across three lenses:
| Discipline |
What It Means for Our Pupils |
| Theology |
Looking at concepts through a theological lens to explore what people of faith truly believe, rooted in how we understand God's love. |
| Human & Social Science |
Exploring the lived reality and the day-to-day impact of religion and worldviews on people’s lives and communities. |
| Philosophy |
Thinking like philosophers and equipping children with the skills to make sense of life’s experiences. |
2. Multi-Sensory & Experiential Learning
We bring RE to life so that every child can engage fully. Pupils experience, explore, and encounter a wide range of creative and challenging multi-sensory activities that allow them to learn and achieve in unique ways.
- Authentic Encounters
We don't just learn from textbooks. We build meaningful connections through authentic encounters with living faith communities, welcoming visitors and experiencing faiths firsthand to build deep, lifelong respect and diversity dexterity.
Impact
The impact of RE at our school extends far beyond the classroom walls, directly shaping our children's personal development, spiritual well-being, and daily interactions.
By the time children leave our school, the impact of Questful RE is evident in the following ways:
- Theologically Informed & Articulate Thinkers
Our children can give a theologically informed, thoughtful, and well-sequenced account of Christianity as a living, diverse global faith. They develop a rich, progressive religious vocabulary that allows them to confidently articulate their own thoughts, feelings, and ethical convictions.
- Respectful Global Citizens
Through deep engagement with world faiths, pupils show an informed, respectful, and celebration-ready attitude towards people of all faiths and none. They recognize that "nobody stands nowhere" and can engage in meaningful, mature dialogue with others, breaking down stereotypes and celebrating diversity.
- Reflective & Inquisitive Seekers
Our pupils do not shy away from life's "big questions". They can reflect critically on their own spiritual boundaries, relationships, and moral choices. They understand how religious beliefs directly impact a believer's daily life, choices, and traditions.
- Courageous Advocates for Change
RE inspires our children to see themselves as Global Neighbours. Driven by the school’s Christian values, they are empowered to become courageous advocates—standing up for justice, serving their communities, and recognizing their responsibility to make a positive difference in God’s world.
Our Curriculum priorities for RE in 2026-27 are:
- Review the way that the curriculum is sequenced for religious education. This is to ensure that the pupils develop a breadth of understanding about a range of religions and worldviews. In addition, this is to enable a fuller appreciation of the diversity of beliefs within society
- Strengthen the system for tracking learning, knowledge and skills in religious education (RE). This is to develop consistency and to inform teaching, so that pupils are aware of next steps and are able to make more progress in RE.
To find out more, please contact Mrs Clarke and Mrs Allchurch (RE Subject Lead)
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