RE

At Bretherton Endowed CE Primary School we:

• Respect other people and God’s world (RESPECT)
• Never give up, even when things are hard and face our fears (COURAGE)
• Are proud of who we are and celebrate differences (HUMILITY)
• Think that telling the truth is the right thing to do (TRUTHFULNESS)
• Work hard so that we can be the best we can be (HOPE)
• Are true friends (FRIENDSHIP)
• Show kindness towards others (COMPASSION)
• Give thanks for all we receive (THANKFULNESS)

Our core Christian values empower the school community with language, knowledge and understanding of values which underpin pupil’s achievement, pupil development, wellbeing and our entire decision making. The Christian faith and life and work of Jesus Christ are integral to all relationships between pupils, parents and colleagues and are woven into all aspects of school life. Taking time to reflect on day to day experiences, to develop individuals spiritual and moral awareness, to create a deeper understanding of Christian faith and its relevance and effect across all curricular teaching and learning is our mission.

What is the intent of  RE at Bretherton?

Our Questful RE syllabus engages children with: stories and celebrations, neighbours and communities, homes and families, Values, Choices, Beliefs, Relationships and Belonging.

We are equipping children to encounter life’s experiences.

“No other aspect of school life can ensure better than RE that school is experienced by staff and students alike not as a fact factory but as a laboratory for learning the values and virtues, attitudes and aptitudes which make for the wholeness of body, mind and spirit,” (Saxbee 2013)

 At Bretherton, we believe that high quality Religious Education (RE) is the key to enabling every child to flourish.

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.

This RE syllabus we use is a revision of ‘Questful RE’ the Blackburn Diocesan Board of Education RE syllabus 2017. Building on the foundation of the 2007, 2013 and 2017 syllabuses. The syllabus we use was released in September 2022 and the content, brings it in line with current best practice and pedagogical strategies.

By embracing the explicit teaching of Christian concepts and God’s big salvation story, it is hoped that the content of this syllabus will give pupils a deeper understanding of Christianity. In addition, pupils explore all major world faiths and discuss worldviews where appropriate.

Whoever we are, wherever we live, whether we are a person of faith or not, we all have a view on the world. Nobody stands nowhere. Please watch and reflect on the following link.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFRxKF-Jdos

Quality RE has the potential, more than any other subject, to have the most powerful and lasting effect on the child’s heart and mind. It is a subject that combines academic rigour with the development of the character and spirit of the child. RE provides opportunities for spiritual development and personal reflection. On a quest to discover more about religion and worldviews pupils will discover more about themselves. As RE develops children’s knowledge and understanding of the nature of religion and belief, it provokes challenging questions about meaning and purpose, truth and values, identity and belonging. Pupils will experience, explore and encounter a wide range of creative and challenging multi-sensory activities that will help them to discover the answers to fundamental questions such as these: –

• Who am I and what does it mean to be me?
• In what ways do/can I relate to others?
• How/where, can I encounter God?
• How can I make a positive contribution to the world in which I live?
• What values, attitudes, beliefs and behaviour are important to me?
• What does it mean to have faith?
• Who/what, influences and inspires me?
•  

Through an open investigative enquiry approach, the pupils will be given the sense of being on a quest of discovery. A key feature of the syllabus is the large number of questions included in each unit. The purpose of these questions is to give pupils opportunity to investigate, reflect, evaluate and make meaning. In doing so they will discover more about themselves, their relationships with others, their relationship with the world around them and their relationship with God. The questions set the route through the curriculum content.

The curriculum content is a balance of the three essential disciplines of quality RE, Theology, Philosophy and Social Science. This means pupils will look at concepts through a theological lens, exploring what people of faith believe. Alongside this, pupils will explore questions and answers raised in relation to the lived reality and impact of religion and worldviews on people’s lives. They will also think like philosophers, and be equipped with the skills that will enable them to make sense of life’s experiences.

RE prepares children for citizenship in today’s diverse society. It enables them to develop sensitivity to, and respect for others. Through authentic encounters with living faith communities, pupils will develop diversity dexterity and be equipped with the ability to hold an informed conversation about religious beliefs and practices.

At Bretherton, those who teach RE see it as both a huge responsibility and a privilege. If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

We hope you find the information in the link interesting:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NTW2bsFTLY&t=17s

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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