Intent

All pupils at The Downley School are immersed in a carefully crafted RE curriculum that is broad and balanced, deep and rich, relevant to life in modern Britain and our global community. This encourages all pupils to become resilient, lifelong learners whatever their starting point or ability.

Our RE curriculum enables pupils to learn, grow and succeed together and is underpinned by our six values:

Respect

• Through targeted educational initiatives and experiential learning opportunities, pupils will be empowered to embrace the values of religious diversity, promoting an inclusive and harmonious community that reflects the principles of respect for all faiths.
• The educational objective is to instil in pupils a profound understanding of the significance of respecting the religions and faiths of diverse communities. This goal encompasses fostering awareness, tolerance, and appreciation for the rich tapestry of religious beliefs within our global society.

Resilience

• Pupils are resilient learners and learn from their mistakes; they approach RE with a growth mindset.
• Promoting open dialogue, experiential learning, critical thinking skills, culturally sensitive practices and reflective exercises in the classroom can create a resilient learning environment that equips students with the skills and mindset necessary to navigate the complexities of exploring and understanding faith diversity.

Teamwork

• Talk about the similarities and differences between their own and others’ beliefs with respect and open mindedness in pairs, groups or as a whole class.
• Field trips to different religious organizations
• Guest speakers from religious organizations
• Class presentations about faith

Inclusion

• Awareness of religious holidays
• Allow everyone to share about their beliefs in a respectful manner.
• Tailor assessments to allow students to showcase their understanding in different ways. Consider alternative assessment methods, such as project presentations, written essays, or oral examinations, to accommodate diverse learning styles and abilities.

Responsibility

• Foster self-awareness and personal accountability among students. Encourage them to reflect on their beliefs, values, and actions, promoting a sense of responsibility for their own growth and well-being.
• Emphasize the importance of ethical decision-making and mindfulness in personal conduct, reinforcing the notion that one's individual choices impact not only oneself but also the broader community.
• Cultivate empathy and a sense of communal responsibility. Encourage students to appreciate the diverse perspectives and beliefs within the class, fostering an environment of mutual respect. Provide opportunities for student-led discussions, research projects, and reflective assessments, fostering a sense of ownership and responsibility for their intellectual development.
• Instil an understanding of the value of educational resources and equipment. Encourage responsible use, care, and maintenance of materials to ensure sustainability and longevity.

Integrity

• A sense of enquiry, reasoning
• A sense of responsibility, social justice      
• Strive to maintain a neutral and impartial stance, presenting information about various religions objectively and without bias.
• Foster an environment where all students feel comfortable expressing their beliefs and asking questions without fear of judgment.

Implementation

Our high quality RE curriculum has clear progression and learning is carefully sequenced, built on and revisited. Lessons are planned to deepen pupils’ knowledge and skills, for future learning and employment in the wider world where they demonstrate respect to others and their faiths.

The impact of Kapow Primary’s scheme can be constantly monitored through both formative and summative assessment opportunities. Each lesson includes guidance to support teachers in assessing pupils against the learning objectives. Furthermore, each unit has a unit quiz and a knowledge catcher, which can be used at the end of the unit to provide a summative assessment. After the implementation of the Kapow Primary Religion and worldviews curriculum, pupils will be equipped with a range of disciplinary skills and knowledge to enable them to succeed in their secondary education. They will be prepared for life in modern Britain, being able to interact with others from different religious and non-religious viewpoints in a respectful, knowledgeable and open-minded way. They will be enquiring learners who ask questions and make connections. They will be confident to explore their personal worldview and have the skills to appreciate, evaluate and respond to religious, philosophical and ethical questions.

Impact

The expected impact of following the Kapow Primary Religion and worldviews scheme of work is that children will:

● Know and understand religious concepts relating to beliefs, practices, community and belonging, and wisdom and guidance.

● Develop an understanding of the influence of organised and personal worldviews on individuals, communities, countries and globally.

● Understand some of the ways religions and worldviews are studied (disciplinary knowledge).

● Develop understanding of their relationship with the content studied, being able to talk about their assumptions and preconceptions (personal knowledge).

● Build secure vocabulary which allows them to talk confidently and fluently about their learning.

● Answer questions about worldviews through an enquiry-based approach including investigating, interpreting, evaluating, applying and expressing.

● Talk about the similarities and differences between their own and others’ beliefs with respect and open mindedness.

● Understand the lived experiences of religious and non-religious worldviews to be diverse within and between people and communities.

● Develop an understanding of the ways in which personal and organised worldviews may develop and change across time and place.

Teachers use assessment to help learners embed and use knowledge fluently, to check understanding, address misconceptions, and inform teaching. Each lesson includes guidance to support teachers in assessing pupils against the learning objectives. Furthermore, each unit has a unit quiz and a knowledge catcher, which can be used at the end of the unit to provide a summative assessment.

Pupils leave The Downley School with a deep understanding of the academic content of the RE curriculum. They know more, remember more and can do more; they are prepared for their future aspirations as a mathematician, geographer, historian, designer, linguist, artist etc…

They understand that when we learn together, we grow together and succeed together.