Intent

At Riverley, we have designed our R.E curriculum with the intent that our children will become mindful, accepting, attentive, resilient, and inquisitive learners. We have a diverse and rich community at Riverley and, as part of our Proud Traditions, we celebrate all practices and beliefs throughout the year standing united in admiration and wonder at the vibrant range of cultures that surround us in school and in our wider community. Our curriculum allows the children to engage with and gain an insight and understanding of all religions across the world. R.E is a vital part of our curriculum as it allows the children to understand and respect each other’s beliefs and make connections with their own views and values. Our goal is to ensure children are thinking critically about the world around them as we, as facilitators, develop the children as curious, open-minded and self-reflective learners who have autonomy over their learning and explore the deeper meaning that religious education provides. Our curriculum will allow our children to widen their horizons by embracing the community in which we are situated, recognising local places of worship.

We will deliver a curriculum that:

• acquires and develops knowledge and understanding of all religions represented across the world
• inspires creative learning through high quality teaching practices that build upon prior knowledge
• is inclusive, develops self-confidence, and identifies that all our children are unique and, therefore, we should all be tolerant of each other’s beliefs and share in each other’s faiths
• develops an understanding of the influence of beliefs, values and traditions on individuals, communities, societies and cultures, from local to global
• develops positive attitudes of respect towards other people who hold views and beliefs different from their own, and towards a society of diverse religions and beliefs
• cultivates positive attitudes of respect towards other people who hold views and beliefs different from their own, and towards a society of diverse religions and beliefs
• promotes equality and understanding of the British values and ensures they are prepared for life in modern Britain.

Implementation

At Riverley Primary School we follow the agreed Syllabus from Waltham Forest Standing Advisory Council for Religious Education (SACRE). Religious Education is compulsory for all pupils. It is the intent of Riverley Primary that Religious Education promotes an enquiry-based approach through the implementation of SACRE. RE is taught for 75 minutes per week.
The curriculum is led and overseen by the RE lead. The RE lead implements a regular programme of monitoring, evaluation and review to ensure high expectations amongst all staff in the delivery of an engaging curriculum. The sharing of good practice is central to our CPD offer as facilitators display ongoing commitment to evolve and improve further.

• The R.E. curriculum follows the SACRE scheme of work
• E. Lessons will build upon prior learning and develop skills year upon year
• E lessons will be designed to challenge in all areas through the facilitation of learning experiences
• All religions will be celebrated throughout the year to broaden children’s experiences.

In addition:

• The R.E. subject is provided with the opportunity to keep developing their own subject knowledge, skills and understanding, so they can support curriculum development and their colleagues throughout the school.

Pupil leaders support the teaching and learning of R.E as our children ensure that our curriculum reflects their needs and interests of our children. Our R.E and Well-being Pupil leadership team, including a family representative, provides opportunities for our children to develop leadership skills through a variety of projects associated with ensuring High Achievement, establishing Proud Traditions and Widening Horizons for our entire school community. Assessment of R.E. is in line with the whole school feedback policy and teachers assess the progress and attainment of R.E all cultivating a culture of 100% achievement in the subject.

Impact

Children at Riverley Primary enjoy learning about world religions and why people choose, or choose not to follow a religion. Our children leave with a sense of belonging, championing our Riverley values of Creativity, Ambition, Responsibility and Empathy. Through their R.E learning, the children become mindful, accepting and resilient individuals from making links between their own lives and those of others in their community and in the wider world. They develop an understanding of other people’s cultures and ways of life.

Children leave Riverley:

• with a stronger awareness of the world around them and are mindful of the beliefs of others
• displaying a deep enjoyment of RE which has enhanced their creativity, achievement, confidence and inquisitive minds
• feeling safe to learn new things and share their beliefs with others in an accepting environment
• with a sense of belonging to a tightly knit community where they have the confidence and skills to make decisions, self-evaluate, make connections and become lifelong learners
• as responsible global citizens who are ready to contribute positively to society.