The teaching and learning of RE is vital in helping children to understand the faiths, values and beliefs of different religions. At Irlam Endowed we teach RE regularly as part of our Curriculum with ‘Big Questions’ to provoke deeper thinking and understanding.

You will find a copy of our RE policy by following the link below.

Early Years Foundation Stage

The revised Early Years Curriculum lends itself well to the teaching and exploration of different religions. We use the our different areas of provision, small group activities as well as carpet led activities to discuss religions, with a focus on celebrations.

We follow the ‘EYFS Development Matters’ Curriculum. The Objectives below allow for focus on religion.

• Retell the story, once they have developed a deep familiarity with the text; some as exact repetition and some in their own words.
• Use new vocabulary in different contexts.
• Learn rhymes, poems and songs.
• Develop their sense of responsibility and membership of a community. Express their feelings and consider the feelings of others.
• Engage in extended conversations about stories, learning new vocabulary. Know that there are different countries in the world and talk about the differences they have experienced or seen in photos. Understand that some places are special to members of their community.
• Recognise that people have different beliefs and celebrate special times in different ways.

Carpet sessions will allow for focused questions, stories and questions. The questions which will be eplored within the Early Years are listed below.

• Which stories are special and why?
• Which people are special and why?
• Which places are special and why?
• Which times are special and why?
• Where do we belong?
• What is special about our world and why?

Key Stages 1 and 2

In Key Stages 1 and 2 we follow the Salford RE Syllabus which outlines the teaching and learning of

• Christianity
• Judaism
• Islam
• Hinduism
• Humanism

At Irlam Endowed we approach the units using big questions to spark curiousity. Each Big question has a series of smaller questions in which stories, non fiction texts, artefacts, photos, etc will be used to investigate and learn. Teachers will use a cross curricular approach when possible to secure understanding across the subjects.

Year 1

What does it mean to belong to a faith community?

This investigation enables pupils to think about belonging. They will learn about how religious people show they belong to their faith community. They will learn about ways babies are welcomed in religions and the promises made at weddings. They will think about their own network of belonging and how we all belong to someone.

What makes some places sacred?

This investigation enables pupils to learn in depth from different religious and spiritual ways of life about places of worship for Christians and either Jewish people or Muslims.,

How and why do we celebrate special and sacred times?

Pupils to learn in depth from different religious and spiritual ways of life about Easter and Pesach (Passover) and/or Eid‐ul‐ Fitr

Who is a Christian and what do they believe?

This unit enables pupils to begin to understand what Christians believe about God and about Jesus as the Son of God. This unit looks at stories about Jesus and stories that Jesus told. This unit also allow pupils to study prayer and in particular the Lord’s prayer.

Year 2

Who is Jewish and what do they believe?

In this unit, pupils to think about what might be found in a Jewish home and how these objects link to the Jewish way of life. There is a focus on the mezuzah, the belief in one God, Shabbat and Chanukah.

What can we learn from sacred books?

This investigation enables pupils to find out about sacred books from more than one religion. Pupils begin by recapping their work on special books and thinking about what makes a book ‘holy’. They then move onto looking at stories and teachings in holy books and finding out what these mean for believers. Pupils learn how different holy books are treated and that some stories appear in more than one book.

How & why do we celebrate special and sacred times?

This investigation enables pupils to learn in depth from different religious and spiritual ways of life about Easter and Pesach (Passover) and/or Eid‐ul‐ Fitr.

How should we care for others and the world, and why does it matter?

Pupils to learn in depth from different religious and spiritual ways of life about caring for other people and for the world. Through studying bible stories, the lives of believers such as Dr Barnado, Mother Teresa or a local believer, the Jewish practice of Tzedekah and Sukkot celebrations pupils learn about how beliefs turn into actions for many religious and non-religious people.

Year 3

What do different people believe about God?

Pupils to learn in depth from different religious and spiritual ways of life regarding diverse beliefs about God

Why is the Bible important for Christians today?

Pupils to learn in depth from different religious and spiritual ways of life about Christian scriptures – the Bible – exploring questions about what the Bible says and how the bible is used and valued in Christian communities today.

Why do people pray?

Pupils to learn in depth from different religious and spiritual ways of life about prayer: the practice, symbols, words and significance of prayer are studied alongside some key beliefs about prayer, so that pupils can develop thoughtful ideas and viewpoints of their own about prayer.

What does it mean to be a Christian in Britain today?

This investigation enables pupils to learn in depth from different religious and spiritual ways of life about what Christians do at home, in church and in the wider community and why these things are important to them.

How do family life and festivals show what matters to Jewish people? 

This investigation allows children to continue their learning from the Year 2 unit and develop a deeper understanding of Jewish religion and communities. 

Year 4

Why is Jesus inspiring to some people?

This investigation enables pupils to learn in depth from Christianity, exploring different reasons why Jesus is considered and inspiring figure by Christians – and by many other people too. 

Why are festivals important to religious communities?

Pupils to learn in depth from different religious and spiritual ways of life as shown through festival and celebration. We have chosen to focus on Easter, Divali in Hinduism, Pesach in Judaism and Eid ul Fitr in Islam.

Why do some people think that life is like a journey and what significant experiences mark this? 

This investigation enables pupils to learn in depth from different religious and spiritual ways of life relating to milestones on the journey of life. Through exploring baptism, Bar and Bat Mitzvah or Hindu Samskaras and marriage pupils explore how and why people chose to mark significant moments in life.

What does it mean to be a Hindu in Britain today?

This unit focuses on key aspects of Hindu belief and worship. What we call ‘Hinduism’ is the diverse way of life, spiritual practices and beliefs of the Indian people. We will focus on British Hindus, and there is great diversity in British Hinduism as well as the original Indian Hinduism.

What can we learn from religions about deciding what is right and wrong?

Pupils will have opportunity to think about guidance that people follow to help them live their lives. It starts off by looking into the Golden Rule and how it is seen in Christianity, Humanism and Judaism.

Year 5

Why do some people believe God exists?

This investigation enables pupils to learn in depth from different religious and non-religious groups about belief in God. Pupils enquire into the key question- raising questions about the nature and existence of God focussing on Christian ideas about God.

What would Jesus do? Can we live by the values of Jesus in the twenty-first century?

Pupils to learn in depth from Christianity, considering in a detailed way some teachings of Jesus and the ways they are applied today. Pupils will consider examples of what Jesus said, and how Christians today respond to the challenges of his teachings.

If God is everywhere, why go to a place of worship?

Pupils to learn in depth from different religious and spiritual ways of life about worship, drawing out more detail, history and diversity through focussing on places of worship. Pupils learn about the various purposes of a place of worship as well as how believers see these places.

What does it mean to be a Muslim in Britain today?

This unit enables pupils to learn in depth from different religious and spiritual ways of life about being a follower of the Muslim religion. Pupils explore the five pillars of Islam and the importance of these to Muslim believers. Pupils will gain a greater understanding of Islam and what we can learn from its beliefs, values and ideas.

Year 6

What do religions say to us when life gets hard?

Pupils to learn in depth from different religious and spiritual ways of life about teaching about hard times, focussing on exploring death. Teachers will explore this with the children in a very sensitive and delicate way, using stories and poetry.

Is it better to express your religion in arts and architecture or in charity and generosity?   This investigation enables pupils to learn in depth from two different religions about why their holy buildings and works of art matter to them as expressions of devotion to God and worship, and about how they practice generosity and charity.

What matters most to Christians and to Humanists?

This investigation enables pupils to learn in depth from Christianity and from Humanism, a non-religious way of life. If it is pupils’ first encounter with Humanism, then teaching will need to secure their understanding of what a nonreligious way of life means, both similar to and different from Christianity.

Green religion: How and why should religious communities do more to care for Earth? 

This investigation enables pupils to learn in depth about the challenges of climate justice issues and about how different religious and spiritual ways of life can contribute to the urgent human need to stop spoiling the environment and the Earth

What can be done to reduce racism?

This investigation enables pupils to learn in depth from different religious and spiritual ways of life through exploring ideas and examples of what religions do to reduce racism, including for example the work of different religious leaders in promoting respect and the teaching of different sacred texts about human unity.

Useful Websites

The BBC is continuing to offer a range of resources to support teaching and learning in RE at school or for those children who are continuing to study at home. Here is just a brief sample selection of some useful links:

• Newsround – Islam – What is Ramadan https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/23286976
• EYFS:  Big stories and resources https://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/shows/lets-celebrate
• 3 – 7 year olds:  Big stories and resources https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/1pYRg2f202rqWHrp3ywhTyX/religions-of-the-world
• Key Stage 1:  BBC bitesize films and home learning lessons https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/zxnygk7
• Key Stage 2:  BBC My Life, My Religion series https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b05pc1c9/episodes/guide
• Key Stage 2:  BBC bitesize films and home learning lessons https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/z7hs34j
• Key Stage 2:  BBC films for the World Religions https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/ks2-religious-studies/z6pbqp3

Museums and galleries:

• The British Library https://www.bl.uk/sacred-texts#
  • The National Gallery: https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/learning/teachers-and-schools/teachers-notes
  • The Victoria and Albert Museum: https://www.vam.ac.uk/info/teachers-resources-for-primary-schools

Jewish Museum

https://jewishmuseum.org.uk/virtual-classrooms/ New virtual classroom available.

Bible Society

Bible society resources for KS3 and KS4

https://educationresources.biblesociety.org.uk/

The Open University offers free tour of many religious buildings with an option of zooming in or looking around if needed. Definitely recommend as it can be shared with the children too with no login details needed.

https://www.open.edu/openlearn/history-the-arts/culture/religious-studies/exploring-religion-london