Religious Education

Intent

At James Oglethorpe, Religious Education is a vital part of a broad and balanced curriculum. In line with the Joint Agreed Syllabus set by Havering and Redbridge SACRE (2022–2027), our RE curriculum aims to engage pupils in meaningful enquiry into religions and worldviews.

We intend for our pupils to:

Develop secure knowledge and understanding of Christianity and other principal religions and non-religious worldviews represented locally and globally including Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism Buddhism and Humanism.
Explore challenging questions about belief, meaning, truth and values.
Reflect on their own ideas and experiences while respecting the views of others.
Build the skills of enquiry, interpretation, evaluation and empathy.
Develop spiritually, morally, socially and culturally, preparing them to thrive in a diverse and modern Britain.

Through RE, we promote respect, tolerance and understanding, supporting our school values and the teaching of British Values.

Implementation

Our RE curriculum is carefully sequenced in line with the Havering and Redbridge Joint Agreed Syllabus to ensure clear progression from EYFS to Year 6.

Curriculum Structure

Christianity is taught in every key stage, alongside a range of other religions and non-religious worldviews.
Units are structured around key enquiry questions that promote deep thinking and discussion.
Learning builds progressively in knowledge, vocabulary and disciplinary skills.

Teaching Approach

Lessons are enquiry-based, encouraging pupils to ask and answer meaningful questions.
Pupils explore beliefs, teachings, practices and ways of life, and understand how these impact individuals and communities.
A range of strategies are used including discussion, storytelling, artefact exploration, creative activities and reflection time.
Where possible, pupils benefit from visits to places of worship and visitors from different faith and belief communities.

Assessment

Assessment is aligned with the end-of-key-stage outcomes outlined in the agreed syllabus.
Teachers assess pupils’ knowledge and their ability to interpret, evaluate and reflect.
Progress is monitored to ensure all pupils achieve well.

Impact

By the time pupils leave our school, they will:

Have a secure understanding of Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism and non-religious worldviews studied.
Use appropriate religious vocabulary confidently and accurately.
Demonstrate curiosity, respect and open-mindedness when discussing religious and philosophical ideas.
Be able to express thoughtful, reasoned responses to big questions about life, belief and morality.
Show clear progression in enquiry skills, critical thinking and reflection in line with the expectations of the Havering and Redbridge Agreed Syllabus.

Our RE curriculum ensures pupils are well-prepared for the next stage of their education and for life in a diverse society, equipped with the knowledge, understanding and values to contribute positively to their community.