Religious Education

At the centre of RE at Garstang Community is the question, “What is it to be human?”. Through an enquiry based RE curriculum we intend to give the children the skills they need to rationally and intelligently address this and many of the other big questions they will face throughout their lives.

Religious education does not seek to urge religious beliefs on pupils by promoting one religion over another. Instead, ‘it affords pupils both the opportunity to see the religion and non-religion in the world, and the opportunity to make sense of their own place in that world.’ (Ofsted Research Review Series: Religious Education, May 2021).

The Curriculum

At Garstang Community Primary School Reception to Year 6 follow the Lancashire Agreed Syllabus 2021. Religious Education at Garstang Community will reflect and represent the religions found within the school community.  It will also take into account the religions found in the immediate geographical area surrounding the school (locally) and beyond (nationally and globally).

We teach Christianity within three strands: God, Jesus and Church. Christianity, Islam and Hindu Dharma are taught progressively across all year groups.  Buddhism, Judaism, Sikh Dharam is taught in certain year groups.

(See Long term Grid)

A given key question provides the central line of enquiry across each year group (see planning grid attached) and then focus questions provide a point of exploration within each religion. Each unit of work is structured to include the following four elements:

• Shared human experience – the nature of being human.
• Living religious tradition – principal religious traditions encountered in the world.
• Beliefs and values – the theology that lies at the heart of these traditions.
• The search for personal meaning – a lifelong quest for understanding.

Assessment

At Garstang Community Primary School Assessment in Religious Education is undertaken as part of the school’s agreed observation, assessment and planning cycle. Evidence can be generated from notes, photographs, mark making, and floor books as well as that contributed through the knowledge of parents, teachers and other adults.

We use year group non-negotiables taken from Pillars of progression grids to identify how knowledge and skills are built on across KS1 and KS2. Although the generic skills remain the same within each grid, each one is adapted to include subject content specific matched to each religion.

The results of the final assessment task in Year 2 and Year 6 will be sent to Lancashire SACRE (The Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education).  The number of children working at expected in Year 2 and Year 6 will be requested via the Portal.