Religious Education
The Rationale underpinning the Ventrus Curriculum:
The RE elements which are studied in Ventrus schools have been determined through consultation with teachers and leaders (including RE specialists) across our primary and secondary schools. Although there is not a National Curriculum for RE, all maintained schools must follow the National Curriculum requirements to teach a broad and balanced curriculum, which includes RE. Academies are contractually required through the terms of their funding agreement to make provision for the teaching of RE. The RE curriculum is determined by the local Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education (SACRE), which is responsible for producing the locally agreed syllabus for RE.
The Ventrus curriculum offer for RE in Key Stages 1, 2 and 3 is designed to:
• explore what people believe and what difference this makes to how they live, so that pupils can gain the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to handle questions raised by religion and belief, reflecting on their own ideas and ways of living
At St David's, we recognise the importance of a well-considered Religious Education curriculum and the role it has to play in the development of respectful, well-informed community members.
The curriculum for RE aims to ensure that all pupils:
1. make sense of a range of religious and non-religious beliefs, so that they can:
• identify, describe, explain and analyse beliefs and concepts in the context of living religions, using appropriate vocabulary
• explain how and why these beliefs are understood in different ways, by individuals and within communities
• recognise how and why sources of authority (e.g. texts, teachings, traditions, leaders) are used, expressed and interpreted in different ways, developing skills of interpretation
2. understand the impact and significance of religious and non-religious beliefs, so that they can:
• examine and explain how and why people express their beliefs in diverse ways
• recognise and account for ways in which people put their beliefs into action in diverse ways, in their everyday lives, within their communities and in the wider world • appreciate and appraise the significance of different ways of life and ways of expressing meaning
3. make connections between religious and non-religious beliefs, concepts, practices and ideas studied, so that they can:
• evaluate, reflect on and enquire into key concepts and questions studied, responding thoughtfully and creatively, giving good reasons for their responses
• challenge the ideas studied, and allow the ideas studied to challenge their own thinking, articulating beliefs, values and commitments clearly in response
• discern possible connections between the ideas studied and their own ways of understanding the world, expressing their critical responses and personal reflections with their critical responses and personal reflections with increasing clarity and understanding
These aims are planned for through the application of the Devon & Torbay Agreed Syllabus for R.E. and ‘Understanding Christianity’. The syllabus is based around a key question approach, where the questions open up the content to be studied. The syllabus gives key questions to deliver the statutory Programmes of Study
Children follow a Key Stage appropriate, progressional programme of study as delivered through the Devon and Torbay Agreed Syllabus (2019-2024)
Our children are taught to become theologians: exploring their own ideas, beliefs and asking big questions whilst developing and maintaining the values of respect and tolerance towards the beliefs of others.
At St David's, the teaching, learning and sequencing of the Religious Education curriculum is as follows: • The ‘Devon & Torbay Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education 20192014’ is implemented and ensures pupils encounter core concepts in religions and beliefs in a coherent way, developing their understanding and their ability to handle questions of religions and belief.