Intent
Religious Education at Elmwood reflects our intent that pupils need to understand the beliefs and practices of the religions and worldviews which we teach according to the Croydon Agreed Syllabus. We are of the view that Religious Education plays a pivotal role in the development of the child as a whole, contributing significantly to the spiritual, moral, social and cultural growth of the pupil. It is instrumental in promoting the British Values and inculcating basic human values in our pupils with the intention of creating a compassionate and caring community. We encourage pupils to know their Rights as set out in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, such as Article 14 (freedom of thought, belief and religion), Article 29 (goals of education), Article 30 (children from minority or indigenous groups), Article 31 (leisure, play and culture) and Article 42 (knowledge of Rights).
Implementation
At Elmwood, Religious Education is taught according to the Croydon Agreed Syllabus, adhering to the following statutory requirements:
- The learning objectives of Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Judaism and Sikhism for all pupils.
- Four of the Challenging Attitudes Units.
- Pupils must make at least two visits to places of worship.
The implementation of the syllabus works towards achieving two targets (AT):-
- AT 1 – Learning about Religion
- AT 2 – Learning from Religion and Human Experience
Pupils will work through the following broad areas of study for the different religions, and The Challenging Attitudes:-
- Authority
- Inspirational Writings
- Lifestyle and Identity
- Special Times, Places and Events
- Challenging Attitudes
Pupils are also given the opportunity for practical experiences by visiting Places of Worship as follows:-
- Year 3 Church/Hindu Temple.
- Year 4 Gurdwara/Buddhist Temple.
- Year 5 Mosque.
Religious Education provides numerous opportunities for cross-curricular links.
RE is assessed using the assessment statements for Croydon schools for both AT1 and AT2. Evidence may take the form of observations, teacher’s records, samples of work, photographs, recordings, teacher/pupil dialogue.
Assessment provides opportunities to determine pupil understanding and clear misconceptions.
Impact
Religious Education has a profound, positive impact on pupil relationships at school. Pupils understand the importance of respecting the beliefs of others. The syllabus impacts the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of our pupils and this is important for building a cohesive community. Religious Education lessons, about values and moral beliefs underpin individual choices and pupil behavior. Values and attitudes necessary for citizenship in a democracy are inculcated by teaching respect for others and the need for personal responsibility. Also, by promoting tolerance and understanding of others, pupils begin to appreciate what it means to be positive members of society.