Religious Education

All scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.

Timothy 3:16-17

‘Reaching for the world as our lives do, As all lives do, reaching that we may give The best of what we are and hold as true: Always it is by bridges that we live.’

Philip Larkin: Bridge for the Living 1981

At North Cave Church of England Primary School, we believe that it is important for all our pupils to learn from and about religion, so that they can understand the world around them. The aim of Religious Education in our school is to help children to acquire and develop knowledge and understanding of Christianity and the other principal religions, non-religions and worldviews.

Our Aims for Religious Education

Our school aims for Religious Education are for our children:

• To know about and understand Christianity as a diverse global living faith through the exploration of core beliefs using an approach that critically engages with biblical text.
• To gain knowledge and understanding of a range of religions, non-religions and worldviews appreciating diversity, continuity and change within the religions and worldviews being studied.
• To engage with challenging questions of meaning and purpose raised by human existence and experience.
• To recognise the concept of religion and its continuing influence on Britain’s cultural heritage and in the lives of individuals and societies in different times, cultures and places.
• To explore their own religious, spiritual and philosophical ways of living, believing and thinking.

Click here to find out more about the Syllabus.

Through our teaching of the RE Syllabus we are committed to spiritual, moral and social values, igniting curiosity and fostering all that good quality religious education can bring.

Agreed Syllabus for Religion and Worldviews

We use the Locally Agreed Syllabus for Religion and Worldviews as the basis for our curriculum. At North Cave Church of England Primary School, the children are asked to think about the big questions linked to the Religious Literacy: Philosophy, Social Science and Theology. Our children are taught the unit of learning from the Locally Agreed Syllabus with a particular religious literacy lens. Each term there are additional units and Understanding Christianity units to teach alongside. Key concepts and key vocabulary are highlighted and emphasised throughout the lesson and adults model the use of the key vocabulary throughout the lessons. The key questions are displayed in the classrooms.

Curriculum for Religious Education is an academic subject that has a high profile in our church of England school curriculum. This means that the RE curriculum:

 is intrinsic to the outworking of our distinctive Christian vision in enabling all pupils to flourish. In addition, it contributes to British values and to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

 engages and challenges all pupils through an exploration of core concepts and questions. Lessons provide meaningful and informed dialogue with a range of religions and worldviews.

 reflects a good balance between the disciplines of theology, philosophy and human science, to enable pupils to develop their religious literacy* *Religious Literacy: Helping children and young people hold balanced and well-informed conversations about religion and belief. (Key Principles of a balanced curriculum in RE)

 enables pupils to acquire a rich, deep knowledge and understanding of Christian belief and practice, including the ways in which it is unique and diverse, whilst engaging with biblical texts and theological ideas.

 offers tasks that are age appropriate, challenging and sufficiently demanding to stimulate and engage all pupils, whilst extending the most able and providing support for those who need it.

 ensures that all pupils’ contributions are valued in RE as they draw on their own experiences and beliefs.

The children are taught principal religions, non-religions and worldviews throughout their time at North Cave Church of England Primary School. Below is our overview. Visits and visitors are linked to the principal religions, non-religions and worldviews taught.

There are no presumptions made as to the religious backgrounds and beliefs and values of the children and the staff. We value the religious background of all members of the school community and hope that this will encourage individuals to share their own experiences with others freely. All religions and their communities are treated with respect and sensitivity and we value the links, which are, and can be made between home, school, and a faith community.

Principal Religions, Non-Religious and Worldviews

The table below shows the Principal Religions, Non-Religious and Worldviews that we focus upon at North Cave C.E. Primary School.

Religion and Worldviews Policy

Our Religion and Worldviews Policy can be found below.

Key Questions

Below are our Autumn termly key questions linked to the Religion and Worldviews Policy.

Below are our Spring termly key questions linked to the Religion and Worldviews Policy.

Below are our Spring termly key questions linked to the Religion and Worldviews Policy.

Religion and Worldviews Overview

Please click on the link for our Religion and Worldviews Overview. The document contains information about:

• Units of learning
• Religious Literacy Lens
• Assitional Units
• Understanding Christianity
• Key concepts
• Key vocabulary

Understanding Christianity

We teach the Understanding Christianity materials alongside our Religion and Worldviews curriculum. Understanding Christianity is split into eight core concepts at the heart of Christianity. These concepts tell the ‘big story’ of the Bible. 

These concepts are:

• Creation
• God
• Incarnation
• Salvation
• Gospel
• Fall
• People of God
• Kingdom of God

The eight concepts of Understanding Christianity are taught in a spiral curriculum.

Assessment

Each term the children have a key question for them to focus upon. The children are assessment against the key question for the at the end of the term. Examples of key questions:

What is belonging?

Visits and Visitors

Spring 2023

• Visitors – Bishop of Hull, Bishop Eleanor and Reverend Barry as we celebrate Shrove Tuesday and our school values
• Visitor – Islam
• RE Action Class 3
• Visitor – Humanist
• Visitor – Judaism
• RE Afternoon
• North Cave Church visit- Easter celebration

Autumn 2022

• North Cave Church – Harvest celebration
• African Churches- presentation by Ama
• North Cave Church visit- Christmas celebration

• A Christian wedding- A mock wedding led by Reverend Worsdale

RE Afternoons

Additionally, we have termly RE Afternoons. The children learn in their house groups or class groups and visit different stations to develop an understanding of a specific focus. This could be linked to a religious festival, values or religious lens. The Jumping Fish materials are used to support our stations. Reverend Barry supports us during these afternoons.

Prayer Space

Each classroom has a prayer space to support their own religious journey. This provides an area for quiet reflection.

The following prayer themes and activities may be added to our prayer spaces:

1. Prayer Wall or Bubble Tube

2. The World, e.g. Pray For The World

3. Questions, e.g. Big Questions

4. Thankfulness, e.g. Thankful Play Dough

5. Peace, e.g. Be Still

6. Sorry, e.g. Sorry Strings or Fizzy Forgiveness

7. Forgiveness, e.g. Forgiveness Stones

8. Worry, e.g. Letting Go

9. Self Identity, e.g. Mirrors

10. Injustice, e.g. Stop The Traffic or Cardboard Home

Our prayer spaces feature a combination of prayer activities that are directed:

upwards (towards God, e.g. Big Questions, Prayer Wall),

outwards (towards the world around us, e.g. Pray The News),

inwards (reflective, towards the self, e.g. Fizzy Forgiveness).

Reverend Worsdale and a Church parishioner support

We are extremely fortunate that Reverend Worsdale and a member of All Saints Church, North Cave and a retired RE teacher, regularly visit our school to lead collective Worship, support with some of our RE Afternoons, provide support for Religious Education and share resources linked to Christianity.

Godly Play

EYFS and KS1 children explore the Godly Play materials to support their learning and enquiry.

RE Action

Our Year 6 children attend RE Action events to support their RE journey.

Archie Award

We engage with the Archie Award (Archbishop of York Youth Trust) to support learning and help with the children’s application of skills. Year 5 children will be taking part in the KS2 Archie Award 2022 and Year1 and Year 2 will be taking part in the KS1 Archie award.

Bibles and Books linked to Religion

Our new school library supports our learning in Religions and Worldviews. A model of a bookcase with all the books of the Bible, as well as other books support learning. This model bookcase was made by Reverend Worsdale himself and is housed in our library.

Statutory Right of Withdrawal

The statutory right of withdrawal Parents/Carers may withdraw their children from all or part of the RE curriculum. They do not have to provide a reason for this and the school must comply with the request. It has a responsibility to supervise any pupils who are withdrawn from RE but is not required to provide additional teaching or incur extra costs. If parents/carers wish their child to receive an alternative programme of RE it is their responsibility to arrange this. This could be provided at the school in question or another local school. The pupil may receive external RE teaching provided that this does not significantly impact on his/her attendance.

Teachers may also withdraw from the teaching of RE on grounds of conscience, unless they have been specifically employed to teach or manage the subject.

Websites for Religious Education

Useful websites for Religious Education:

 REonline

This practical site has information on a wide range of religious education. There are numerous activities and links to other sites for Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism and Sikhism. Caters for all ages 

Chanukah on the Net
Chanukah, or Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights, is a Jewish celebration. This colourful site is filled with music, recipes, stories and traditions.

 HanuKat
HanuKat tells the story of Hanukkah and Passover and explains how Hanukkah is celebrated today. There are interactive stories and activities too for children to enjoy at this interactive site.

High Holy Days
L’shana tova! This site explains the meanings and stories of the Jewish festivals Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur to children. Download sounds and images of these festivals, and try recipes for foods eaten at this time.

Purim on the Net 
Learn the story of Purim with an explanation of the practice of this Jewish festival. Instructions are provided for making graggers (noise-makers), costumes and masks, as well as recipes for festival food. 

Torah Tots 
This site for primary children introduces the Hebrew alphabet and language. Cartoon characters introduce symbols, and pages can be printed off for colouring-in fun.