


Religious Education and Worldviews
Our school vision, ‘Together, Fly High Like an Eagle’ is the bedrock of all that we do at St. John’s and is at the heart of our Religious Education (RE).
We want the children to fly high, to reflect the school Christian values and be the best person they can possibly be.
We believe that a broad understanding of different religions and worldviews provides children with a context for who they are, as HUMANS. It gives them opportunities to learn from the wisdom that religions and worldviews offer, the ways in which they talk about living well together, and the answers that they give to life’s big questions.
What are the intentions of RE at St. John’s?
As a Church of England school, we seek to follow the Church of England’s Statement of entitlement for Religious Education. It says:
- To enable pupils to know about and understand Christianity as a living faith that influences the lives of people worldwide and as the religion that has most shaped British culture and heritage.
- To enable pupils to know and understand about other major world religions and worldviews, their impact on society, culture and the wider world, enabling pupils to express ideas and insights.
- To contribute to the development of pupils’ own spiritual/philosophical convictions, exploring and enriching their own beliefs and values.
In addition, we want to prepare them for the diverse landscape of modern Britain; welcoming those of all faiths or none. As they progress through the school, the children receive a rich diet of teaching, visitor experiences, music and worship to inspire and uplift them.
How do we implement RE at St. John’s?
In RE we aim to give children a grounded understanding of Christianity and the major world faiths. As the children progress through the school, they will encounter different religions and worldviews. In Years 1&2, children will encounter Christianity, Judaism and Islam. In Years 3-6, children will revisit these religions, but also encounter Sikhism, Hinduism and non-religious views, such as Humanism. See our RE curriculum overview and our RE skills progression for more details.
An important aim of RE is that children are encouraged to reflect on their learning and make their own decisions about what they believe. The aim of RE is not to make children into religious believers, but to understand that religion still influences and sustains many people in the world today, and to consider the wisdom of faith traditions, and reflect on what they might take from it. Our teaching is rooted in the Church of England, but we provide a space for all children to express their home religion, or for those of no faith.
Our curriculum follows the ‘Awareness, Mystery, Value’ syllabus, which has been agreed for Bristol. In addition, we use the Understanding Christianity resource for our teaching of Christianity. Our approach to RE is engaging and creative, for example the children are taught through a range of mediums such as art, drama, storytelling and investigating artefacts. In Year 1&2 children also take part in the ‘Godly Play’ programme. We also invite a wide range of visitors into school to either share about a specific faith or implement workshops for children to have an interactive experience of religion in the real world. For example, Iris Segall, from the Progressive Synagogue in Easton, came to talk about Judaism. Redland Education run numerous workshops, for example Last Supper, Pop-up Prayer Workshops. We regularly take our children out on visits e.g. All Saints Church and the Christmas and Easter trails at Redland Parish Church.
Parents/carers who wish to withdraw their child from R.E are made aware of the programme of teaching and its intention to be open and respectful of all pupils’ personal beliefs. They are given the opportunity to discuss this if they wish and the decision to withdraw is reviewed on a yearly basis.
Above all, we believe that the values underpinning our education will enable the children to become confident, reflective, spiritual and morally aware people who can play a role in shaping modern Britain.
SEND
To support learners with additional needs, our ordinarily available provision is underpinned by inclusive approaches and strategies captured on our Quality First Inclusive Teaching document – although this is by no means an exhaustive list. Some children will need more bespoke provision which is then planned on an individual or small group basis.
