Religious Education
RE Coordinator: Mrs McCann
“My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness.” - The Dalai Lama
Although there is no National Curriculum for Religious Education in KS1 and KS2, every state funded school must teach RE and provide a broad and balanced curriculum which:
Promotes the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of pupils, and
Prepares pupils at the school for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life.
Our Vision for RE at Eaves
At Eaves, our vision for Religious Education is to develop curious, knowledgeable, respectful and reflective learners who are interested in the beliefs, values and traditions that shape people's lives. We want children to develop secure knowledge of a range of religions and worldviews, while learning to ask thoughtful questions about belief, meaning, identity, belonging, morality and how people choose to live their lives.
RE is an important part of our wider Eaves Curriculum Model. It strengthens children's roots by helping them understand their own identity, values and community, while providing important windows into the lives, beliefs and experiences of others. In doing so, it opens doors to a diverse local, national and global community and prepares children to participate respectfully in modern Britain.
Our RE Curriculum Offer
Our RE curriculum is carefully sequenced so that children's knowledge and understanding build progressively from the Early Years to Year 6. Children revisit religions and important concepts at increasing levels of depth, enabling them to make connections with previous learning rather than encountering beliefs as isolated topics.
Through their learning journey, children encounter Christianity and a range of other major religions and worldviews, exploring concepts such as God, worship, sacred texts, religious communities, celebrations, belonging and how beliefs influence people's choices and actions.
We want children to move beyond simply knowing what people believe. They should increasingly be able to consider why beliefs matter, how they influence people's lives and why people within the same religion or worldview may practise and express their beliefs differently. Children are encouraged to notice similarities and differences without assuming that all people think, believe or behave in the same way.
Belonging, Diversity & The Eaves Way
RE provides a powerful opportunity to bring our EAVES values of Exploration, Authenticity, Vision, Encouragement and Synergy to life. Children explore important questions, encounter authentic examples of faith and belief and learn to listen respectfully to perspectives that may be different from their own.
Through RE, we want children to develop respect without requiring agreement. They learn that our communities are made up of people with different religions, worldviews, cultures and traditions, alongside people who do not hold religious beliefs. This contributes to children's understanding of equality, diversity, British Values and life in modern Britain, supporting them to become thoughtful and respectful citizens.
RE Beyond the Classroom – Visits, Visitors & Cultural Capital
We believe children should have opportunities to experience religion and culture, not simply read about them. Visits to places of worship and opportunities to meet visitors from different faiths, cultures and belief traditions bring learning to life and allow children to ask meaningful questions of people with lived experience.
Experiencing churches, mosques, temples and other places of worship, where appropriate, enables children to see sacred spaces, symbols, artefacts and practices within an authentic context. Visitors can share celebrations, traditions, stories, beliefs and experiences, helping children understand that religion and worldview are lived and experienced in diverse ways.
These encounters make an important contribution to children's cultural capital. They broaden horizons beyond children's immediate experiences and provide meaningful windows into the wider world, while helping them recognise the diversity that exists within their own local and wider communities. We want every child to leave Eaves having had rich opportunities to meet, listen to and learn from people whose experiences may be different from their own.
Oracy Through Religious Education
Oracy is fundamental to RE at Eaves. Children learn to talk like thoughtful theologians and philosophers, asking meaningful questions, explaining their understanding and using increasingly precise religious and philosophical vocabulary.
Through purposeful discussion and enquiry, children learn to listen carefully, build upon the ideas of others, respectfully challenge viewpoints and justify their own thinking. They explore questions where there may not be one simple answer and learn that thoughtful discussion requires curiosity, sensitivity and respect. RE therefore provides a particularly valuable context for developing children as confident communicators and empathetic listeners.
Reflection, Curiosity & Understanding
Ultimately, we want RE at Eaves to encourage children to be curious about people and the world around them. Children should leave us with secure knowledge of different religions and worldviews, but also with the confidence to ask questions, recognise diversity, reflect upon their own ideas and engage respectfully with the beliefs and perspectives of others.
Through strong roots, meaningful windows and exciting doors, RE helps prepare our children to live, learn and contribute positively within an increasingly diverse and interconnected world.
Question. Explore. Listen. Reflect. Respect. Understand. Connect. – RE The Eaves Way.