“We may have different religions, different languages, different coloured skin, but we all belong to one human race.” – Kofi Annan

Religious Education Lead - Mrs Cathy Brokenshire

Intent

At St Dennis, we believe it’s important for children to learn about different religions and beliefs. This helps them understand the world around them and respect others, especially as our world becomes more connected.

We teach children about the traditions, celebrations, and values of different faiths. We also encourage them to talk about their own beliefs and experiences, helping everyone feel proud of who they are.

RE helps children grow into thoughtful and caring citizens. It gives them the tools to think about important issues in their community and the wider world with kindness and understanding.

Our school Mission Statement, ‘Everyone matters, everyone succeeds, every moment counts’ and our values of Aspiration, Courage, Achievement, Friendship, Teamwork, and Responsibility guide everything we do, including RE.

We follow the Cornwall Agreed Syllabus for RE (2025–2030), which sets out the following principal aim:

“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 worldviews, reflecting on their own ideas and ways of living.”

This means children will learn about different beliefs and how they affect people’s lives. They’ll also think about their own ideas and values, helping them grow as individuals.

Our lessons follow a national curriculum plan (NATRE), which builds children’s knowledge step by step. It helps them understand big ideas about religion and also learn more about themselves and the world they live in.

Implementation

We follow the national guidance from NATRE and the Cornwall Agreed Syllabus to plan and deliver our RE lessons. All religions are treated with respect, and we encourage children to make connections between what they learn at school, their home life, and the wider community.

We believe that every religion has something valuable to offer and can help all children learn and grow. Our teaching encourages children to ask questions, explore ideas, and take part in hands-on experiences whenever possible.

Our RE curriculum is carefully planned to help children build their knowledge over time. We use a sensory approach to make learning engaging—for example, children might explore religious artefacts, listen to music or taste food linked to different faiths.

We also link RE to real-life issues and children’s own experiences, helping them think deeply and reflect on what they’ve learned. In every lesson, children are encouraged to:

• Explore different beliefs
• Understand how beliefs affect people’s lives
• Make connections between ideas and their own thinking

We teach two types of knowledge in RE:

There are three main disciplines of RE (theology, philosophy and human and social sciences) and these disciplinary ‘ways of knowing’ are planned for.

We also talk about key skills of being a theologian and the concepts we are developing. These are in children’s books as a reminder.

Our long-term plan encompasses units of work from Understanding Christianity where the teaching and learning approach enables children to move from an understanding of the biblical text and how to handle it, to an understanding of what this means for Christians within the Church and in Christian living.  It includes opportunities for children to examine and evaluate connections between these ideas and the wider world.

Artist Emma Yarlett was commissioned to create a wall frieze to illustrate seven of the eight core concepts that are explored throughout the Understanding Christianity materials. Effectively, this presents a view of the ‘big story’ of the Bible – an artist’s response to the approach used in the Understanding Christianity materials.

We use this to make children aware of the wider context of each concept, unit and text studied in the Understanding Christianity materials. Reminding pupils regularly of where a particular text occurs within the ‘big story’, by pointing it out on the Frieze, helps children to build up a coherent understanding of the core concepts and the relationship between them.

To support learning, children also have a Knowledge Organiser in their book and on display, with key learning points and maps, diagrams, facts and vocabulary.  They also take one home so they can share their learning at home.

SEND

Our RE curriculum is ambitious for all pupils.  We therefore consider ways of minimising and reducing barriers so that all pupils are included. The areas where we consider varying approaches and adaptations include maintaining an inclusive learning environment, using multi-sensory approaches (including ICT), working with additional adults, managing peer relationships, communication, formative assessment, motivation, and memory or consolidation.

Children with SEND are fully included in RE and their needs are understood so that the right adjustments and provision are in place. Staff have high expectations which ensures children aspire to be successful in their learning and make good progress. This is because ‘Everyone matters, everyone succeeds and every moment counts’.

Enrichment

At St Dennis Primary Academy, the enrichment activities in Religious Education provide children with more understanding of diverse beliefs and practices. Through engaging workshops, visits to local places of worship and interactive discussions, children explore t religions, fostering both respect and curiosity.

The use of technology, such as virtual reality experiences of religious sites, allows children to immerse themselves in different cultures from the classroom. These enrichment opportunities enable children to engage thoughtfully with questions about faith, morality and identity, thereby shaping them into appreciating the importance of diversity.

Impact

RE at St Dennis helps children grow into respectful, thoughtful and open-minded citizens. Through learning about different religions, beliefs and world views, children develop a better understanding of the world and the people in it.

By the time children leave our school, they will:

• Know key facts about different religions and beliefs.
• Understand how beliefs affect people’s lives and choices.
• Be able to think for themselves, ask questions, and reflect on their own views.
• Show respect for others, even when their beliefs are different.
• Make connections between what they learn in RE and their own experiences.

Children learn through hands-on activities, discussions, and reflection. They are encouraged to see things from different points of view and to think deeply about what they believe and why. This approach helps children build important life skills like empathy, critical thinking, and confidence in expressing their ideas.

We measure the impact of our curriculum through the following methods:

• Revisiting previous learning through a ‘Memory Master' task at the beginning of a unit
• Whole class feedback to feedforward at the beginning of every lesson
• Formative assessing of on-going learning and children’s understanding
• A cumulative quiz that builds each week during a unit
• Summative assessment through end of unit 'Show what you know' tasks to assess critical knowledge, skills and understanding
• Weekly dedicated retrieval time for RE, where the subject leader has planned questions using a 'Four from Before' approach
• Images and videos of the children’s practical learning 
• Interviewing the pupils about their learning (pupil voice) with their books

How does RE promote British Values?

Democracy - In RE at St Dennis pupils learn the significance of each person’s ideas and experiences through methods of discussion. In debating the fundamental questions of life, pupils learn to respect a range of perspectives. This contributes to learning about democracy, examining the idea that we all share a responsibility to use our voice and influence for the wellbeing of others. An example of this practice in Key Stage 1 is a unit of study focuses on the question “How should we care for others and the world and why does it matter?” Within this unit, the children debate the benefits and responsibilities of friendship and give examples of how they care for friends and families in different ways. An example of this practice in Key Stage 1 is a unit of study focuses on the question “How should we care for others and the world and why does it matter?” Within this unit, children debate the benefits and responsibilities of friendship and give examples of how they care for friends and families in different ways.

The Rule of Law - At St Dennis, pupils examine different examples of codes for human life, including commandments, rules or precepts offered by different religious communities. They learn to appreciate how individuals choose between good and evil, right and wrong, and they learn to apply these ideas to their own communities. They learn that fairness requires that the law apply equally to all, irrespective – for example – of a person’s status or wealth. An example of how the rule of law is taught in Lower Key stage 2 is through the unit “What is it like to follow God?” In this unit children discuss agreements, pacts, covenants and the 10 commandments. Children make a list of what the world could do without from today’s world to make it a better place. From here children need to debate the items and split them into groups of things we can stop and things we cannot stop.

Mutual Respect - In the RE curriculum at St Dennis attention focuses on developing mutual respect between those of different faiths and beliefs, promoting an understanding of what a society gains from diversity. Pupils at St Dennis learn about diversity in religions and world views and will be challenged to respect other persons who see the world differently to themselves. Recognition and celebration of human diversity in many forms can flourish where pupils understand different faiths and beliefs and are challenged to be broad-minded and open-hearted. An example of this practice in Key Stage 2 is a unit of study focuses on the question “What matters most to Humanists and Christians?”  Respectful attitudes are developed through this unit by considering the similarities and differences between the values of Christians and Humanists where they often share similar values but the belief behind them is different.

Individual Liberty - In RE, at St Dennis, pupils consider questions about identity, belonging and diversity, learning what it means to live a life free from constraints. They study examples of pioneers of human freedom, including those from within different religions, so that they can examine tensions between the value of a stable society and the value of change for human development. Individual liberty is achieved in RE at St Dennis in upper Key stage 2 through the unit “Why do some people believe in God and some people not?” In this unit children discuss and reflect on the possible benefits and challenges in believing or not believing in God in Britain today. This supports the children to reflect upon on their views and how they view people with beliefs different to theirs.

Tolerance - St Dennis does not accept intolerant attitudes to members of the community; attitudes which reject other people on the basis of race, faith, gender, sexual orientation or age are rightly challenged. A baseline for a fair community is that each person’s right to ‘be themselves’ is to be accepted by all. Tolerance may not be enough - at St Dennis RE challenges children to be increasingly respectful and to celebrate diversity, with tolerance is a starting point. Mutual tolerance in RE is achieved at St Dennis through allowing children to think and talk for themselves. We look at newspapers and websites together and watch age appropriate current affairs programmes and discuss what is happening. The children are encouraged with effective well-placed questions such as, “Why do you think that happens?” “What do you mean by that?” and “What do you think others would say about it?”

How does RE promote spiritual, moral, social and cultural development?

At St Dennis, pupils experience and search for meaning, the purpose in life and the values by which we live. In learning about different religions and why people believe, RE provides the pupils with a space to reflect on pupils’ own values and views, as well as those of others, and to consider the impact of these values.

In RE, at St Dennis, pupils learn about shared and differing moral values, while debating moral dilemmas about right and wrong, good and bad. Pupils discuss issues such as people’s responsibility towards the world and future generations. At St Dennis, pupils have the opportunity to make a personal response and to consider other peoples’ responses. In exploring the views of others, pupils are well prepared in RE to appreciate the uniqueness of all humans and their moral value, and to act in the world and towards others accordingly.

Children explore similarities and differences in religions and cultures through which they should begin to link religion to personal action in everyday life. This is reflected in their relations with others in the classroom and their ability to work together co-operatively. Through the study of different religions, pupils at St Dennis are given a chance to reflect on where ideas about how we should behave come from, in order to more fully understand social and behavioural norms. 

Children learn about other religions, giving them an opportunity to see what it means to belong, to develop confidence in themselves and be able to respond positively to similarities and differences in our multi-faith, changing society. They  are given the opportunity to understand and appreciate of the wide range of cultural influences that have shaped their own heritage and that of others. RE explores Britain’s rich diversity of  cultures through festivals, music, art and architecture.

How to help at home 

The best way to support your child with their RE learning at home is through discussions and open conversations. There are lots of great websites which have content and activities to share with your child. Here are some to explore together: 

www.retoday.org.uk

www.natre.org.uk

www.reonline.org.uk

www.cstg.org.uk