Rationale

We believe that a high-quality religious education provides a major contribution to the education of children and young people. At its best, it is intellectually challenging and personally enriching. It helps young people develop beliefs and values, and promotes the virtues of respect and empathy, which are important in our diverse society. It fosters civilised debate and reasoned argument, and helps pupils to understand the place of religion and belief in the modern world.

Religious Education is at the heart of our school ethos. We want our core values to be represented in our children: achievement, adventure, creativity, nurture and respect. We all believe that “we are growing the hearts and minds of today to build the communities of tomorrow,” thus our children must learn to value their own and other people’s cultures in modern multicultural Britain, and by exploring their own and others beliefs, they will be better able to make their own life choices today.

Curriculum Intentions

At Jericho Primary we are THEOLOGIANS! Our Religious Education curriculum, which is delivered in line with the Cumbria Locally Agreed Syllabus:

• adopts an enquiry- based approach as recommended by Ofsted, beginning with the children’s own life experience before moving into learning about and from religion.
• provokes challenging questions about the meaning and purpose of life, beliefs, the self, and issues of right and wrong, commitment and belonging.
• develops pupils’ knowledge and understanding of Christianity, other principal religions, and religious traditions that examine these questions, fostering personal reflection and spiritual development.
• encourages pupils to explore their own beliefs (religious or non-religious), in the light of what they learn, as they examine issues of religious belief and faith and how these impact on personal, institutional and social ethics; and to express their responses.
• enables pupils to build their sense of identity and belonging, which helps them flourish within their communities and as citizens in a diverse society.
• teaches pupils to develop respect for others, including people with different faiths and beliefs, and helps to challenge prejudice
• encourages use of precise vocabulary which reflects a clear understanding of a wide range of terms linked to the study of a vast range of religions and their belief systems.
• prompts pupils to consider their responsibilities to themselves and to others, and to explore how they might contribute to their communities and to wider society. It encourages empathy, generosity and compassion.
• develops a sense of awe, wonder and mystery.
• nurtures children’s own spiritual development

The British Values Agenda is intrinsic to our whole school RE curriculum and underpins our classroom teaching and school ethos also. With these core values placed at the heart of everything we do, we want our children to learn to become global citizens. Through their carefully crafted enquiry-based learning, educational visits and enrichment opportunities, our children will learn through a range of opportunities which promote an ethos of respect for others, helps our pupils to challenge stereotypes and builds understanding of other cultures and beliefs.  External contributors from the community, e.g. local clergy, local members/speakers from other religions etc make a valuable contribution to the RE programme as do visits to places of worship.  External contributors from the community, e.g. local clergy, local members/speakers from other religions etc make a valuable contribution to the RE programme as do visits to places of worship.  These enriched curriculum opportunities contribute to promoting a positive and inclusive school ethos that champions democratic values and human rights.