Intent, Implementation, and Impact Statement for Religious Education at Monkshouse Primary

Intent
At Monkshouse School our intent for Religious Education (RE) is to provide all our pupils with a rich and engaging curriculum that fosters their understanding, respect, and appreciation for different religious and non-religious beliefs and practices represented in the United Kingdom. Through our RE curriculum, we aim to develop pupils' knowledge, understanding, and skills, enabling them to make reasoned and informed judgements about the world's religions and their own beliefs, values, and identity. We strive to promote spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development, contributing to pupils' personal growth and preparing them to be respectful and responsible citizens in a diverse society. RE plays an important role along with other curriculum areas, for example PSHE, in promoting social awareness and understanding in our children. We encourage our children to ask questions about the world and to reflect on their own beliefs, values and experiences. Our curriculum is designed to encourage creativity, imagination, enquiry, debate, discussion and independence.

Implementation
We use the Lincolnshire Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education as the basis for our curriculum. A range of religions are covered and non-religious beliefs are discussed. The syllabus approaches learning through 4 key areas of enquiry; God, Being Human, Community Worship, and Celebration and Life journey; rites of passage. Within these areas of enquiry children will cover the following:
1. Learning about religions: Following the guidance in the Agreed Syllabus we allocate topics to the Early Years that generally fit in with areas of study being undertaken. In KS1 we cover Christianity and Islam and in KS2 we study Christianity, Hinduism and Islam. We consider age-appropriate content and provide opportunities to delve into the diversity within each faith tradition. We also study additional units relating to various aspects of a range of religions and beliefs (eg places of worship, celebrations, pilgrimage, religious art etc) and make the children aware that some people have no religious views.
2. Understanding and interpretation of religious texts: We explore religious texts and stories, encouraging pupils to engage with sacred texts and reflect on their meanings, beliefs, and teachings.
3. Investigation of key beliefs, practices, and rituals: Pupils investigate the core beliefs, practices, and rituals associated with different religions, promoting an understanding of the key aspects and values that underpin various faiths.
4. Recognition of diversity within religious traditions: We emphasise the diversity within different religious traditions, acknowledging and celebrating the varied cultural expressions, interpretations, and practices across communities.

To ensure the high-quality delivery of our RE curriculum, we adopt the following pedagogical approaches:
1. Promoting active learning: We provide a wide range of opportunities for pupils to engage actively with their learning through hands-on activities, discussions, debates, visits to places of worship, and
encounters with people from different religious backgrounds.
We also use VR headsets and timetable Godly Play at least once a year for each year group.
2. Encouraging critical thinking and reflection: Through planned questioning and opportunities for dialogue, we encourage pupils to think critically, evaluate evidence, challenge assumptions, and develop their own reasoned opinions. To that effect we use Star Sessions (KS1) and Philosopher’s Café (KS2) in order to support the development of deeper thinking.
3. Respectful and open atmosphere: We foster an inclusive and welcoming environment where pupils feel safe to express their thoughts and beliefs. We promote mutual respect and understanding, facilitating open discussions while valuing diversity and difference.

Continuous Professional Development (CPD)
To ensure the highest standard of RE teaching, the curriculum co-ordinators participate in regular CPD opportunities and look out for any appropriate training for staff or feedback to staff at staff meetings . This would include:
1. Deepening subject knowledge.
2. Pedagogical strategies.
3. Evaluation and sharing of best practices: We promote a culture of collaborative learning, where teachers regularly reflect on their practice, share ideas, and learn from one another.
4. Godly Play training is provided for all staff when they join school.

Impact
Our intent and implementation are underpinned by a system to measure and evaluate the impact of our RE curriculum on pupils. We strive for the following impact:
1. Enhanced religious literacy: Pupils develop a broad and deep understanding of a range of religious and non-religious beliefs, enabling them to engage thoughtfully with the diverse worldviews they encounter.
2. Respectful and empathetic citizens: Pupils learn to respect and value differences, developing empathy and an appreciation of the values and beliefs held by others. This fosters harmonious relationships and prepares pupils to contribute positively to society.
3. Critical thinking and reasoning skills: Through the study of RE, pupils develop critical thinking skills, allowing them to evaluate information, consider different perspectives, and form their own well-reasoned opinions.
4. Personal development and well-being: RE provides opportunities for pupils to explore questions of meaning, purpose, and identity, contributing to their personal growth and well-being. Pupils develop self-awareness and a strong moral compass, enabling them to make responsible choices in their lives.

The impact of our RE curriculum is evident in the positive attitudes our pupils demonstrate towards others, their mature reflections on complex moral and ethical issues, and their ability to engage thoughtfully with religious and non-religious diversity within our society.