Religious Education at Pitmaston Primary School

Religious Education has an important place in the curriculum of all schools which we recognise here. It provides a safe space for young people to develop their understanding of people, cultures, faiths and relationships. Our Religious Education curriculum follows the Worcestershire Local Agreed Syllabus 2020-2025. Religious Education is fundamental in developing and widening children’s cultural capital which is at the heart of our values at Pitmaston. We have made the informed decision to follow this syllabus as it has been developed after extensive consultations with teachers, school leaders and the Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education. This agreed syllabus that we have chosen to follow sets out detailed and extensive programmes that will enable pupils to gain a coherent understanding of religious and non-religious worldviews, preparing them for life in twenty-first century Britain. It gives teachers clear guidance on how to approach the teaching of RE across all key stages, taking an innovative and rigorous approach that will promote high standards of RE in our school. It is compulsory for all state-funded schools in England to teach religious education (RE). However, it is not part of the national curriculum, and parents have a legal right to withdraw their children for all or part of the lessons. 

Beginning in Nursey, our pupils develop their awareness of others focusing on their Personal, Social and Emotional development which prepares them for explicit Religious Education lessons taught in from Reception onwards. They are able to recognise similarities and differences between themselves and others supported by a carefully chosen reading spine to celebrate difference, diversity and worldviews. Within KS1, our pupils further develop their awareness of worldviews largely focusing on Christianity, Islam, Judaism and Hinduism amongst other non-religious viewpoints. The units of work are developed through thought provoking questions such as ‘What does it mean to belong to a faith community?’ to develop children’s wider thinking and personal beliefs. This then continues into, and is built upon in Key Stage 2 where children develop clear viewpoints and beliefs that are respectful of all worldviews. The syllabus is progressive and develops systematic knowledge from Key Stage One through to Key Stage Two and offers children lessons and units of work which are informative, engaging and challenging and which will allow pupils to gain a developing understanding of the range of religious and non-religious world views studied, over a period of time.

This awareness will help to build a more informed, inclusive and sustainable society in the future and allow children to leave Pitmaston with a broad and deferential understanding of others around them.