Religious Education Intent

At Hillary Primary School, we promote an aspirational awareness and understanding of beliefs, practices and experiences of Christianity, other world faiths and world-views, to encourage in pupils: positive attitudes, respect and tolerance towards other citizens, their beliefs and lifestyles - without prejudice.

The RE curriculum provides rich substantive knowledge and builds on this foundation for children to become knowledgeable and encourages children to foster their inquisitive minds through asking thought provoking questions about human life, beliefs, communities and ideas.

Children will express ideas and insights of their own into the significant human questions, which religions address. Subsequently, they will gain and deploy the skills needed to study religion, which will enable them to develop and articulate their own worldviews.

Lessons will encourage pupils to develop a reflective, questioning approach to life in an atmosphere of openness, exploration and enquiry. This will guide children to celebrate their unique identities and prepare them to take their place within a diverse, multi-religious and multi-secular society where they can ultimately thrive.

RE legal requirements: what does the legislation in England say?

RE is for all pupils

• Every pupil has a legal entitlement to RE.
• RE is a necessary part of a ‘broad and balanced curriculum’ and must be provided for all registered pupils in state-funded schools in England, including those in the sixth form, unless withdrawn by their parents (or withdrawing themselves if they are aged 18 or over). Note the reiteration of this in the OFSTED RE research review 2021.
• This requirement does not apply for children below compulsory school age (although there are many examples of good RE in nursery classes).
• Special schools should ensure that every pupil receives RE ‘as far as is practicable’.
• The ‘basic’ school curriculum includes the National Curriculum, RE, and relationships and sex education.

RE is locally determined, not nationally

• A locally agreed syllabus is a statutory syllabus for RE recommended by an agreed syllabus conference for adoption by a local authority.
• Local authority maintained schools without a religious character must follow the locally agreed syllabus.
• RE is also compulsory for all pupils in academies and free schools, as set out in their funding agreements. Academies may use the locally agreed syllabus, or a different locally agreed syllabus (with the permission of the SACRE concerned) or devise their own curriculum, which should be of similar ambition to National Curriculum subject orders. This agreed syllabus has been written to support academies in our local area to meet the requirements of their funding agreement and is warmly commended to them.

RE is multifaith, recognising Christianity and the principal religions in the UK including non-religious worldviews

The RE curriculum drawn up by a SACRE or used by an academy or free school, ‘shall reflect the fact that the religious traditions in Great Britain are in the main Christian, while taking account of the teaching and practices of the other principal religions represented in Great Britain’. Contemporary guidance from the government makes clear that the breadth of RE will include the six principal religions in the UK and non-religious worldviews.

Parental right of withdrawal from RE

The teaching of RE at Hillary Primary school is very inclusive and all pupils will benefit from the teaching of RE to help them become rounded individuals for the challenges they face within a 21st Century Britain. Any parent considering withdrawing their child from RE must contact the Head Teacher via the school office to arrange a discussion.

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