Religious Education

“RE explores big questions about life, to find out what people believe and what difference this makes to how they live, so that pupils can make sense of religion, reflecting on their own ideas and ways of living.” – Kent Agreed Syllabus 2017

Religious Education is a stand-alone curriculum subject, unless there is a specific link to our Discovery Topics, in that it is determined by a Locally Agreed Syllabus. The syllabus that Bourne Alliance follows is a blend of ‘The Kent Agreed Syllabus 2017-2022 for Religious Education’ (KAS) and Discovery RE in order to tailor our curriculum to the children in our schools.

The Kent Syllabus states that the purpose of RE is to:

To engage pupils in systematic enquiry into significant human questions which religion and world views address, so that they can develop the understanding and skills needed to appreciate and appraise varied responses to these questions, as well as develop responses of their own.

Our 3 Key Principles at   Bourne Alliance Multi Academy Trust

1. As Kent is an important geographical gateway for the UK, it has created a richness and diversity of faith that results in a vibrant and dynamic community. Our curriculum must reflect the fact that religious traditions in Great Britain are, in the main, Christian, therefore the first principle is that we have a Christianity focus using the teachings, values and morals from Christian stories and the Bible.
2. The children gain a respect and tolerance for other religions by understanding and comparing them.
3. The children have the ability to understand that concepts from different faiths can be applied to their own lives – even for those non-believers.

Teaching, therefore, should equip pupils with systematic knowledge and understanding of a range of religions and world views, enabling them to develop their ideas, values and identities. Effective R.E supports children to become positive members of society. It can teach children valuable life skills such as empathy, compassion and an appreciation of different ways of life. R.E helps to embed the skills of turn taking, communication, respect, and celebrating diversity.

 

In our schools, we have chosen to study the main beliefs and practises of Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Humanists and Jewish people. The key questions we ask about all religions are:

Does the religion have…

A leader/God/Person of importance?

A special place of worship?

An important book to live by?

Key beliefs/values?

Specific symbols that the children will be able to identify?