Religious Education (RE)

Subject Lead: Tahra Firdaus

“The principal aim of RE is to engage pupils in a systematic enquiry into significant human questions which religions and worldviews address, so that they can develop the understanding and skills needed to appreciate and appraise varied responses to these questions, as well as develop a response of their own.” 

(Manchester Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education 2022-2027) 

Why we teach Religious Education

At Stanley Grove Primary Academy, we believe Religious Education helps develop pupils’ knowledge of the world’s principal religious traditions and world views and promotes respect, tolerance and understanding.

The question-based spiral model covers key content around six of the major world religions – Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Sikhism, Buddhism and Hinduism- and other world views. Core knowledge of these major religions and worldviews is used as a springboard to explore big questions around life, death, prayer, and relationships.

How we teach Religious Education

Religious Education at Stanley Grove Primary Academy  follows a  clear framework in line with the Manchester Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education 2022-2027 using the Plan Bee RE curriculum. It is a comprehensive and expertly designed journey through the world Religions and world views. Each unit taught builds on prior knowledge, life experience and develops their understanding of themselves and others.

We have high expectations of every child, promote a growth mindset and believe that all children can learn to understand themselves and others in a local, national and global context.

Our Religious Education curriculum has close links with our Personal Development, Rights Respecting School and British Values curriculum, which contributes to our whole school ethos of care, respect, knowledge and the valuing of others.

The key resources used are ‘Manchester Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education 2022-2027’ and ‘PlanBee RE curriculum’.  

Lesson content 

RE lessons are based on the PlanBee RE curriculum resource files. Within each topic there are certain main aspects. These form our Threshold Concepts.

At the centre of all lessons is a respect of difference -understanding that people may have different beliefs and viewpoints from oneself and respect for those people.   

What does RE looks like at Stanley Grove?

The Religious Education curriculum is split into six units per year group using the PlanBee curriculum. These six units have equal  importance within teaching and are taught on a spiraling basis. Religions and worldviews are revisited across year groups and understanding is deepened. This allows for progression and retention of key skills and knowledge. Through the RE units, children learn about and from different religions and world views and have time to reflect and express their own ideas, in light of their own experience and that of others. All pupils are encouraged to participate at some level in expressing their views or ask questions.  

As a Rights Respecting School, the following rights are highlighted at the start of each lesson:

• To voice their opinion and to be listened to (Article 12)
• To get and share information (Article 130)
• To think and believe what they want (Article 14)    

Units for each half term:  

• Y1 – Our Wonderful World, Why Do Christians Give Gifts at Christmas?, What Did Jesus Teach Us?, What Do Hindus Celebrate?, and What Do Muslims Celebrate?

• Y2 –Who Was the Buddha?, Christmas Celebrations, What Do Sikhs Believe?, Why Is the Torah Special?, and Christian Rites of Passage.

• Y3 – Signs and symbols, Diwali, What do we know about Jesus? Jewish Celebrations, What is the Bible? Islamic Rites of Passage 

• Y4 – Sikh Rites of Passage, Christmas Journeys, Hindus- Home and Mandir, Why is Easter important? Buddhist Festivals, Identity and Belonging 

• Y5 – Where did the Christian Bible come from? Why is Muhammad(pbuh) important to Muslims? Jewish Worship and Community, Buddhist Worship and Beliefs, Stories of Christianity, Belief in our community 

• Y6 – Stories of Hinduism, What is the Qur’an? Sikh worship and community, what is a church? Expressing faith through the arts, What happens when we die? 

Different religions and worldviews (Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism, Humanism and Atheism) are used to explore the themes. There are opportunities for children to compare and contrast different religions and worldviews and to reflect on their own beliefs/viewpoints. 

Parent and carers have the right to withdraw their child from all or part of the Religious Education Curriculum. If you wish to do this, please ask for an appointment with the Principal via the main school office (0161 224 9495 / admin@sgpa.bright-futures.co.uk).