Religious Education
Linked to our Personal Development Document here
Curriculum Intent
At Sowerby Primary Academy, Religious Education enables all pupils to develop secure knowledge of religions and worldviews while exploring meaningful questions about belief, morality, purpose and what it means to be human. The curriculum is inclusive by design and ambitious for all learners, ensuring pupils of all backgrounds, beliefs and abilities can access, engage with and succeed in RE. Through a carefully sequenced curriculum, pupils build substantive knowledge alongside the disciplinary skills of enquiry, interpretation, reflection and evaluation.
The curriculum reflects the diversity of the local community and wider society, supporting pupils to develop religious literacy and cultural capital. Pupils are encouraged to articulate their own views with confidence while listening respectfully to others, preparing them to participate positively in a diverse and democratic society.
Implementation
Religious Education is taught in line with the North Yorkshire RE Curriculum and is structured around the three strands of Expressing, Believing and Living. These strands are revisited and deepened across key stages to ensure progression in both knowledge and skills. Teaching is carefully adapted and scaffolded so that all pupils, including those with additional needs, can achieve well.
The curriculum prioritises depth in the teaching of socially dominant religions while ensuring breadth through planned opportunities to explore less represented faiths and non-religious worldviews. Knowledge is built cumulatively and revisited regularly through retrieval opportunities, enabling pupils to remember more and apply learning with increasing confidence.
The 3 strands include to be covered include:
Expressing: Religious forms of expression, questions about identity and diversity
Believing: Religious beliefs, teachings, sources, questions about meaning, purpose and truth
Living: Religious practices and ways of living, questions about values and commitments
These strands that underpin the NYCC RE curriculum will be taught at the same time as focusing on aspects, events and festivals within the faith(s) identified within each module. This will allow identification of development and ensures continuity of thread throughout the learning journey.
EYFS
In the Early Years, Religious Education is rooted in the principles of the EYFS and delivered through play-based learning and continuous provision. Children encounter Christianity and other faiths through stories, celebrations, role play, creative activities and everyday experiences that support their understanding of self, community and the wider world.
Through adult modelling and high-quality talk, children explore similarities and differences, develop language to express feelings and ideas, and begin to understand concepts of belonging and respect. These experiences lay the foundations for curiosity, empathy and enquiry, ensuring children are well prepared for RE learning in Key Stage 1.
KS1
In Key Stage 1, pupils deepen their understanding of Christianity and are introduced to Islam and Judaism. Learning focuses on securing core knowledge through stories, artefacts, practical activities and structured discussion.
Pupils recall beliefs, practices and festivals, recognise symbols, retell religious stories and begin to explore ideas of identity, belonging and morality. They are supported to express their own ideas and listen respectfully to others, developing early comparative and reflective skills.
KS2
In Key Stage 2, pupils build on prior learning in Christianity, Islam and Judaism and are introduced to Buddhism. In Upper Key Stage 2, pupils also encounter less dominant faiths and non-religious worldviews. Learning increasingly emphasises interpretation, connection and evaluation.
Pupils make links between beliefs, practices and communities, interpret sources of wisdom, explain symbolism and rituals, and engage in ethical and philosophical discussion. They compare similarities and differences within and between religions and worldviews, developing well-reasoned views and respect for diversity.
Curriculum Organisation and Progression
The RE curriculum is organised through a two-year rolling programme that ensures clear progression, full coverage of the curriculum strands and a balanced range of worldviews. Learning is carefully sequenced and revisited to support long-term retention, with opportunities to link learning to key festivals and events where appropriate.
Assessment, Recording and Retrieval
In EYFS and Key Stage 1, learning is captured through floor books, photographs and discussion-based evidence. In Key Stage 2, pupils maintain a single RE book that moves with them through school, enabling them to reflect on and build upon prior learning.
Knowledge organisers support each unit, introducing key vocabulary and concepts and aiding retrieval. Planned opportunities such as reflection time at the end of each lesson, time to look back through books each term, mini-quizzes and structured discussion ensure that pupils regularly revisit and secure prior learning.
Enrichment Opportunities
The RE curriculum is enhanced through assemblies, visitors, educational visits and curriculum-linked events. These experiences strengthen pupils’ understanding of religion and worldviews in real-world contexts and ensure that diversity and inclusion are central to their RE learning journey.
Impact
As a result of the Religious Education curriculum at Sowerby Primary Academy, pupils leave each phase with a secure and progressively deepening understanding of religions and worldviews. They can recall key knowledge, vocabulary and concepts, make meaningful connections between beliefs, practices and communities, and explain how religion and belief influence individuals and ways of life.
Pupils are confident in asking thoughtful questions, engaging in respectful discussion and expressing their own views with clarity while listening carefully to others. They demonstrate increasing ability to reflect, reason and evaluate ethical and philosophical questions, drawing on evidence and prior learning. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils show well-developed religious literacy, empathy and respect for diversity, and are well prepared to engage positively with difference in wider society. RE contributes strongly to pupils’ personal development, supporting them to become reflective, informed and respectful citizens.