Religious Education

At Oyster Park, our principle aim of Religious Education is to engage pupils in an enquiry approach where they develop an understanding and appreciation for the expression of beliefs, cultural practices and influence that religions have on local, national and wider communities. We hope to provide children with the understanding and skills they need to appreciate and appraise varied responses, as well as develop their own thoughts and opinions. Linking to our SMSC curriculum and British Values we help to develop tolerant and respectful learners through developing an understanding of a range of religions and beliefs. Through the teaching of Religious Education, we will allow children to gain and deploy the skills needed to engage seriously with religions and worldviews, so they can articulate beliefs, find out about and investigate key concepts and questions of belonging, meaning, purpose and truth by responding creatively.

In Religious Education, we cultivate a reading culture by exposing children to a variety of genres through carefully planned activities. In EYFS and Key Stage 1, children listen to and share stories from different religions. They will focus on retrieving key information from the stories and will reflect on how the story made them feel. They will consider the moral of the story and how this may suggest that people from different faiths should live their lives. In Key Stage 2, children will be exposed to stories from different faiths and non-fiction texts. Children will use what they have read to support their understanding of different religions and use this to support them to express their own beliefs.

Oracy is the ability to articulate ideas, develop understanding and engage with others through spoken language. In Religious Education, Oracy is a powerful tool for learning. By teaching our pupils to become more effective speakers and listeners we aim to empower them to have a better understanding of themselves, each other and discuss and justify their beliefs.

At Oyster Park Primary Academy, we are aware that a child’s Religious Education ability and enquiring mind is not directly related to their writing or Mathematic ability. All children are given the opportunity to work with support appropriate to their SEN learning barriers. Children are encouraged and supported to ask their own questions as well as complete teacher led enquiries.

The Right of Withdrawal from Religious Education:

Religion and belief have become more visible in public life in recent years, making it important that all pupils should have an opportunity to engage in RE.   However, as the parent of a pupil at a community, foundation or voluntary school, you may request that your child(ren) be excused from all or part of the religious education (RE) provided.

Parents who wish to withdraw their children from RE should be aware of its aims and what is covered in the RE curriculum and that they are given the opportunity to discuss this if they wish. It should be made clear whether the withdrawal is from the whole RE curriculum or specific parts of it. No reasons need be given

Important – limitations to withdraw

• If pupils are withdrawn from RE, schools have a duty to supervise them, though not to provide additional teaching.  A pupil may be required to work in another area of the school, such as library or another classroom.
• Whilst parents or carers have a right to withdraw children from RE, they should note that children may also encounter religions and beliefs and wider aspects of faith in other areas of the curriculum from which there is no right of withdrawal.
• On occasion, spontaneous questions about religious matters are raised by pupils or issues related to religion arise in other curriculum subjects such as history or PSHEE. (For example, schools promote community cohesion and help pupils to understand ideas about identity and diversity, feelings and emotions within both religious and non-religious contexts.)

Managing the Right of Withdrawal

If pupils are withdrawn from RE, schools have a duty to supervise them, though not to provide additional teaching or to incur extra cost. Pupils will usually remain on school premises where it is feasible and appropriate.

Where a request for withdrawal is made, the school must comply and excuse the pupil until the request is rescinded. Though not legally required, it is good practice for a head teacher to invite parents to discuss their written request.

(Section 71(3), School Standards and Framework Act 1998).