RE Curriculum Statement
INTENT
At Asquith Primary School, our RE curriculum is shaped by our curriculum drivers - Wonderful Words, Readers for Life, Opportunities and Dream Big. These drivers are underpinned by our core values of understanding, cooperation, respect, responsibility, honesty and determination.
Our intent is to promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, giving every child a broad and rich understanding of religions, worldviews and the diverse communities within our society. Through high-quality teaching, children develop the knowledge and skills needed to understand a range of beliefs, express their ideas confidently and respectfully, and recognise how religious and non-religious worldviews influence individuals and communities.
We aim to create a curriculum that is coherent, progressive and ambitious, enabling children to explore key concepts, ask thoughtful questions and reflect on their own beliefs and values. Our lessons encourage curiosity, critical thinking and reflection, offering opportunities to investigate big ideas about meaning, belonging, truth and identity. Inclusivity is central to our provision, ensuring that children of all backgrounds can fully access and engage with the RE curriculum.
Ultimately, our RE curriculum helps pupils to understand themselves and others, appreciate diversity, value British Values and develop the cultural capital they need to Dream Big, participate confidently in modern Britain and contribute positively to their wider world.
IMPLEMENTATION
At Asquith Primary School, RE is implemented through a clear, sequenced and enquiry-led curriculum in line with the Nottinghamshire Agreed Syllabus 2021–2026. Substantive knowledge (what pupils learn about religions and worldviews) and disciplinary knowledge (how they think and enquire in RE) are developed in tandem across the school.
Our curriculum is delivered through structured sequences that build on prior learning so pupils know more and remember more. Every year group studies Christianity, alongside Judaism, Islam, Hinduism and a range of World Views. Festivals such as Christmas, Easter and Diwali are taught at age-appropriate levels and celebrated across the school through assemblies, activities and experiences.
RE is taught through discrete lessons that are accessible, respectful and engaging. Teaching strategies include modelling, scaffolding, stem sentences, word banks, floor books, questioning and effective use of Teaching Assistants. Creative methods such as drama, art, music, artefacts and storytelling support understanding, alongside visits to places of worship and visitors from faith communities.
A strong emphasis on vocabulary supports our “Wonderful Words” driver. Key terms for each unit are explicitly taught, revisited and used to help pupils communicate their understanding accurately and confidently.
In the EYFS, RE is embedded through purposeful play, stories, objects, celebrations and first-hand experiences, helping children develop awareness of belief and community.
Inclusivity is at the heart of our implementation. Lessons are adapted for SEND and EAL pupils through visuals, structured talk, pre-teaching, simplified tasks and additional scaffolds, enabling all learners to access the curriculum successfully.
Pupils celebrate their achievements by documenting their learning in floor books.
IMPACT
The impact of our RE curriculum is that children develop secure knowledge of a wide range of religions and worldviews, alongside the ability to think, question and reflect like theologians, philosophers and social scientists. Pupils demonstrate progressive understanding, using accurate vocabulary to explain beliefs, compare ideas and articulate respectful and thoughtful viewpoints.
Children can make meaningful connections between what they learn and the world around them, understanding how beliefs shape communities, identities, relationships and cultures. They engage confidently in discussion, explore big questions and reflect on their own values, choices and experiences.
Our inclusive approach ensures that SEND and EAL children achieve well, with adaptations enabling all learners to access vocabulary, communicate ideas and succeed in enquiry tasks. Pupils show positive attitudes towards their learning in RE and demonstrate respect, empathy and appreciation of diversity.
Through visits, visitors, celebrations and rich experiences, pupils build strong cultural capital and develop a clear understanding of life in modern Britain. They recognise their role within society and understand the importance of valuing difference and challenging stereotypes.
By the end of their time at Asquith Primary School, children will be able to:
Ultimately, the impact of our curriculum is that pupils leave Asquith Primary School equipped with the knowledge, skills, values and cultural awareness needed to Dream Big and contribute positively to an interconnected, diverse world.