Religious education
Vision Statement
At Abacus, we understand and recognise the important role that Religious Education plays in promoting our children's engagement and interactions in a multicultural society, while giving them the knowledge and confidence to truly show their inclusive and respectful qualities as they become valued members of society.
Learning about the different faiths and cultures in the world not only gives them a wider lens in life but gives them the opportunity to reflect on shared histories and cultures, using this knowledge to guide their development as they grow older.
Our pupils foster the British values of tolerance and respect throughout our curriculum and are able to show individuality within the classroom as well as showing engagement with the beliefs and traditions of others.
Throughout our Religious Education we provide a balanced curriculum allowing pupils to have informed discussions about philosophy, varying faiths, world views and community cohesion. As with all our learning, the message does not stop at school, we strive to continue these messages at home and outside of school through our partnerships and relationships with parents and carers.
Our job is to provide a curriculum that inspires inclusive thinking and action, we're not here to persuade, only to promote learning, acceptance, empathy and personal expression.
Religious Education Implementation and Progression
Religious Education is taught in every year group throughout each term from Reception up to Year 6. Each year group will cover varying world faiths throughout the year, however they will each have a key faith in which they will take a school trip to focus further on it. The trip could be anything from a place of worship to an exhibition, anything that lets the pupils learn more about their focus key faith.
EYFS
Children in reception investigate RE through the specific area 'Understanding the World'.
Through focus groups, and free-play activities in the learning environment, children learn about how others celebrate and what people do at different celebration days. Children learn that people believe different things to each other and the ways we celebrate have similarities and differences. Children are able to talk about special places to them and learn about special places of others.
In reception we share celebrations with our families: sharing doughnuts and spinning dreidels for Hannukah, eating special food for Ramadan, dancing for Chinese New Year and putting on a nativity play at Christmas. We are keen to celebrate and share in special days for all religions and will always invite families in to teach us about days that are important to them.
