Aims and ambitions

RE at Old Basford provokes challenging questions about meaning and purpose in life, beliefs about Gods, issues of right and wrong and what it means to be human. We educate our pupils, including SEND, through studying religions and world views with a clearly planned out curriculum that equips them with the skills to develop their own ideas, values and identity. Learning is accessible to all and is adapted to meet the needs of the children. Teaching of RE engages pupils in discussions, dialogues and debate which enables them to make their own conclusions and share their viewpoint with others clearly. Our children feel empowered to participate positively in our diverse society by reflecting on the impact of religions and worldviews on contemporary life. RE at Old Basford makes a key contribution to enabling pupils to consider British Values, including tolerance and respect for people who hold different faiths and worldviews.

The Law

The law requires that local authority RE agreed syllabuses and RE syllabuses used in academies that are not designated with a religious character ‘must reflect the fact that the religious traditions in Great Britain are in the main Christian, while taking account of the teaching and practices of the other principal religions represented in Great Britain’. This means that from the ages of 5 to 19 pupils in schools* learn about diverse religions and worldviews including Christianity and the other principal religions. Some schools with a religious character will prioritise learning about and from one religion, but all types of school need to recognise the diversity of the UK and the importance of learning about its religions and worldviews, including those with a significant local presence. 

Sequence and Progression

In EYFS, we teach RE through the Early Learning Goals of: Understanding of the World (Past and Present and People, culture and communities) and Personal, Social and Emotional Development (Building relationships) we teach this through 6 focused questions. (See RE Progression document) 

We then follow a mixture of the RE Today Primary curriculum which has been developed by NATRE (National Association of Teachers of Religious Education) and the Nottingham City Agreed Syllabus.  We have adapted the Agreed Syllabus in to the Old Basford Curriculum Progression map and have supplemented this with units of work on Sikhism to reflect our cultural capital and local area. The units are age appropriate and progressive from KS1 to KS2, the three main subject specific threads that bind the curriculum together are: Knowledge and Understanding, Expression and Communication and Gaining and Deploying their skills through discussion. At the beginning of each lesson, key concepts and subject specific vocabulary are revisited and built upon.

Children leave us ready to begin the KS3 units of the agreed syllabus.

If you want to find our more about our RE curriculum, we are happy to discuss and share resources and plans with you. Please speak to your child's teacher or Mrs Smythe (RE leader) to discuss any issues. . 

Withdrawal from all or part of Religious Education

We are committed to inclusive Religious Education and always hope that no parent/carer will wish to withdraw their children from all or part of the subject. Nevertheless, it remains the right of parents /carers to withdraw their children from RE (and / or collective worship) if they wish to. To exercise this right, parents are asked to contact/write to the Head Teacher informing them of the desire to have their child/children withdrawn from all or parts of RE. The Head Teacher can discuss any concerns, (although no reasons have to be given for withdrawal or judgements made) clarify the nature of RE provided by the school, and look at the options available to parents.

If parents wish to withdraw their children from RE lessons or any part of the RE curriculum, the school has a duty to supervise them, though not to provide additional teaching or to incur extra cost. Where the pupil has been withdrawn, alternative arrangements are to be made for RE of the kind the parents want the pupil to receive. These arrangements will be made by the parents;- the school is not expected to make these arrangements. It must also be noted that the children MUST do RE. They are not permitted to do other curriculum subjects whilst their peers are undergoing RE Sessions.

The following options could be:

• Being educated off site in RE at another school (e.g. if pupils are Roman Catholic) or a setting such as at mosque or undergoing teaching from a priest etc relating to the religion they are affiliated to. This must not however, interfere with the child’s attendance.

• If alternative provision cannot be found at another setting related to the parents/child’s religion, then the child may be supervised in school doing RE set by the parents that will seek to further the child’s knowledge of the religion the parent wishes. E.g When a class is learning about Hinduism, then a child may be set work by their parents on Christianity if they have no wish for their child to learn about Hinduism. It is not the responsibility of school to find alternative work.

• At times, parents are happy for their child to learn about a particular religion but are not comfortable with their child/children taking part in practical workshops/visits relating to that religion. If this is the case, then alternative provision/ supervision will be sought where possible.

School does not support ‘selective’ withdrawal from RE.

RE at Old Basford is provided for all pupils, and is inclusive, respectful, tolerant and broad minded. It takes fully into account British Values and allows children to share their views and hear the views of others in a respectful and tolerant way. 

RE Progression Map Document