At Woodlands Park Primary School we believe that RE should provoke challenging questions about the meaning and purpose of life, beliefs about God, issues of right and wrong and what it means to be human.

Our RE curriculum offers children opportunities for personal reflection and spiritual development as well as opportunities to look at religions through different “lenses” such as psychology, philosophy, theology and sociology.  It encourages them to respond to the ‘big questions’ in life and consider the influence of religion on individuals, families, communities and cultures.

RE learning aims to ensure that all pupils:

• Make sense of a range of religious and non-religious beliefs
• Understand the impact and significance of religious and non-religious beliefs on believers
• Make connections between religious and non-religious beliefs, concepts, practices and ideas studied as well as making links with and developing their own personal view.

Year 3, 4 and 5 - Opening Worlds

Opening Worlds is a knowledge-rich humanities programme for teaching history, geography and religion in Years 3 to 6. As a school, we are provided with curriculum resources together with training, support and ongoing programme-related professional development for our school teachers.

The uniqueness and background of every child is recognised and valued. Because of this, our curriculum covers a range of cultural, historical and ethical backgrounds and offers purposeful and meaningful experiences to apply, share and develop this knowledge.

Our diverse, culturally rich and wide-scoping curriculum is underpinned by the teaching of basic skills, knowledge, concepts and values in a rigorous and coherent way. Explicit links to story-telling and creativity are made to enthuse learners. Many enhancement and enrichment activities are used throughout the curriculum to engage children and create purposeful, high-leverage outcomes that give children the opportunity to use and apply their developing knowledge and skills.

Our aim is to create an environment that prompts curiosity, critical thinking and allows learners to connect strands of learning across all aspects of the curriculum.

Year 1, 2 and 6

In line with the Torbay and Devon Agreed Syllabus/ Discovery RE, our RE curriculum develops children’s knowledge and understanding of Christianity and other principal religions. The religions studied are Islam, Judaism and Hinduism. Consideration is also given to other non-religious perspectives such as Humanism.  Where a child in our school follows a different religion from those studied, opportunities will be created to explore, compare and contrast this alongside the taught religions.

In April 2024, Year 6 will begin studying Hinduism using Opening Worlds teaching and resources.