Religious Education enables all children to explore religious beliefs and practices, some of which are located in the local community. Pupils are encouraged to explore the fundamental questions of life raised by human experiences, and to extend their thinking and analytical skills as well as their creative, imaginative and emotional development. Religious Education fosters mutual understanding between students of differing religious and cultural backgrounds. Pupils are encouraged to develop a reflective approach to life in an atmosphere of openness, exploration and enquiry, and to respect the differences and help in the promotion of a harmonious society.

Throughout the Key Stages, children will progress through skills which focus on 4 main areas:

• Beliefs, Teachings and sources
• Practices and Ways of life
• Meaning, purpose and truth
• Values and Commitments

All local authorities are required to establish a Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education (SACRE) to provide advice to the local authority and to periodically review the Locally Agreed Syllabus.  This syllabus is written in the best interests of the children of the Gateshead community and takes into account local factors.  It is aimed at Community Maintained Schools and not faith schools (e.g. Catholic schools), which have their own curriculum. 

We follow the Gateshead Agreed RE Syllabus (2018) and use the Discovery RE planning framework to support pupils in exploring, engaging with, and reflecting on major world religions and their practices. Lessons are structured around an enquiry-led approach, driven by key questions. Each question encourages pupils to consider evidence carefully and form well-reasoned conclusions. This approach requires children to apply their subject knowledge thoughtfully, rather than viewing knowledge as an end point in itself.

Discovery RE promotes the development of critical thinking, encourages personal reflection on individual beliefs and feelings, supports the growth of subject knowledge, and fosters spiritual development. Alongside classroom learning, pupils benefit from visits to a range of places of worship, as well as visits from faith leaders, which enrich their understanding through first-hand experiences.

We believe it is important for children to have the freedom to form their own views about religion and belief. Our goal is to provide them with the knowledge and skills needed to make informed and thoughtful evaluations.

In Nursery and Reception, we follow the Statutory Framework for the Early Years. 

Parents have the statutory right under Section 71 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 to request their child/ren are wholly or partly excused from:

• RE lessons in accordance with the schools’ basic curriculum
• Acts of Collective Worship in schools

However, it must be taken into account that these activities make a contribution to cross-curricular National Curriculum objectives and help shape pupils into accepting, educated individuals in a diverse community.