At Manuden Primary School, Religious Education helps children develop the knowledge, curiosity and understanding they need to engage thoughtfully with the diverse religious and non-religious worldviews they will encounter throughout their lives.

Our approach reflects our school vision:

Growing Hearts, Growing Minds, Growing Dreams

Through Religious Education, pupils learn about different ways in which people understand the world, explore important questions about life and belief, and develop the ability to discuss ideas respectfully and thoughtfully.

We want pupils to leave Manuden curious, knowledgeable and open-minded, with the confidence to ask meaningful questions and the ability to understand perspectives that may be different from their own.

Our Curriculum

At Manuden Primary School, we use Kapow Primary's Religion and worldviews scheme of work as the core resource for teaching Religious Education.

Our curriculum is planned in accordance with the Essex Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education, with Kapow's resources and planning adapted where necessary to meet local syllabus requirements and the needs of our pupils.

Kapow takes a Religion and worldviews approach. This recognises that people understand and experience religion and belief in different ways and that worldviews may be religious or non-religious.

Rather than simply learning isolated facts about individual religions, pupils investigate important concepts and questions and explore how these may be understood by people from a range of religious and non-religious perspectives.

How Our Learning Develops

Kapow's Religion and worldviews curriculum develops three interconnected forms of knowledge:

Substantive knowledge
Children build knowledge of religions, beliefs, practices, traditions, concepts and non-religious worldviews.

Disciplinary knowledge
Children learn how to investigate religion and worldviews. They ask questions, examine sources and evidence, make comparisons, interpret ideas and consider different perspectives.

Personal knowledge
Children are encouraged to recognise that everyone approaches questions about life and belief from their own perspective, shaped by their experiences, families, communities and values.

Together, these help pupils move beyond simply remembering facts and enable them to think increasingly deeply about religion and worldviews.

Religious Education in Our Mixed-Age Classes

As a small school, Manuden has mixed-age classes.

Kapow provides a dedicated mixed-age Religion and worldviews curriculum organised through a two-year Cycle A / Cycle B programme. This helps us ensure that pupils experience a coherent and progressive curriculum without unnecessary repetition.

Our provision is organised as follows:

Pygmy Owl – Reception
Children begin exploring religion and worldviews through age-appropriate Kapow Reception learning alongside relevant areas of the Early Years Foundation Stage.

Tawny Owl – Years 1 & 2
Kapow mixed-age Cycle A / Cycle B programme.

Hawk Owl – Years 3 & 4
Kapow mixed-age Cycle A / Cycle B programme.

Eagle Owl – Years 5 & 6
Kapow mixed-age Cycle A / Cycle B programme.

Teachers adapt teaching appropriately to pupils' age, prior knowledge and individual needs while maintaining clear progression through the curriculum.

What Does Religion and Worldviews Look Like at Manuden?

Pupils are encouraged to:

• ask thoughtful questions about religion, belief and the meaning of life;
• develop secure knowledge of religious and non-religious worldviews;
• explore how beliefs influence people's lives, choices and communities;
• investigate similarities and differences within and between worldviews;
• examine religious and non-religious texts, stories, traditions, practices, artefacts and places;
• use appropriate subject vocabulary accurately;
• consider evidence and different interpretations;
• express their own ideas thoughtfully without being expected to adopt any particular belief;
• listen respectfully to the views and experiences of others;
• recognise diversity within religions and worldviews rather than assuming that all members of a group believe or practise in the same way.

Children encounter increasingly complex questions and concepts as they move through the school.

Teaching and Learning

Religion and worldviews is taught as a distinct curriculum subject.

Lessons may include discussion, enquiry, stories and texts, examination of sources and artefacts, images, videos, visits, visitors, written responses, debate and personal reflection.

Teachers use Kapow's planning, resources and subject-knowledge support to help them deliver accurate, engaging and ambitious teaching.

Key vocabulary and concepts are explicitly taught and revisited so that pupils can make connections with previous learning and build increasingly secure understanding.

Inclusion and SEND

Religion and worldviews is for all pupils.

Teachers adapt learning so that pupils with SEND can participate meaningfully and develop appropriate knowledge and understanding.

Adaptations may include visual resources, pre-teaching of vocabulary, scaffolded questioning, simplified or clarified language, additional processing time, practical resources and additional adult support.

Our ambition for pupils with SEND remains high. Adaptations are made to remove barriers to learning rather than unnecessarily reducing the curriculum pupils experience.

Assessment

Assessment is an integral part of our Religion and worldviews curriculum.

Teachers assess pupils' understanding through questioning, discussion, written and creative work, retrieval of previous learning and observation of how pupils use their knowledge to respond to increasingly complex questions.

Kapow assessment materials, including knowledge catchers and other formative assessment opportunities, may be used to identify what pupils know, address misconceptions and inform future teaching.

Assessment focuses on pupils' developing knowledge and understanding. Children are never assessed on their personal religious beliefs or on whether they hold a particular worldview.

Enrichment

Where appropriate, we aim to bring Religion and worldviews to life through opportunities such as:

• visits to places of worship;
• visitors from religious and non-religious communities;
• exploration of religious artefacts and sources;
• learning about significant festivals and traditions;
• links with our local community;
• opportunities to discuss significant questions and contemporary issues.

These experiences help children understand that religion and worldviews are lived and experienced in different ways by real people and communities.

Religion and Worldviews, SMSC and British Values

Religious Education makes an important contribution to pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

It also supports pupils' understanding of the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs.

Through meaningful discussion and enquiry, children learn to disagree respectfully, challenge stereotypes and recognise the importance of living positively alongside people who may have different beliefs and perspectives.

The Impact of Our Curriculum

By the time pupils leave Manuden Primary School, we want them to:

• have secure and increasingly sophisticated knowledge of a range of religious and non-religious worldviews;
• understand that there is diversity both between and within religious traditions and worldviews;
• be able to ask meaningful questions and investigate possible responses;
• use evidence and sources when discussing religion and belief;
• make connections and comparisons between different ideas;
• use appropriate vocabulary accurately and confidently;
• express their own ideas thoughtfully;
• listen to and engage respectfully with different perspectives;
• demonstrate curiosity, critical thinking and respect when encountering beliefs different from their own.

Our aim is for children to leave Manuden prepared to engage thoughtfully and respectfully with the diverse society in which they live.

Parental Right of Withdrawal

Religious Education is a compulsory part of the curriculum for registered pupils, including children in Reception.

Parents and carers have a legal right to request that their child is withdrawn from all or part of Religious Education.

Parents do not need to provide a reason for requesting withdrawal.

We would encourage any parent considering withdrawal to speak with the Headteacher or Religion and Worldviews Subject Lead so that we can explain the curriculum and the nature of the learning provided. However, the legal right to withdraw remains with parents.

Requests should be made to the Headteacher through the School Office.

Subject Leadership

Religion and Worldviews Subject Lead: Eve Reynolds

The Subject Lead works with teachers and school leaders to monitor curriculum coverage, progression, teaching and pupils' learning across the school.

Further Information

Our curriculum is informed by the current Essex Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education and delivered using Kapow Primary's Religion and worldviews scheme of work.

Kapow Primary – Religion and worldviews

Essex SACRE – Religious Education and the Essex Agreed Syllabus

If you would like further information about Religion and worldviews at Manuden, please contact the School Office.

Email: office@manuden.essex.sch.uk
Telephone: 01279 813370