Our Statement of Intent is ‘Unlocking Potential, Transforming lives’. This means that we want to unlock the potential and transform the lives of all members of our school community.

For our children, this may be removing barriers to ensure they approach their secondary education, equipped socially, emotionally and academically; for others it may be unlocking a hidden music skill which shapes their future.

For our staff, this may be providing opportunities to help them progress professionally.

For our parents, this may be removing barriers to help them access adult education.

For our wider community, this may be helping them to attend a school social event to prevent loneliness and encourage volunteering at future events.

To enable us to achieve the above, all members of the school adhere to the Core Values of:

• Safety
• Ready to Learn
• Working Together
• High Expectations
• Integrity in all that we do.

Religious Education

Intent

Religious Education at St Margaret’s Primary Academy aims to: develop an understanding of Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism and Buddhism; how they influence individuals in society; deepen the ability of children to reflect on religious and moral issues in order to make informed choices; enable children to feel confident in asking fundamental questions of life raised by human experience and respond to these questions by reflecting on their own beliefs and experiences in light of their study; and enable children to be accepting and have mutual respect towards those with different faiths and beliefs.

Implementation

At St. Margaret’s Primary Academy, we follow Jigsaw RE which has the following principles.

RE is taught every half term. Christianity is taught in each year group alongside the other main religions. Each RE enquiry follows a four-step engagement model which spans over six lessons. This enquiry is started by a big question - for example “Is the Christmas story true?”

Pupils will then study the religion, allowing them to make informed opinions enabling them to answer the original enquiry question.

Units are broken down into the following steps:

Step 1- Engagement:

The human experience underpinning the key question is explored here within the children’s own experience, whether that includes a worldview/religion or not. For example, a human experience underpinning the question, ‘What is the best way for a Sikh to show commitment to God?’ is ‘commitment’, so piece 1 aims to help all children resonate with the experience of ‘commitment’ in their own lives. Relating to this human experience acts as a schema to then help them better understand the worldview being studied (which may be very much outside of their experience).

Step 2 - Investigation:

The teacher guides the children through the enquiry, children gaining subject knowledge carefully selected to assist their thinking about the key question. The plans for pieces 2,3, and 4 cover the necessary subject knowledge to answer the enquiry questions. This ensures that the acquisition of the factual information about the religion /belief system being studied is embedded and important, but can be applied critically so that it is not an end in itself. 

Step 3 – Evaluation:

This piece draws together the children’s learning and their conclusions about the key question of that enquiry. There is an assessment opportunity included which gauges the children’s progress by using the descriptors provided. These are exemplified, and tracking and record sheets are included, as are pupil self-assessment sheets. The activity provides evidence in children’s books of their learning in each enquiry. 

Step 4 – Expression:

Children are taken back to Step 1, their own experience, to reflect on how this enquiry might have influenced their own starting points and beliefs. There is often further evidence for their personal development (green strand) produced in this lesson.

Enrichment

Where possible, the use of visitors, local churches and sources in the community will provide a breadth of knowledge, engagement, and enquiry.

Impact

Our belief is that when using this model well, children’s critical thinking skills can be developed, their motivation to learn increased, and their knowledge and understanding of, and empathy with people and their worldviews (religious or otherwise) will be enhanced.

This approach takes very seriously the philosophy that children are free to make their own choices and decisions concerning their own view of the world and their beliefs and morals. RE does not try to persuade, but rather to inform and develop the skills with which evaluation can take place.

Impact will be assessed through monitoring, regular book looks, lesson observations and pupil voice questionnaires. Teacher assessments will be made using the Religious Education skills progression document throughout the academic year.

Half-termly assessment will take place to track children’s progress against age related expectations for Religious Education.