The three statutory aims of the curriculum are to develop successful learners, confident individuals and positive contributors. RE has a vital role to play in the development of these core aims.
RE helps pupils become successful learners by enabling them to:
- develop important skills, knowledge and understanding in RE;
- build progression from simple skills such as naming recognising and recalling, to complex and demanding skills such as synthesis and critical evaluation;
- develop understanding of both learning about and from religion and belief;
- access lively, challenging and compelling learning experiences which stimulate their mental, emotional and social development;
- engaging with powerful and important questions of meaning and complex, demanding ethical issues;
- understand both conflict and collaboration within and between religions and the importance of inter-faith dialogue;
- reflect upon and evaluate the role of religion and belief in the world today;
- mature in their spiritual moral, social and cultural development;
- build effective links between their learning in RE and other subjects;
- know how well they are doing in RE and how to improve their learning.
RE helps pupils become confident individuals by enabling them to:
- develop important attitudes such as sensitivity, open-mindedness, self-esteem and appreciation / wonder;
- share their own views, ideas and experiences, in a supportive learning environment, without fear or embarrassment;
- develop the ability to produce reasoned, thoughtful arguments and well-substantiated conclusions, especially when engaging with questions of meaning and ethical issues;
- develop both dependant and inter-dependant learning in RE;
- express their own ideas and responses in a variety of ways such as creative writing, oral work, the use of ICT, drama, story and music;
- engage with and reflect upon key beliefs and teachings in religion regarding the purpose, value and dignity of human beings.
RE helps pupils become responsible citizens by enabling them to:
- develop both respect and sensitivity to other people’s beliefs and values;
- learn about and from the contribution of religion and belief to Community Cohesion through engaging with school, local, British and global communities;
- actively contribute to RE lessons through group and class discussions;
- learn about and from the diversity of faith and beliefs in their local, wider, British and global communities;
- analyse how and why religion and belief are portrayed in the media;
- critically evaluate the role and place of religion in the world;
- enrich their learning through visits and visitors;
- investigate and reflect upon their rights and responsibilities;
- develop the key attitude of open mindedness, sustaining their own views, agreeing and disagreeing respectfully and listening carefully to others.