RE:              Through the teaching of Religious Education at Freshfield we seek to

ensure that all pupils in our school are educated to develop spiritually, academically, emotionally and morally.

“Differences were meant not to divide but to enrich.” J H Oldham

Our vision

At Freshfield, we believe that an understanding of the world’s major religious and non-religious views help our children to understand the world in which they live. We believe that through understanding religious practices and beliefs, we can promote our values of tolerance and respect of difference.

Our RE curriculum is designed to explore big questions about life, in order to find out what people believe and what difference this makes to how they live, so that pupils can make sense of religion and worldviews, and reflect on their own ideas and ways of living. By exploring similarities and differences, we also highlight connections and commonalities which unite us as well as differences which enrich our community.

Through our teaching of RE, we strive to encourage our children to:

• Have a secure knowledge and understanding of religious and non-religious world views studied and be confident to explore and answer challenging questions. 
• Express ideas and insights about religious and non-religious worldviews, using reasoned arguments following our School values of REPEAT (Respect, Empathy, Perserverance, Enjoyment, Achievement, Togetherness).
• Be a concerned citizen by showing respect, tolerance and understanding of all religions and beliefs
• Have a strong understanding of how beliefs, values and practices and ways of life within a religion come together
• Have a sense of self-identity and belonging to flourish within the community and be a responsible, active contributor.

How we plan for and teach RE

Children at Freshfield have RE lessons weekly or blocked theme days, through which their understanding of religious beliefs and practices builds over time. Following Sefton’s SACRE (Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education) scheme of work 2021-2026, lessons involve exploration of religious and non-religious narratives, the study of rituals and practices and the key tenets and symbols of each faith. Significant objects are studied to bring lessons to life and familiarise the children with things that have particular importance in different faiths.

Our children are encouraged to share their knowledge about their own beliefs and how they practise them in a safe, respectful environment. Members of our wider community, representing a range of beliefs, are invited into our school to share their religious customs and answer questions our children may have. Through visits to places of worship, our children learn about the significance of the places where religious communities gather to practise their faith.

Our school assemblies reflect the diverse community in which we live in and inform children about the wide range of festivals from religions and non-religious world views.

How we evaluate learning in RE

The impact of our RE curriculum can be found in children’s written work and the quality of discussions that they have. Children demonstrate their growing knowledge and understanding of religions and non-religious world views in a range of carefully designed tasks. Over time, children demonstrate their deepening understanding of individual faiths by making connections within a faith, as well as showing their growing understanding of the discipline of RE by making links across different religions.

The impact of our RE curriculum can also be found in our children’s deep respect for one another and their attitude towards others, underpinning our School values. We are proud of how our RE curriculum supports children to both value difference and understand which shared values and beliefs unite us.

Please click here for more detailed information about RE learning in each year group.