Religious Education (RE)

As a Church of England school, Religious Education is a core subject and holds a central place in our curriculum. We want our children to become thoughtful, open-minded and religiously literate individuals who can explore the big questions of life, develop an understanding of different beliefs and worldviews, and show curiosity, empathy and respect towards others. Rooted in our Christian vision, ‘Let your light shine,’ we encourage children to reflect on their own ideas and values while appreciating the beliefs and experiences of others.

Our RE curriculum follows the Newcastle, Durham and Diocesean Syllabus, alongside Understanding Christianity, which places Christianity at the heart of our learning. Through carefully sequenced enquiry questions, children explore the Bible, Christian beliefs and practices, as well as other world faiths and worldviews, including Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism and Humanism. Learning builds progressively from the Early Years to Year 6, revisiting key concepts such as Creation, Incarnation, God, Gospel and Salvation in increasing depth. Children are encouraged to ask questions, explore religious stories and understand how beliefs influence people's lives today.

We provide an inclusive and supportive environment where every child is encouraged to contribute, challenge ideas and develop their own understanding. Learning is enriched through discussion, reflection, links with collective worship and opportunities to explore faith within our wider community. Our RE Curriculum Overview can be found below.

Withdrawal from RE

We note the right of parents to withdraw their children from RE. The school must comply with any request from a parent to withdraw their child and parents are not required to give their reasons for wanting to do so. However, in view of the importance placed on RE as a core subject in a church school, we would hope that all children admitted will participate fully in RE. We aim to provide an open curriculum which can be taught to all pupils, by all staff. Teachers are asked to refer to the head teacher any questions from parents about withdrawals. We ask that and that anyone wishing to withdraw their child would discuss this with the Headteacher before making this decision. Requests for full or partial withdrawal from RE should be made in writing to the head teacher and a record kept of them.