At Bishop Lonsdale Church of England primary school we believe that Religious Education is an important and integral part of our curriculum, providing children with an understanding of the diverse community and world in which they live.
Our school has adopted the Understanding Christianity scheme of work and the Derbyshire and Derby City’s Agreed Syllabus, with guidance from Derby Diocese. Every year group has a selection of fun and thought-provoking topics about Christianity, as well as units of learning about other faiths.
We are a Church of England School and so Christianity forms two thirds of our RE curriculum. However, on their journey through school pupils will also learn about Muslims, Sikhs and Jewish people.
We encourage the children to ask their own ‘big questions’ and to think independently. Our RE units of work provide children with opportunities to make links between what they have learnt and their own experiences, thoughts and beliefs. Two of our Bishop Rules are ‘Respect’ and ‘Treat others as you wish to be treated’, and these are reflected in RE lessons. RE gives our children the opportunity to gain a greater breadth and depth of knowledge and understanding about the lives of others, and in turn develop respect for people of other cultures and faiths (or, indeed, of no faith.)
As well as respect, Religious Education also promotes and encompasses other British Values such tolerance and liberty. Parents have the right to withdraw children from RE lessons, in consultation with the Head of school and the class teacher, but we feel strongly that RE links to other areas of the curriculum, and makes a valuable contribution to children’s whole development.
Please take a look at our RE topics for each year group.