INTENT

At Stoke Damerel Primary Academy, every Religious Education (RE) lesson builds on knowledge, skills and understanding from previous lessons and prior learning. Lessons are taught in a logical progression, systematically and explicitly enough for all pupils to acquire the intended knowledge and skills. Lessons follow a recognisable sequence that is pertinent to the Plymouth SACRE (standing advisory council on RE) scheme and moves learning forward. Wherever relevant, cross-curricular links are built upon and revised. All children, including the most disadvantaged pupils, the most able pupils and pupils with SEND receive the same challenge within the same broad curriculum. Children develop their vocabulary and knowledge daily, and are encouraged to be ambitious and articulate. Children’s long-term memory is developed through the use of various starter activity to ensure they remember the key facts, patterns and skills for each unit of learning.

IMPLEMENTATION

All lessons are planned using high quality and appropriate resources, using excellent subject knowledge, based upon the Plymouth SACRE scheme. Children are equipped to understand, interpret and value texts, sources of wisdom and authority and other evidence. They should learn to articulate clearly and coherently their personal beliefs, ideas, values and experiences while respecting the right of others to differ. All lessons contain challenging, relevant vocabulary to extend children’s word banks. Children at Stoke Damerel are taught to note connections, similarities and differences between units of study and develop the correct use of Religious Education terms. Teachers employ a wide range of AfL strategies to support all learners and check pupils’ understanding (used to identify and correct misconceptions and to inform future teaching). Teachers use assessment to help pupils embed and use knowledge fluently.

IMPACT

At SDPA, well-constructed and well-taught Religious Education lessons lead to good results because those results reflect what children have learned. All learning builds towards age-related expectations with adaptive teaching provisions in place to support and challenge all pupils to develop depth of knowledge. Children will be able to recall learning about religions and beliefs in local, national and global contexts. While most evidence for Religious Education is recorded in exercise books, all pupils will be able to present their understanding, skills, opinions and learning through speaking, computing, a variety of artistic media as well as writing. We believe that Religious Education is part of the roots to strong growth in all aspects of life, and are given the due priority that they deserve.