RE 

Intent

 
The school follows the Surrey Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education in accordance with Surrey’s ‘Standing Advisory Council of Religious Education’ (SACRE).  In accordance with the agreed syllabus, Religious Education at Town Farm: 

• Is open and objective. It does not seek to urge religious beliefs on young people, nor compromise the integrity of their own religious position by promoting one tradition over another. 

• Endeavours to promote a positive attitude towards people, respecting their right to hold different beliefs from their own. 

• Promotes the values and attitudes necessary for citizenship in a multi-faith and multi-racial society through developing understanding of, respect for, and dialogue with people of different beliefs, practices, races and cultures. 

• Recognises similarities and differences in commitment, self-understanding and the search for truth; respecting and valuing these for the common good. 

• Is not the same as collective worship. 

• Recognises and celebrates the range of cultures and diversity of the school through workshops, assemblies and shared experiences of staff, pupils and people from the local community. 

The RE curriculum is organised to support the development of pupils’ knowledge of religious and non-religious beliefs and world views, practices and ways of life and to enable pupils to make links between these.  It also develops pupils’ knowledge and understanding of the different members of our rich and diverse community.  Knowledge and skills are supported by first-hand experiences, including visits to local places of worship and visits from faith communities.  Knowledge and skills are mapped to support pupils’ understanding of religion and faith.  The RE curriculum is designed to support positive attitudes and values and encourage pupils to reflect and relate learning to their own experience.  As part of its commitment to ensure mutual respect and tolerance for those with different faiths, pupils learn that there are those who do not hold religious beliefs and have their own philosophical perspectives. 

The syllabus has been created in a cyclical format to enable pupils to revisit and build on prior knowledge of the different beliefs and practices taught across the school. 

At Town Farm, we are committed to providing our pupils with an exciting and positive learning environment, in which they have the opportunity to develop their knowledge and understanding of religions to support their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. 

Implementation 

RE is taught in a weekly topic block each half term (Autumn 1 – Summer 2).  Coverage is planned to link with key dates and religious festivals to provide opportunities to celebrate festivals and religions with greater consistency and contextual relevance.  Work is recorded in topic books and is evidenced with a variety of outcomes, including written pieces, artwork and photographs. 

As pupils progress through the programme of study, they are able to explore deeper into spiritual, ethical, moral and social issues and with increasing breadth across different religions and world views through time and around the world.  Learning is planned and sequenced to support pupils in building an ever-increasing picture over time, constantly building their knowledge and understanding of key subject knowledge and specialist vocabulary.   

Impact 

Alongside a whole school approach to celebrating different religious and cultural celebrations, the RE curriculum provides the means to celebrate the diversity of the school community and promote positive images of people in the wider community, including their beliefs, traditions, culture, language and history.  It ensures that pupils develop spiritually, academically, emotionally and morally to promote and realise a better understanding of themselves and others and to equip with the opportunities, challenges and responsibilities of living in a rapidly changing, multicultural world.