Being a Philosopher (Religious Education)
Our Vision
As a church of England school, we expect all children to acquire a rich, deep knowledge and understanding of Christian belief and practice; this should include the ways in which it is unique and diverse. Alongside this, we believe children should develop their knowledge of the other
world faiths, and their understanding and awareness of the beliefs, values and traditions of other individuals, societies, communities and cultures. We encourage our children to be curious about the world around them, ask questions and to reflect on their own moral and spiritual beliefs, values and experiences.
Our Christian values not only guide our direct teaching of the RE curriculum but are embedded throughout our whole school ethos.
Respect Everybody is important. I am not better than others.
Trust "The glue that holds our relationships together" Brian Tracy
Responsibility "Do your little bit of good where you are; it's those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world." Desmond Tutu.
Forgiveness "I will choose to forgive even though it might be difficult. Forgiveness is an attribute of the strong." Ghandi.
Love "Love your neighbour as yourself." Mark 12 v31.
How we plan and teach being a Philosopher
We use the Guildford Diocesan Guidelines for Religious Education and the Big Ideas as the basis for our curriculum. As an enquiry model of learning, it helps pupils to deepen their understanding in RE and make secure connections as well as utilising higher level thinking skills. At Key Stage Two (years 3-6), children will extend their knowledge of Christianity, Judaism and Islam, and be introduced to aspects of Hinduism & Buddhism, recognising the impact of religion and belief locally, nationally and globally.
Our Religious Education curriculum is enhanced through experiences and enrichment opportunities including:
- fostering close links with our local St Mary’s Magdalene community with regular visits and services as well as visits by clergy to the school.
- taking part in whole school events- (multicultural days, Harvest Festival, school performances at Christmas and Easter)
- engaging in daily Collective Worship and whole school Pause Days
- participating in moments of quiet reflection using Prayer stations and reflection areas
- learning through cross curricular opportunities
How we evaluate our learning as a Philosopher
The impact of our RE curriculum can be found in children’s written work and the quality of discussions that they have. Children show their growing knowledge and understanding of religions through a variety of learning activities.
The impact of our RE curriculum can also be found in our children’s deep respect for one another and their attitude towards our diverse community. We are proud of how our RE curriculum supports children to both value difference and understand which shared values and beliefs unite us. One child in Year 3 explained, “It teaches us that God is always there and will never let you down”. Another child in Year 4 said that RE is “fun because we hear stories from the Bible about Jesus”.
As a church of England school we work closely with the Guildford Diocese and other schools within the Diocese. Please click below for education guidelines and South Holmwood Church details
Diocese of Guildford Religious Education Guidelines