Religious Education
“And that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.” - 4. 2 Timothy 3:15

Intent

At Mexborough St John the Baptist Primary School we believe that children should be given opportunity to develop their spiritual, moral and cultural beliefs. We aim to engage and inspire children, enabling them to grow their knowledge, skills and ability to answer challenging questions. Christianity is at the heart of our religious education curriculum and is celebrated beyond the classroom. Collective Worship is a key part of school life where global issues and current events are studied alongside key Christian figures and festivals.

Implementation

Learning is embedded through the development of knowledge and skills over time. At Mexborough St John the Baptist C of E Primary we plan our religious education curriculum in accordance with the Understanding Christianity Scheme of work and the Rotherham SACRE scheme.

The schemes of work are set out carefully to ensure that topics studied in religious education build on prior learning.

Children of all abilities are given opportunities to develop their skills and knowledge in each unit and the progression planned into the scheme offers the children an increasing challenge as they move on up through the school.

Teaching and learning in RE is based on the key principle that the children can learn about religious traditions, while simultaneously reflecting on what religious ideas and concepts mean to them. We encourage children to think about their own views and values in relation to the themes and topics studied in the RE curriculum; this is achieved by setting tasks which are open-ended and can have a variety of responses. The Agreed Syllabus stipulates that learning outcomes are differentiated, which in turn ensures that learners make individual progress and make meaningful connections between religious principles and their own lives and experiences.

At Mexborough St John’s we are proud of the strong links we have with our church. The children regularly attend church and engage with trips and visits to the e.g. children go to the church for a baptism experience, a role play wedding ceremony and Y6 go on a visit to Sheffield cathedral.

Impact

Pupils’ learning over time, reflects the intended curriculum. The concepts and big ideas provide the schema through which meaning is made and helps to ensure long term knowledge growth. This in turn ensures pupils know more and can do more.

Research shows that repetition of course content leads to sticky learning; the transfer of knowledge from the short term to long term memory. At Mexborough St John’s, we achieve this through regular retrieval practise. Children can speak with confidence about what they have learnt and how they can apply this to other parts of their learning.

The impact of our curriculum will be seen not only in measurable attainment and progress but that St John the Baptist Primary School creates polite, well-mannered caring members of our school community who understand and respect everybody’s differences and needs.

What is Understanding Christianity?

Understanding Christianity supports pupils in developing their own thinking and their understanding of Christianity, as a contribution to their understanding of the world and their own experience within it.

The Aim

To enable pupils to know about and understand Christianity as a living world faith, by exploring core theological concepts
To enable pupils to develop knowledge and skills in making sense of biblical texts and understanding their impact in the lives of Christians
To develop pupils’ abilities to connect, critically reflect upon, evaluate and apply their learning to their own growing understanding of religion and belief (particularly Christianity), of themselves, the world and human experience.

The Approach

The approach developed for Understanding Christianity is based on the use of core concepts of Christian belief, as expressed in the Bible and lived out in the lives of Christians today. The core concepts reflect a view that the Bible tells a ‘big story’ of salvation. The approach in RE is to revisit the core concepts throughout the different key stages, deepening pupils’ understanding and making the links to the overall ‘big story’ or ‘salvation narrative’.

This is not the only way to describe Christian thought and practice, and of course there is real diversity within Christianity itself, but it sets a good foundation for understanding the heart of the Christian faith.

The teaching and learning approach enables pupils to engage with a variety of Bible texts in order to explore how Christians understand the core concepts. It explores ways in which Christians might live in the light of these texts, within the Christian community and in their individual lives. It allows pupils to reflect on some of the questions and puzzles that arise from the Bible, and to consider any implications or connections with their own lives and ways of understanding the world.

These materials incorporate activities that explore Christian response(s) to the biblical text, as well as the pupils’ own responses, whether they are Christian, atheist, agnostic, or from a faith tradition other than Christianity.

The approach and resources offer a wealth of ideas and materials for a serious engagement with Christianity in RE, in a coherent and systematic way.

The core concepts

The following core concepts are explored in the Understanding Christianity approach, as part of the ‘big story’ of salvation, as understood within Christianity.

These concepts represent one way to make sense of Christian belief and practice. The brief version above is necessarily simplified, and there are other ways of understanding Christian teaching. Many Christians might prefer not to relegate the position of Jesus to being a mere ‘solution’ to the problem of sin, and argue that Jesus’ incarnation represents the boundless love of the Creator seeking the best for human beings, regardless of the cost. The resources indicate some areas of disagreement and diversity.

Through these concepts, pupils encounter a range of biblical texts, placed within a wider theological context. They consider the nature of God and what it means for Christians to be in relationship with the Creator. They explore Christian understanding of the relationship between God and his people in the Old Testament, and make sense of messianic expectations and Christian belief in their fulfilment in Jesus.

Pupils explore the life, teaching, death and resurrection of Jesus, within this wider historical and theological context. They consider the present and future aspects of the Kingdom of God. Pupils examine the impact of these beliefs and their outworking in the lives of Christians, through (for example) celebrations, festivals, rituals, creative and spiritual expression, actions and activism, expressions of love and compassion, calls for justice and ethical responses.

Spirituality at Mexborough St John's

At St. John's, spirituality is about the development of a sense of self, of soul, personality and character.

Our Vision and Values supports the development of spirituality as a school community and for individuals.

How do we describe spirituality?

Christians believe that; Everyone is a valued creation, individually and uniquely made by God, in his own image.

It also refers to God as a potter and describes everyone being the work of God’s hand. Sometimes pots can crack or break. Sometimes things happen that make us feel cracked or changed. Christians believe that whatever happens to them in life, God is with them. God can mend gaps and put everyone back together.

'We are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand'. Isaiah 64:8

The story of the Kintsugi is often told to help us understand what spirituality means. Kintsugi is a Japanese word meaning ‘golden joinery’. Artists use golden glue to repair cracks bringing unexpected beauty and, in some cases, allowing the light to shine through.

Christians believe that this unexpected beauty from repairing the cracks of life is their own unique spiritual journey which builds their relationships with others, the environment and with God.

The Kintsugi Story

WOWs, OWs and NOWs

WOW Moments - These are the awe and wonder moments. The times when you want to breathe in and capture the feeling, holding onto it as long as you can.

OW Moments - These are the blows life can bring. They can knock the breath out of you.

NOW Moments - These are the everyday ordinary times: being able to be present in the moment, being open and receptive to life, because God is not just for emergencies!

We help each other to recognise these moments in life and to reflect on events that make us who we are.

Everyone one will respond differently to WOW, OW and NOW moments, therefore making each crack unique to us as individuals.

Religious Education “And that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.” - 4. 2 Timothy 3:15

Religious Education
“And that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.” - 4. 2 Timothy 3:15