In order for our children to make the best possible progress in RE, it is important that relevant links are made between subjects, where necessary, to ensure that children are able to build on and deepen their learning (see curriculum links below). Throughout the school, we follow the Stoke-on-Trent Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education 2026. This syllabus offers increased flexibility and extra support for planning as well as providing practical strategies, guidance and resources for teachers. In EYFS, children will encounter Christianity and other faiths, as part of their growing sense of self, their own community and their place within it. The children will focus on 2 religions per year band in Key Stage One while in Key Stage Two, they will be exposed to 4 of the 6 main religions across the academic year to make progression clear. By having pupils within Key Stage Two exploring the same religions as they move through the school, it allows us to track their progression and makes staff explicitly aware of the knowledge the children have gained previously. As an academy, we have developed some fantastic techniques to ensure that our children can retain their learning and become confident with their own subject knowledge. We have embedded a range of strategies to support with recall such as knowledge maps at the start of a new unit to recap key information for each religion, weekly retrieval practice activities and a quiz at the end of each unit to further consolidate knowledge.
We are lucky enough to provide many fascinating experiences for our children with regards to RE alongside their learning inside the classroom. Collective worship is used to explore religious themes, practises and celebrations as well as giving the children the opportunity to reflect. We have a visit from our local Reverend fortnightly as well as at the end of each term often to recognise key religious events and to support our learning in Christianity. Last academic year, children in each year band had visits to religious buildings to provide them with a breadth of experience, and again, to see their learning in a real-life context.
As an academy, we celebrate ‘World Religion Day’ and have a whole-school assembly to recognise the world religions and their key beliefs and practices.
In the UK, parents have the right to withdraw their children from RE on the grounds that they wish to provide their own RE. This provision will be the parents’ responsibility. This right of withdrawal exists for all pupils in all types of school, including schools with and without a religious designation. Parents also have the right to withdraw their child from part of RE, and can do so without giving any explanation
If you would like to withdraw your child from RE lessons, please contact Mrs Bell, Head of Academy and Curriculum Leader, via the school office on 01782 234760 or office@eatonparkacademy.co.uk
