Our Vision for Religious Education (RE)

At Bridekirk Dovenby School, RE expresses and strengthens our vision, ethos and values that are at the heart of what we aim to do in every aspect of school life that offers human flourishing for all. The importance placed on the development of the whole child spiritually, morally, socially, culturally (SMSC) and intellectually is reflected in the RE curriculum. 

In Bridekirk Dovenby Church of England School where pupils and staff come from different faiths and none, RE is a highly valued academic subject that enables understanding of how religion and beliefs affect our lives. There is ‘a commitment to generous hospitality, being true to our underpinning faith, but with a deep respect for the integrity of other religious traditions (and world-views) and for the religious freedom of each person’, Statement of Entitlement 2019.

The school provides a RE curriculum that is rich and varied and studies a range of world religions and world-views. At the heart of RE in this school is the teaching of Christianity, rooted in the person and work of Jesus Christ that enables learners to acquire a thorough knowledge and understanding of the Christian faith.

Our aim is to provide a wide range of opportunities for learners to understand and to make links between the beliefs, practices and value systems of the range of faiths studied.  We aim to provide suitable learning opportunities that match the needs of all children. This includes providing relevant support, adapted activities and using a range of teaching and learning styles within lessons.

Pupils are encouraged to know about, understand and respond to the ultimate questions of life and ethical issues. Our curriculum inspires pupils to explore, develop and affirm their own faith/world-views and values whilst having respect for the faith, beliefs and values of others. We are committed to education for wisdom, hope, community and dignity.

Encountering religion and belief includes:

• Enquiry into and investigation of the nature of religion;
• Key beliefs and teachings, practices;
• Impact on the lives of believers and communities;
• Different ways of expressing beliefs, teachings and practices;
• Developing pupil skills of interpretation, analysis and explanation in relation to religion;
• Pupils’ communication of their knowledge and understanding using specialist vocabulary;
• Pupils reflection on and response to their own experiences, questions of identity and belonging, meaning purpose and truth, values and commitment; and
• Development of religious literacy.

Aims

In keeping with the expectations set out in the Statement of Entitlement, the aims of RE in this school are:

1. To enable pupils to know about and understand Christianity as a diverse global living faith through the exploration of core beliefs, using an approach that critically engages with biblical text.
2. To enable pupils to gain knowledge and understanding of a range of religions and world-views, appreciating diversity, continuity and change within the religions and world-views being studied.
3. To facilitate pupils’ engagement with challenging questions of meaning and purpose raised by human existence and experience.
4. To enable pupils to recognise the concept of religion and its continuing influence on Britain’s cultural heritage and in the lives of individuals and societies in different times, cultures and places.
5. To encourage pupils to explore their own religious, spiritual and philosophical ways through living, believing and thinking.

Legal Framework

As a voluntary controlled school, as required by law, we provide RE which meets the requirements of the Cumbrian Locally Agreed Syllabus 2023 (the LAS). 

Parents have a legal right in accordance with the Education act 1996 to withdraw their children from RE lessons.  As this subject is central to the life and identity of Bridekirk Dovenby Church of England School, we ask parents to discuss with the head teacher any reasons they might have for doing this. We aim to provide a quality RE curriculum that can be sensitively and appropriately taught to all pupils, by all staff. We ask that requests for full or partial withdrawal from RE should be made in writing to the headteacher. The school will care for and supervise any pupils who are withdrawn from RE lessons, but there is no duty to provide alternative work.