Religious Education
At Stepney Greencoat, the curriculum is centred around our school vision as a Christian school:
"Learning Together for Life, Jesus said, ‘Love one another as I have loved you" - John 15:12, New Testament (‘Injil’)
In RE lessons, pupils are helped to gain confidence in asking questions, seeking answers and reflecting on their own experiences – this is facilitated by ‘a key question’ which is shared within each lesson. We promote opportunities for our pupils to be reflective, respectful and spiritual.
The school uses the LDBS scheme of work for Religious Education. This means that our Religious Education Teaching covers two thirds Christianity and one third other World Faiths. Religious Education is a core subject in our school curriculum. It is an academic subject.
Across the years, in line with the LDBS scheme of work, we aim:
- to teach the children about Christianity and other major world faiths, and to foster an understanding of and sensitivity towards those with religious beliefs different from one’s own
- to foster spiritual awareness by developing a sense of awe, wonder, mystery, joy and sorrow at the created world
- to develop the ability to think about the questions of belief and value
- for children have the opportunities to learn about and learn from religion
At Stepney Greencoat, Religious Education is taught through stories, questions, books, artefacts, photographs, visits to special places of worship, visiting speakers, drama and role play, music and art. Each religion covered in our Religious Education lessons has a topic box containing artefacts, photographs and helpful activities to deliver the curriculum and provide tangible experiences.
Every classroom also has a Religious Education reflection area which displays a bible, a candle, a cross and a prayer book containing prayers written by the children and staff in the class plus a Religious Education display which supports and celebrates children’s learning and encourages children to share, in written form, their responses to big questions.
At Stepney Greencoat we also celebrate an annual RE day (see our Ofsted/SIAMS page) where children get to explore a whole school concept through a range of exciting activities with the opportunity to share their learning with the whole school in an end of the day assembly.
Religious Education – "Learning Together for Life"
Learning: Religious Education is a core subject in our school which we carefully plan, deliver and assess to allow each child to reach their full learning potential.
Together: The words of Robert Runcie are very significant with regard to the position of Church of England schools: “A Church school nourishes Christians in their faith, encourages those of other faiths and challenges those with no faith.” We are blessed that we serve such a diverse community of children and families and Religious Education is a key way in which we promote our values of respect, friendship and love towards one another.
Life: Through our teaching of Religious Education we encourage children to look outwards to the lives of others, and inwards at their own lives. We hope that this helps to shape our children to become reflective, respectful and tolerant citizens of the multi- faith world they live in.
