Religious Education

At West Earlham Junior School, we aim for the students to have an understanding of and respect for all religions as well as a range of religious and non-religious worldviews. We will inspire students to inquire about different cultures and ways of life. Students will be informed about and respectful of a range of religions and religious practices. They will become critical thinkers and develop an understanding of their own positionality in the pluralist world they live in. 

We will do this through;

  • An inquiry based curriculum which encourages students to ask informed, structured questions and develop an interest in religion and worldviews, even if they do not agree with its beliefs.
  • Thought provoking questions that encourage students to find their own answers and question the world around them.
  • Key learning experiences to religious buildings and places of worship where they will be given great insight into religion outside of the classroom. They will recall important events and practices through these experiences.
  • Rich resources from each religion and worldviews to provoke conversation and build understanding which will enhance learning.

By the end of Key Stage Two we want our students to;

  • Build a bank of knowledge (including substantive, disciplinary and abstract concepts**) about a range of religions and worldviews, including how people of these views practise their beliefs.
  • Be confident in their own identity and beliefs, and understand their place within the world, feeling content with their own uniqueness. This will grow students’ personal knowledge over time.
  • Value difference and diversity within their own and different communities, showing tolerance for differences.
  • Display open mindedness and curiosity about different religions and world views.
  • Be confident in their ability and capacity to respond to questions of meaning and purpose. This will be achieved by students learning to use a range of ways of knowing (methodologies linked to each disciplinary lens) through the study of a range of religions and worldviews.

Our ultimate aim is to increase the religious literacy of our students, so they hold enough knowledge and understanding of a range of religions and worldviews to hold balance and informed conversations about belief.

** Substantive knowledge are the facts linked to a religion or worldview.  Disciplinary knowledge is the connection of substantive knowledge to the disciplinary lens.  Abstract concepts can be universal e.g. light, religious e.g pilgrimage or specifically religious e.g incarnation in Christianity.

By the end of Key Stage Two we want our students to;

  • Build a bank of knowledge about a range of religions and worldviews, including how people of these views practise their beliefs.
  • Be confident in their own identity and beliefs, and understand their place within the world, feeling content with their own uniqueness.
  • Value difference and diversity within their own and different communities, showing tolerance for differences.
  • Display open mindedness and curiosity about different religions and world views.
  • Be confident in their ability and capacity to respond to questions of meaning and purpose.

Back to Curriculum Subjects page or visit another subject page by clicking on the list below:

West Earlham Junior School
Scarnell Road, Norwich NR5 8HT

Telephone: 01603 454569
Email: office@westearlhamjunior.norfolk.sch.uk

Headteacher: Mrs Catrin Eyers
School Business Manager: Mrs Beverley Savage