Religious Education
Subject Essence
Our ethos is to: ‘Aspire for all our children to have a love of learning and curiosity about the world we live in’ and ‘provide a broad and balanced curriculum that provides core learning and life skills for the world tomorrow.
Ash Green Primary Academy is made up of staff and pupils who come from different faith groups or who have no recognised faith group. Our Religious Education teaching and learning aims to celebrate our diversity and provide an opportunity for all members of our school community to explore, challenge and reflect upon religious issues.
Our Core Values are:
- brave
- creative
- caring
- humble
- inquisitive
- independent
Religious Education makes a positive contribution towards promoting and achieving these aims and values by:
- Enabling children to learn in an engaging and interactive manner
- Encouraging a curiosity about life’s “big questions”
- Fostering respect for others regardless of race, faith, gender, age or disabilty. By studying other faiths and visiting their places of worship, children are helped to see the contribution each one makes and to develop an attitude of respect and tolerance
- Engagement with charitable activities related to human disasters and conflicts and needs fosters a caring and compassionate attitude
- Promoting the importance of the individual, aiding the development of a positive, confident and resourceful self image
Curriculum Content and Progression
Policies and Supporting Documents
Non Proselytising
In line with government directives regarding an Agreed Syllabus, the teaching of RE at Ash Green is not designed to convert pupils or to urge a particular religion or religious beliefs on pupils.
Withdrawal of Children From Religious Education Lessons
Religious Education is provided for all pupils except for those withdrawn at the request of their parents. Parents have the right to withdraw their child from some or all RE lessons and activities. At Ash Green, teachers and the RE co-ordinator engage in discussion with the parents to explore
- whether or not withdrawal is the only option
- ways to accommodate the family’s beliefs within the lessons
- practical arrangements for withdrawal if this is seen as the only option
Note – where pupils are withdrawn from RE, schools have a duty to supervise them, though not to provide alternative teaching/activities.