Intent

At St Mary's Church of England Primary School, our Religious Education curriculum is rooted in our distinctively Christian vision and values, aiming to develop religiously literate pupils—children who are able to hold balanced, respectful, and well-informed conversations about religion and worldviews.

Through our RE provision, we seek to nurture pupils who are curious, thoughtful, and open-minded, empowering them to engage with profound questions about life, meaning, and faith. Our curriculum supports our Christian vision by fostering acceptance, understanding, and empathy, enabling children to engage confidently with diversity in beliefs and practices.

• In Key Stage 1, pupils explore religious and non-religious worldviews to build foundational understanding. This includes learning about both Christianity and religions they may be less familiar with, developing appreciation of difference in support of our inclusive Christian ethos.

• In Key Stage 2, pupils deepen their understanding through more complex enquiries and begin to make connections across traditions, building on prior knowledge and the context of our local community.

RE is approached through three disciplinary lenses—theology, philosophy, and human/social sciences—enabling pupils to:

• Know about and understand a range of religious and non-religious worldviews,

• Develop critical thinking skills, and

• Reflect personally and spiritually on beliefs, values, and big questions.

RE makes a significant contribution to the spiritual, moral, social, and cultural (SMSC) development of pupils and is interwoven with our wider curriculum and school vision. It also reflects and promotes our core Christian values of thankfulness, compassion, community, truthfulness, courage, and forgiveness.

Implementation

RE is taught in line with the locally agreed Essex Syllabus, ensuring coverage of Christianity and a broad range of other world religions and non-religious worldviews, including:

• Judaism

• Islam

• Hinduism

• Buddhism

• Sikhism

• Humanism and other philosophical perspectives

Christianity accounts for at least 50% of our curriculum, reflecting our status as a Church of England school, while also ensuring that children develop respectful understanding of the beliefs held by others.

RE is taught weekly and is frequently linked to other subjects and to the school’s Big Questions to enhance cross-curricular learning and deeper thinking.  For pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), our RE curriculum is adapted to be accessible and meaningful, often using sensory and experiential approaches. We recognise that many pupils with additional needs may experience spirituality in profound and unique ways, and our RE lessons create space for these insights to be expressed and valued.  We also provide opportunities for reflection, prayer, and personal response, helping children to make links between what they learn and their own lives.

Impact

Our Religious Education curriculum is underpinned by the truth of Matthew 19:26 —
“With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

This verse reminds us that, through God’s presence and guidance, all children can grow in wisdom, understanding, and character—regardless of background or ability.

Through our RE curriculum, pupils will:

• Develop a deep understanding of religious and non-religious worldviews, enabling them to engage confidently and respectfully with the diverse beliefs and practices they encounter in modern life.

• Become thoughtful, reflective, and compassionate individuals, able to see the world through theological, philosophical, and human/social science perspectives.

• Grow in their ability to ask and explore big questions about life, purpose, and belief, recognising that learning is a journey where faith and understanding can flourish together.

• Be encouraged to reflect on their own beliefs and values, while being open to the perspectives of others—living out our Christian vision of hope, courage, and possibility.

• Develop spiritual resilience and moral integrity, inspired by the understanding that God equips us to face challenges and pursue justice, kindness, and truth in the world.

Our ultimate aim is that children will leave our school not only as academically capable learners, but as hope-filled individuals—ready to engage with the world, empowered by the knowledge that with God, all things are possible.