Religious Education in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)

Religious Education in the EYFS sits firmly within the Personal, Social and Emotional Development (PSED) area of the EYFS Framework. Through RE, children begin to:

• Develop a positive sense of self and others

• Form respectful and meaningful relationships

• Understand and value diversity within their immediate and wider community

• Begin to explore moral and cultural awareness

RE in EYFS introduces children to ideas and experiences that lay the foundation for the multi-disciplinary approach they will encounter in Key Stages 1 and 2—through theology, philosophy, and human/social sciences.

Children begin to explore religion and worldviews by engaging with:

• Important people, places, times, and objects in different faiths and cultures

• Religious and moral stories that raise puzzling, reflective, or meaningful questions

• Specialist words and language, appropriate to their age and development

• Sensory experiences that help them explore and express belief and belonging

• Visits to places of worship and encounters with religious artefacts, food, and music

RE and the Early Learning Goals (ELGs)

RE contributes significantly to the following ELGs:

People, Culture and Communities

• Children describe their immediate environment using observations, discussion, stories, and non-fiction texts.

• They recognise similarities and differences between religious and cultural communities in the UK, based on their own experiences and what has been read or explored in class.

• Children begin to explain some similarities and differences between life in this country and life in others.

Self-Regulation

• Children begin to show an understanding of their own feelings and those of others, and they start to regulate their behaviour accordingly—linking to learning about kindness, compassion, and empathy in RE.

Managing Self

• They understand the reasons for rules, begin to know right from wrong, and try to behave accordingly—reinforced through religious stories and discussion of moral choices.

Managing Relationships and Behaviour

• Children show sensitivity to their own and others' needs, developing respectful behaviour through learning about different beliefs and practices.