RE

Intent

At Parrett and Axe CE VA Primary School, our intent is to nurture every child’s spiritual growth, helping them to develop self-awareness, empathy, and a reflective approach to life. All that we do is rooted in our core Christian values of Kindness, Courage, Respect, and Equality, which are taught in the context of Christian beliefs and practice and supported by Understanding Christianity.

We are committed to fostering the spiritual, emotional, moral, social, cultural, physical, and academic development of each unique child, enabling them to experience life in all its fullness. Through their RE learning, pupils are taught to be compassionate, caring, and reflective, inspired by the Biblical teaching:

“Love your neighbour as yourself.” (Luke 10:27)

Our RE curriculum is designed to give pupils a deep understanding of Christianity alongside knowledge of other world faiths and worldviews. It aims to help children become thoughtful, informed, and respectful individuals, able to explore life’s big questions and reflect on their own values and beliefs.

We focus on three key strands of knowledge:

• Substantive Knowledge – Core content, concepts, and vocabulary about religious and non-religious beliefs and practices.

• Disciplinary Knowledge – How we study religion, developing enquiry, interpretation, and evaluation skills.

• Personal Knowledge – Encouraging self-awareness and reflection on personal values, beliefs, and assumptions.

Our aim is for all pupils to leave Parrett and Axe:

• Knowledgeable and curious about a range of religions and worldviews.

• Respectful and empathetic towards others with different beliefs.

• Equipped with critical thinking skills to engage thoughtfully with religious and philosophical questions.

Implementation

Our RE curriculum is based on the Dorset Agreed Syllabus and enriched through Understanding Christianity and Discovery RE materials, which provide a coherent and progressive framework.

Key features include:

• Early Years: Pupils begin learning about celebrations and festivals, comparing similarities and differences between their own experiences and those of others. They retell stories through play, role-play, and storytelling, with observations recorded in Tapestry to track understanding.

• Key Stage 1 and 2: Pupils follow a two-year rolling programme that develops depth and progression. Christianity is taught as a spiral theme, interwoven with studies of other major world religions to build a broad understanding of global diversity. Lessons include enquiry-based learning, artefacts, digital resources, and collaborative activities.

• Community Links: We maintain strong partnerships with local churches, including Mosterton Church and Beaminster Churches, led by Revd David Baldwin. Children regularly participate in church services, faith team meetings, and classroom sessions enriched by church leaders.

• Teaching and Assessment: Teachers creatively adapt plans to meet class needs, ensuring lessons are practical and engaging. RE books/folders, pupil voice, and book studies are used to assess knowledge retention, progression, and to strengthen long-term memory.

Through this approach, children are encouraged to:

• Ask meaningful and challenging questions.

• Use precise religious vocabulary confidently.

• Express their own views respectfully and listen to those of others.

Impact

By the time they leave Parrett and Axe, pupils will:

• Describe and make meaningful connections between religious and non-religious beliefs and practices.

• Recognise and explain links between stories, traditions, and actions in faith communities.

• Explore and evaluate beliefs, values, and practices with curiosity and empathy.

• Appreciate diversity and understand the importance of mutual respect in a multi-faith world.

• Discuss and present thoughtful views on religion, faith, and morality.

• Understand the challenges of faith and commitment and its impact on community life.

Our RE curriculum equips pupils with knowledge, critical thinking skills, and respect for diversity, empowering them to become thoughtful, compassionate members of society who are confident in navigating life’s big questions.