RE at Eynesbury CofE Primary School

Religious Education is an important part of life at Eynesbury CofE Primary school. RE plays a vital role in preparing our children to live confidently and respectfully in our rapidly changing and increasingly diverse world.

We follow the Locally Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education and the Statement of Entitlement for RE, using Understanding Christianity as a resource to inform and support our teaching pedagogy and delivery. Our RE curriculum is rich in carefully sequenced and clearly defined knowledge, enabling children to develop a deep understanding of religious and non-religious worldviews. We want our children to flourish both within education and beyond, developing the knowledge, understanding and respect they need to become thoughtful and responsible citizens.

In line with our Christian vision, “Love your neighbour as yourself” (Matthew 22:39), we provide opportunities for children to develop understanding, respect and compassion towards others. RE encourages children to ask questions, explore ideas and engage in thoughtful discussion and debate, while listening respectfully to the beliefs and perspectives of others. We want our children to understand and value people whose beliefs and experiences may be different from their own.

Our RE curriculum is carefully sequenced from Nursery through to Year 6, ensuring that children's knowledge and understanding develops progressively throughout their time at Eynesbury. Our curriculum delivers 60% of our teaching focuses on Christianity and 40% on other faiths, religions and worldviews. This gives children a secure understanding of Christianity while also developing their knowledge and appreciation of the diverse beliefs and worldviews they may encounter in their lives.

All teachers take responsibility for the planning and delivery of RE, with every class receiving at least one hour of dedicated RE teaching each week. Our curriculum is built around prior learning, with children regularly retrieving and revisiting key knowledge so that they are ready to make new connections. Understanding Christianity supports this incremental approach, giving pupils repeated opportunities to secure, deepen and build upon their understanding.

Across Nursery to Year 6, children follow a carefully developed journey through the biblical story, exploring the key concepts of Creation, God, Incarnation, Gospel and Salvation. This consistent journey helps children to recognise connections between different areas of their learning, while enabling teachers to track progression and develop increasingly sophisticated understanding as children move through the school.

Alongside Christianity, we have made thoughtful choices about the wider faiths and worldviews included in our curriculum. These choices reflect both the importance of religious literacy and the diverse communities in which our children live, reflecting the demographic composition of our local community in St Neots and Huntingdonshire. For instance, we have integrated Islam into our curriculum for Years 1, 2, 4, and 6, recognising that this is the second predominant faith of our local community. This approach not only acknowledges the rich diversity of beliefs in our area but also helps our students develop a meaningful understanding of the experiences and perspectives of their peers. Latest demographics for St Neots and Huntingdonshire also however show that over half of the population have no religious beliefs and as a result we believe it is vitally important to teach our children about Christianity and World faiths to give them a broad and balanced understanding of the world around them.

In Year 5, children also explore Humanism, broadening their understanding beyond religious belief to consider non-religious worldviews. After developing their knowledge of a range of religious traditions, children are given opportunities to explore questions about life, morality, meaning and ethics from a non-religious perspective. This supports our aim of preparing children to engage thoughtfully and respectfully with the wide range of beliefs and worldviews they may encounter in modern society.

Ultimately, we want our RE curriculum to inspire curiosity, respect and thoughtful questioning. We want children to leave Eynesbury with a secure knowledge of Christianity, an understanding of a range of other faiths and worldviews, and the confidence to engage respectfully with people whose beliefs may be different from their own. In doing so, we aim to live out our Christian vision: “Love your neighbour as yourself.” 

Religious Education encourages children to explore religions, engage with their knowledge, and reflect on their learning and their lives.

It teaches children the importance of showing respect to all, regardless of their beliefs and traditions. Children are encouraged to explore their own beliefs, sharing their own thoughts and ideas and asking questions in a safe environment where they know they will not be judged.

Our Curriculum Intent Statement

At Eynesbury Church of England Primary School, our curriculum has been designed to ensure each and every child can ‘live life in all its fullness’ by offering stimulating and awe inspiring learning experiences  with Christian values at  its heart. We aim to deliver a curriculum that provides our children with rich knowledge and skills. It gives them the opportunities to develop into well rounded individuals  ready for each stage in their learning journey.

'OUR PUPILS LEAVE EYNESBURY AS RESPECTFUL, GOOD CITIZENS WITH GOOD MEMORIES, A THIRST FOR LEARNING AND LIFE AND ALL IT HAS TO OFFER.'

Right of withdrawal

Parents and carers have the right to withdraw their children from all or any part of RE.  Requests for this should be made in writing to the head teacher.  

RE - Vision, Intent, Implementation and Impact