Religious Education
Religious Education At St Stephen's
Our school community contains representatives from many different nationalities, cultures and faith groups. As a Church of England school we aim to offer a welcoming and inclusive environment for all our pupils, including new arrivals and non-native English speakers in our community. We believe that Religious Education provides an opportunity to celebrate and foster awareness of these differences within our school.
Our aim is that through R.E. we help pupils to develop a positive attitude towards other people, respecting their right to hold different beliefs from their own, and towards living in a society of many religions and beliefs.
Religious Education is the study of religions, their beliefs, traditions, practices and the nurturing of spirituality and self-awareness. At St Stephen’s two thirds of R.E. teaching is of a Christian nature. The other third covers the remaining 5 major world faiths (Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism and Sikhism). At St Stephen’s it is taught in accordance with the Southwark Diocesan Board Agreed Syllabus.
See the table below to see an overview of the topics taught.
|
Year group |
Autumn |
Spring |
Summer |
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1 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
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|
Reception |
Who made the wonderful world? |
Why is Christmas special for Christians? |
Who cares for this special world? |
Easter Story |
How did Jesus rescue people? |
Why do Christians believe Jesus is special? |
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|
Year 1 |
What responsibility has God given people about taking care of Creation? |
Noah (2 weeks) |
Nativity Characters
|
What is it like to live as a Jew?
|
The 10 commandments (2 weeks) |
Why is Easter the most important festival for Christians? |
The Parables of Jesus |
What do Sikhs believe? |
|
Year 2 |
What does it mean to be a Sikh? |
Why are Saints important to Christianity? (2 weeks) |
Where is the light of Christmas? |
What does the Lord’s Prayer mean?
|
The School’s own Saint (2 weeks)
Church visit |
How do Easter symbols help us to understand the true meaning of Easter? |
Why are they having a Jewish party? |
Christian Baptism and Marriage
Church visit |
|
Year 3 |
The Bible |
Wisdom (including Proverbs) (2 weeks) |
How do Advent and Epiphany show us what Christmas is really about? |
What is Buddhism?
|
What are the Beatitudes and what do they mean to Christians? (2 weeks) |
Easter people - who is the most important person in the Easter story?
Church visit |
People from the Old Testament |
What does it mean to be a Muslim? |
|
Year 4 |
What does it mean to be a Buddhist?
|
Remembrance (2 weeks)
Church visit |
Jesus and the gift of Peace - is peace the most important message at Christmas? |
The 5 Pillars of Islam - why are they important to Muslims? |
Should every Christian go on a Pilgrimage? (2 weeks) |
Holy Communion
Father Philip session in school |
Liturgy Church visit |
Who is Jesus? (I am sayings) |
|
Year 5 |
What are the miracles of Jesus? |
Jesus’ new commandment and the 2 greatest commandments (2 weeks)
|
How would Christians advertise Christmas/What does Christmas mean today? |
What does it mean to be a Jew?
|
The Contemporary Anglican Church (2 weeks)
Father Philip session in school |
What happens in Churches at Easter? |
What is the importance of symbols, belief and teaching in Hinduism? |
The journey of Life and Death (must include Sikhism)
Church visit |
|
Year 6 |
Understanding faith in the local community (must include Sikhism) |
What makes a Christian? (2 weeks) |
Christmas though Music and Art Church visit with organist |
What does it mean to be a Hindu? |
What do the Monastic traditions within Christianity show us about living in community? (2 weeks)
Father Philip session in school |
Easter hope |
How has the Christian message survived for over 2000 years?
Father Philip session in school |
Rules and Responsibilities: ‘Who decides?’ (must include Sikhism) |