My name is Mrs Foulkes and I am the lead for Religious Education at school. The following information will give you an overview of Religious education (RE) at Lydiate Primary School.

The Lydiate Child

At Lydiate, we learn about the beliefs and teachings of lots of religions. Our learning begins in nursery and continues into EYFS, KS1 and KS2. We believe RE is an important subject in its own right and also makes a unique contribution to the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils and supports wider community cohesion.

Our Curriculum Drivers

Our Curriculum is driven around the three principles which make up our school motto: Inspire, Achieve, Prepare for Life. We start every lesson by setting the learning intention, explaining clearly why we are learning a concept, and drawing specifically on previous learning to help us.

Inspiring our pupils - The Intent

RE is an integral part of our curriculum at Lydiate Primary School and we aim to motivate and inspire children through learning that engages and challenges all children. We aim to develop a curiosity and fascination about the world that the children live in and help them to enjoy learning about different communities. The UK has a rich heritage of culture and diversity. Religion and belief for many people forms a crucial part of their culture and identity. Religion and beliefs have become more visible in public life locally, nationally and internationally. The impact of religion on society and public life is constantly brought to public attention through extensive media coverage. The rapid pace of development in scientific and medical technologies and the environmental debate continue to present new issues which raise religious, moral and social questions. The internet enables learning and encourages participation in public discussion of issues in a new and revolutionary way.

Our RE curriculum is designed to deepen knowledge and develop key skills. We aim to ensure effective progression within each RE unit and across all year groups with our school mission statement at the centre: 'Inspire, Achieve, Prepare for life'. By Inspiring our children about RE; promote academic and personal achievement/development through RE and to help prepare our children for life in a diverse society with many different faiths/beliefs; Contributing to the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of our children thus promoting a caring school community cohesion; Developing respect and sensitivity to others, in particular those whose faiths and beliefs are different to our own.

Ensuring Our Pupils Achieve - The Implementation

We use the Sefton Scheme for teaching RE at Lydiate Primary for EYFS, KS1 and KS2. In nursery, we incorporate objectives from 'Development Matters' and 'Early Learning Goals' for our EYFS children. These documents can be found at the bottom of this page. We want our children to leave each phase of their learning ready for the next.

As with all subjects, in RE we implement an inclusive curriculum that meets the statutory requirements of the National Curriculum. We have designed a bespoke curriculum for all of our pupils using the Sefton scheme, identifying key areas of knowledge and skills to be learnt. Our lessons incorporate assessment opportunities in which we can identify any misconceptions for any pupils and address as necessary as well as taking all of our learning further. Our curriculum is well-planned and provides literacy-rich opportunities to apply our writing skills. 

Our RE curriculum promotes children’s Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural development, ensuring that they are reflective and responsible citizens. 

Preparing Our Pupils for Life - The Impact

Religion and beliefs inform our values and are reflected in what we say and how we behave. RE is an important subject in itself, developing an individual’s knowledge and understanding of the religions and beliefs which form part of contemporary society. Religious education provokes challenging questions about the ultimate meaning and purpose of life, beliefs about God, the self and the nature of reality, issues of right and wrong, and what it means to be human.

It can develop pupils’ knowledge and understanding of Christianity, of other principal religions, other religious traditions and worldviews that offer answers to questions such as these. RE also contributes to pupils’ personal development and well-being and to community cohesion by promoting mutual respect and tolerance in a diverse society. RE can also make important contributions to other parts of the school curriculum such as citizenship, personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE education), the humanities, education for sustainable development and others. It offers opportunities for personal reflection and spiritual development, deepening the understanding of the significance of religion in the lives of others – individually, communally and cross-culturally.

Want To Know More?

Any Parent/Carer who wishes to know more about our RE curriculum can make an appointment to see Mrs Foulkes. Parents/Carers do have the right to withdraw their child from all or part of the RE Curriculum. Please do come and speak to Mrs Foulkes if you have a question about this. Please contact the school office. There are also some useful documents and websites below.

Many thanks.