Religious Education

Religious Education in Thurrock is delivered from an agreed syllabus which is a statutory document. The requirements of the document do not apply in full to Treetops as a Special School, however we must deliver RE ‘as far as practicable’ to meet the entitlement and needs of our pupils.

We believe that RE is an important subject for pupils with learning difficulties:

Learning about religion and learning from religion are important for all pupils, as RE helps pupils develop an understanding of themselves and others. RE promotes the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of individuals and of groups and communities.
In particular, RE offers pupils with learning difficulties opportunities to:

• Develop their self –confidence and awareness
• Understand the world they live in as individuals and as members of groups
• Bring their own experiences and understanding of life into the classroom
• Develop positive attitudes towards others, respecting their beliefs and experience
• Reflect on and consider their own values and those of others
• Deal with issues that form the basis for personal choices and behaviours

(Extract taken from Planning, Teaching and Assessing the curriculum for pupils with learning difficulties – Religious Education)

In the Primary Department the curriculum is delivered from a published scheme- LCP RE Resource File which is fully compatible with the National Framework for Religious Education and the agreed syllabus for Thurrock. All of the lessons are modified where necessary to meet the needs and understanding of the children.
In the Foundation Stage, children are developing the knowledge, skills and understanding that help them to make sense of the world, give them a positive sense of self and their culture.
In KS1 Pupils learn about features of Christianity that they are likely to encounter in their own experience e.g. Christmas, Easter, Weddings, Baptisms. Throughout the Key Stage the children are introduced to other faiths, their beliefs and practices through stories and festivals.
During KS2, in addition to Christianity pupils learn about two of the worlds oldest religious traditions: Judaism and Hinduism. By the end of the Key Stage pupils should have developed a degree of understanding of some of the central beliefs and practices of these religions.
During KS3 pupils deepen their understanding of Christianity and explore some of the main features of three other major religions: Islam, Sikhism and Buddhism. Pupils begin to appreciate the wide variance within every faith, both in religious practice and in the way that the central beliefs are interpreted and lived out.
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