Religious Education (RE)

Religious Education Curriculum at Smallwood

At Smallwood Primary School, our Religious Education (RE) curriculum is designed to develop successful learners who possess a respectful, multi-faceted understanding of the diverse beliefs that shape contemporary society. Our curriculum is strictly inclusive and impartial, providing a balanced exploration of the six major world religions—Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Sikhism, and Buddhism.

It is really interesting learning about what other people around the world and in this country do to celebrate their beliefs.

 By investigating these various perspectives without bias, we ensure that pupils can navigate the complexities of faith, identity, and belonging in a neutral and supportive environment. The curriculum is structured as a coherent journey where skills are revisited and deepened over time. In Year 1, children begin with foundational skills, such as identifying what makes the world special and exploring various creation stories. As they progress, these skills evolve into interpreting religious metaphors in Year 3, comparing global festivals in Year 4, and ultimately analysing sacred texts and exploring complex themes like "What happens when we die?" in Year 6.

To ensure this deep understanding, our RE teaching is underpinned by the Smallwood Framework for Effective Learning and Teaching, which focuses on building a robust schema of knowledge. Because we believe that "learning is a change in long-term memory," every lesson begins by recapping prior learning and using retrieval strategies to support the working memory. Teachers follow a flexible process that begins with Direct Instruction (I DO), where new content and specialist vocabulary are explicitly taught while managing cognitive load. This is followed by Guided Instruction (WE DO), where modelling is used to break down thinking processes and address planned misconceptions. Finally, during Independent Practice (YOU DO), children are encouraged to lead their own learning, take risks, and apply their insights to their own lives and the wider world. This framework, enriched by hands-on experiences with religious artefacts and visits to local places of worship, ensures that all pupils develop the high self-efficacy needed to become reflective and compassionate global citizens

Equality and Sikhism are linked because Guru’s respected everyone regardless of their religion, caste or what they looked like. Everyone was treated fairly.