RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
At Shamblehurst Primary School, Religious Education (RE) plays a vital role in preparing children for life in modern Britain. Through our RE curriculum, we encourage pupils to develop curiosity, respect and understanding of different beliefs, values and ways of life, while reflecting on their own experiences, beliefs and worldview. RE contributes significantly to pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural (SMSC) development and supports our commitment to nurturing thoughtful, respectful and responsible citizens.
Our Agreed Syllabus: Living Difference IV
RE is taught through Living Difference IV, the agreed syllabus for Religious Education used across Hampshire, Southampton, Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight. Living Difference IV presents RE as an academic discipline that enables pupils to engage with religious and non-religious worldviews through enquiry, reflection and dialogue.
The syllabus is built around the principle that children learn best when they explore human experiences and consider how people make sense of life. Rather than simply learning facts about religions, pupils investigate concepts that are important in human life, such as belonging, celebration, justice, compassion, authority, sacrifice and freedom. Through these enquiries, children deepen their understanding of both religious traditions and their own developing worldview.
How Living Difference IV Supports Learning
Living Difference IV is underpinned by a clear cycle of enquiry that encourages pupils to:
Communicate their own knowledge, experiences and questions.
Apply their understanding to different contexts and situations.
Inquire into religious and non-religious worldviews through meaningful questions.
Contextualise their learning by exploring beliefs, practices and traditions within lived communities.
Evaluate different perspectives and reflect critically on their own thinking.
This approach promotes deep thinking, respectful discussion and the development of disciplinary knowledge through theology, philosophy and human/social sciences. Children learn to ask thoughtful questions, consider different viewpoints, use evidence, and articulate their ideas with increasing confidence and sophistication as they move through the school.
A Broad and Inclusive Curriculum
Our RE curriculum reflects the diversity of the world around us and provides opportunities for pupils to study Christianity alongside a range of other religious and non-religious worldviews. Learning is enriched through visitors, artefacts, stories, celebrations, visits to places of worship and engagement with real-life experiences, enabling children to appreciate both diversity and common humanity.
Through Living Difference IV, pupils develop:
Knowledge and understanding of a range of religions and worldviews.
Respect for beliefs and practices that may differ from their own.
Critical thinking, discussion and enquiry skills.
Empathy, tolerance and cultural awareness.
The ability to reflect on significant questions about meaning, purpose, identity and belonging.
The Impact of RE
By the time pupils leave Shamblehurst Primary School, they will have developed a rich understanding of religious and non-religious worldviews and an appreciation of the diverse society in which they live. They will be able to engage respectfully with different perspectives, think critically about complex questions and draw upon their learning to make sense of their own experiences and the wider world.
Through Living Difference IV, RE becomes much more than the study of religion; it provides children with the knowledge, understanding and intellectual confidence to engage positively with life in a diverse and ever-changing society.
