RE

Primary

Religious Education at Merchants' Academy Primary.

Our RE curriculum aims to provide children for success in later life. We aim to support all children to celebrate their diversity and support their spiritual development. Our curriculum provides opportunities for our pupils to learn about different faiths, traditions, and beliefs. We celebrate differences in our diverse local and global communities and aim to challenge stereotypes. The RE curriculum we deliver is vital in developing the personal social, moral, and spiritual development of our pupils and is reflective of our British and school values. We aim to make RE a learning experience to look forward to that encourages deeper questioning and critical thinking.

Our RE curriculum is delivered using a rigorously planned and DfE approved scheme of work that ensures thorough coverage of the National Curriculum- Discovery RE. This curriculum design deepens children’s knowledge year on year, leaving pupils with secure subject knowledge by Year 6. Discovery RE develops our understanding through “big questions”, which direct children’s learning each term. Our units focus on critical thinking skills, on personal reflection into the child’s own thoughts and feelings, on growing subject knowledge and nurturing spiritual development. We have adapted this curriculum by supplementing it with extra activities planned to celebrate religious festivals which reflect the increasing diversity of our community in South Bristol.

Each half termly unit is taught around a framework of:

-Engagement

-investigation

-evaluation

-expression

Our teaching of RE is responsive and dynamic to the changing needs of our pupils. We are flexible in adding tailored learning opportunities, planned by the teachers who know the environment and the families we serve. 

 

Secondary

Years 7 and 8

Topics studied and content covered include:

Year 7

Year 8

In Year 7 students study a variety of topics closely linked with Religion, Culture and Citizenship. Students look at religions of the world and what it means to be a global citizen. Look at key issues and questions of life and death.

In Year 8 students look at issues such as prejudice and discrimination and complete a study on Islam and islamophobia. Students also study key issues and debates around topics such as abortion and euthanasia and the religious arguments and debates surrounding them.

 

Years 9 - 13

Students study RE in all years at Merchants’ Academy to ensure that they have an understanding of all religions and how their beliefs and practices feed into everyday life. Our course follows the main concepts of the locally agreed syllabus and allows students time to discuss and debate religious and philosophical concepts such as whether there is life after death, what morality is and how religious considerations factor into relationships and life choices of different groups of people.