RE
At Highfields Academy, we are committed to fostering respect and tolerance for a diverse range of cultures and religions, equipping our pupils to thrive in an ever-changing, multicultural world. We provide opportunities for our children to explore, question and engage with meaningful religious contexts, encouraging curiosity and reflection.
Our approach to religious education follows a clear, logical progression, building on pupils' prior knowledge and personal experiences. By introducing new ideas and information, we aim to deepen their understanding of world religions and encourage connections between different belief systems.
To actively engage and inspire pupils, we incorporate high-quality stimuli, artefacts and, where possible, immersive experiences such as visits and guest speakers. These hands-on, real-world encounters help contextualize their learning and enrich their understanding of religion. We draw on our local community and also explore broader perspectives to ensure a truly diverse educational experience.
Our RE curriculum is aligned with the agreed local syllabus, Engaging Encounters, Reasoned Responses, Connecting Communities, developed by the Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education (SACRE). This syllabus will guide our approach until 2027, encouraging pupils to tackle thought-provoking questions about meaning, purpose, beliefs and ethics, as well as the nature of humanity.
Six broad themes are used to create enquiry questions that thread through and connect content from EYFS to Year 6.
God the world and self: What do people believe about God, the world and the self?
Authority: Who/what do people follow? Why? How do people interact with sources of authority?
Personal Belief: How do my personal beliefs affect the way life is lived?
Marking life’s journey: How does my worldview affect how I mark life’s journey?
Religious/Non-religious Worldview in the wider world: How does my worldview relate to the wider world?
Belonging: What does it mean to belong to a Religious/Non-religious community?
Please refer to the documents below for further information about how this curriculum will be implemented in our school.
The right for parents to withdraw their children from Religious Education (RE) dates back to 1944 when RE was referred to as 'Religious Instruction,' often associated with Christian faith induction. However, RE has evolved significantly since then. Today, it includes a broad study of world religions and non-religious worldviews, allowing pupils to learn about and from diverse religious traditions without being inducted into any particular faith.
In the UK, more than 70 years later, parents retain the right to withdraw their children from RE if they wish to provide their own religious education. This right applies to all schools, regardless of religious designation and parents can also choose to withdraw their child from specific parts of the RE curriculum.
While we firmly believe our RE curriculum offers valuable educational opportunities for all pupils, should you wish to withdraw your child from any or all of the RE lessons, please contact Vicki Hughes, Headteacher, at [email protected].