Welcome to the R.E area of our website!

The subject leader for R.E at St James' is Mr Barker.

Our Christian Vision for Religious Education.

At St. James', Religious Education is at the heart of our Christian vision and enables every child to flourish. Through high-quality Religious Eduction, we nurture curiosity, wisdom, compassion and respect, helping pupils to grow academically, spiritually, morally and culturally through the Questful R.E. curriculum. Pupils are encouraged to respectfully question all aspects of their lives and the paths they choose to follow.  We ask big questions, thinking from a philosophical, theological and social science perspective.

Our RE curriculum is rooted in the teachings and person of Jesus Christ whilst welcoming and valuing the diversity of faiths, beliefs and world views within our community and the wider world. We aim to create an environment of generous hospitality where all children feel safe to ask questions, reflect deeply and develop their own understanding of faith, meaning and purpose, being respectful of all faiths and beliefs.  

Through engaging and thought-provoking learning, pupils develop a rich knowledge of Christianity as a diverse living faith and gain an informed understanding of a range of religions and world views. We encourage children to think critically, speak respectfully and engage in meaningful dialogue, enabling them to become compassionate citizens who value dignity, justice and living well together.  

We believe RE should inspire awe and wonder, deepen spirituality and equip children with the wisdom and confidence to navigate an increasingly diverse world with kindness, respect and hope.

Snapshot of Religious Eduction

We follow the Blackburn Diocesan Board of Education Questful RE curriculum. Questful RE is an enquiry-based and balanced Religious Education curriculum that encourages pupils to explore big questions about faith, belief, meaning and purpose. Rooted in the Church of England’s RE Statement of Entitlement, the curriculum develops children’s knowledge and understanding of Christianity as a living faith whilst also providing opportunities to learn about other world religions and worldviews.

Through engaging discussion, reflection and investigation, pupils are encouraged to think critically, ask thoughtful questions and develop their own responses in a respectful and supportive environment. Questful RE prepares children for citizenship in today’s diverse society by promoting sensitivity, empathy and respect for others, enabling them to appreciate difference and live well together in a multicultural world.

Where Does R.E. begin at St James'?

Reception follow the EYFS framework, which is structured very differently to the national curriculum. It is organised across seven areas of learning rather than subject areas. The most relevant areas of learning linked to Religious Eduction are: Understanding the World, Expressive Arts and Design, Personal, Social and Emotional Development.

In EYFS, Religious Education is taught through a play-based, experiential and enquiry-led approach that reflects the Early Years Foundation Stage framework. Children begin to explore Christianity and other faiths through stories, role-play, discussion, songs, celebrations and hands-on experiences.

Learning is rooted in children’s own experiences and encourages curiosity, imagination and wonder about the world around them. Through activities such as exploring special places, celebrating festivals, listening to Bible stories and talking about feelings, relationships and belonging, children begin to develop an understanding of faith, values and respect for others. As a Church of England school, our pupils develop a familiarity with stories that Jesus heard and told and why they are important. RE in Reception supports children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and helps lay the foundations for empathy, reflection and understanding in a diverse world.

Our Learning 2024-25

Our Learning 2023-24

Good News  24.11.23

In year 2,  we have been exploring the good news that the birth of Jesus brought to people around the world.  We shared our own good news in class and were asked to help Mrs Jacques with the good news section of our Friday worship.  It was lots of fun and we felt really special being able to celebrate the good news of others.

Interfaith Week - 12-19th November

St James' will be spending Interfaith Week exploring the world faiths.  We will be taking part in lots of research and discussion and will be making links throughout with Christianity or between faiths as they arise.

THE AIMS OF THE WEEK ARE TO:

• Strengthen good inter faith relations at all levels

• Increase awareness of the different and distinct faith communities in the UK, in particular celebrating and building on the contribution which their members make to their neighbourhoods and to wider society

• Increase understanding between people of religious and non-religious beliefs

Reception Class - Diwali

Clever Cub wanted to find out about a festival that his friend was celebrating. It is called Diwali. Diwali is known as the Festival of Light and it is celebrated by Hindus in Autumn to celebrate a new year. Reception Class learnt that Hindus draw bright Rangoli patterns on the floor, near the front door to encourage the Goddess Lakshmi to go into their homes.

Reception Class enjoyed painting Rangoli patterns.

Year 3 - Exploring World Faiths

Year 3 used their interfaith week lesson to independently explore world faiths and create posters which they then shared with the class.

The Golden Rule - Year 2 and Year 6

Year 2 and Year 6 explored 'The Golden Rule'.  They discussed the similarities and differences between the rules for different religions and then created posters to show their understanding.

Year 4 - Interfaith Research Project

Year 4 split into groups to investigate and research world faiths.  They used different resources (such as books and I pads) to gather the information and then presented their findings to the class on posters they had created.

Year 4 are lucky to have children of faiths in addition to christianity and these children happily and confidently shared their knowledge.

Year 4 Re-enactment of David and Goliath!

 We studied “David and Goliath” in RE. We summarised the key points of the story in a comic strip drawing. Once we had established the most important people and what happens from the beginning to the end we started a drama piece. We worked with Miss Fitz who taught us the drama skills needed to turn our comic strip into a short performance. We performed as each character and discussed what emotions they might show. We worked in groups to add movement and dialogue to our performance. We then added props and costumes to our drama pieces to make the performances more believable. We performed our finishes pieces in groups to the rest of the class.

Year 4 Bible Detectives

Year 4 are also looking at 'The Church' right from it's very beginning with the stories of Peter and the other disciples continuing to spread the word of God after Jesus' death and resurrection.  We created power point presentations about places of worship around the world.

Change The World

The spring term sees a bit of a shake up of our RE curriculum, with a few units being taught that haven't been before.  However, year 6 have been looking at their 'Change the World' unit which they are really enjoying.  They have discussed who has tried to implement change and why and in turn how they themselves can have an impact on the world we live in today.  

The children have researched influential people from around the world and rewrote the Martin Luther King's  'I Have a Dream' speech.

Year 6 - Advent

Year 6 have created poems based on the lessons they have learned during Advent.

I have added a few of them below for you to enjoy.