Religious Education

"Pupils are inspired by Religious Education (RE) and recognise it as a safe place to confidently explore their own faith and that of other people. This multi-faith school allows pupils from a wide variety of backgrounds to learn about each other’s faiths in an atmosphere of mutual respect and friendship."

SIAMS Report January 2020

We live in a multi-faith world, and I believe that it is important that all children gain a greater and clearer understanding of these different faiths. Religious Education plays an important role within the life of our school, it actively supports the values of the school and the curriculum by promoting the values of justice, trust, respect and the care of all that is around us.

Throughout their time at St Margaret’s our children learn from and about Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism and Humanism.

These faiths are taught throughout the school, using the Emmanuel Project, which is based on the Suffolk Agreed Syllabus. Each half term the children learn and focus on a key belief or concept, which is central to the teaching and learning. These concepts are explored through different faiths throughout the child’s RE Learning Journey. The enquiry cycle model is used to develop each unit - Engage, Enquire, Explore, Evaluate and Express. Each unit helps to develop the children’s thinking and shows progression within RE. Within the lessons the children have the opportunity to learn through a variety of ways, including Drama, Art, Writing, small group discussions and music. In EYFS, the Teachers carefully document the pupils' learning via our whole school Assessment Tool - Learning Ladders. In Key Stage 1, the children's Learning Journey is recorded via detail whole Class Books. The pupils in Key Stage 2, are provided with individual exercise books, in which they are able to take ownership of how their Learning Journey is recorded. This is a space for them to express their thoughts, opinions and questions that they may have, and they reflect the knowledge and understanding that the children have gained.

RE places specific emphasis on the children valuing themselves and others, on the role of the family and the community in religious belief and activity, on the celebration of diversity in society through understanding similarities and differences, and on human stewardship of the earth. Many of our children are keen to share with their peers, their own experiences from home, and how they celebrate their faith within their family.