Religious Education at Farsley Westroyd Primary School

At Farsley Westroyd Primary School, we aim to deliver an engaging Religious Education (RE) curriculum underpinned by the "Believing and Belonging" syllabus, focusing on fostering pupils' understanding of diverse religions and worldviews. The curriculum is designed to stimulate interest in and nurture empathy towards the diversity within our communities, while supporting students in developing a personal sense of identity and belonging. RE at Westroyd is structured around six learning pathways, inspired by the "Big Ideas" framework, to ensure both a broad and deep understanding of religions and belief systems. Through incremental learning, pupils will explore core concepts and substantive knowledge across various religious and non-religious traditions, ensuring a comprehensive understanding as they progress. This syllabus is committed to enriching students’ experiences by emphasising lived experiences of religious practice, engaging with diverse faith communities, and encouraging critical thinking. Moreover, the curriculum adapts to the diverse needs of all learners, including those in Early Years and those with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), ensuring an inclusive and enriching experience for every child.

RE Pathways

The RE curriculum at Westroyd is built around six key learning pathways, each of which serves as a foundation for progressive understanding and insight into religion and worldviews.

Pathway 1: The Nature of Religion and Belief

Religions/worldviews involve interconnected patterns of beliefs, practices and values. They are also highly diverse and change in response to new situations and challenges. These patterns of diversity and change can be the cause of debate, tension and conflict or result in new, creative developments.

Pathway 2: Expressing Belief

It is often difficult to express deepest beliefs, feelings, emotions and religious experiences using everyday language. Instead, people may use a variety of different approaches including figurative language and a range of literary genres. In addition, people sometimes use non-verbal forms of communication such as art, music, drama and dance that seek to explain or illustrate religious or non-religious ideas or experiences.

Pathway 3: A Good Life

Many people, whether religious or not, strive to live according to what they understand as a good life. Religious and non-religious communities often share an understanding as to the sort of characteristics and behaviours a good person will seek to achieve, as well as dealing with what is, or is not, acceptable moral behaviour. The ideal is usually presented in the lives and character of exemplary members. There are points of agreement and disagreement over the interpretation and application of moral principles both across and within different religions and worldviews.

Pathway 4: Personal Journey

Human beings have deeply felt experiences, which they may refer to as being ‘religious’ or ‘spiritual’ or simply part of what it means to be human. These experiences can take place in both religious and non-religious contexts and may produce a heightened sense of awareness and mystery, or of identity, purpose and belonging. The experience is sometimes so powerful that it transforms people's lives. As a result, people may change their beliefs and allegiances and on rare occasions the experience of a single person has led to the formation of a new religion or worldview.

Pathway 5: Influence and Authority

Religious and non-religious communities interact with wider society and cultures. These communities affect societies by shaping their traditions, laws, political systems, festivals, values, rituals and arts. The patterns of influence vary significantly in different societies and at different points in time. Some societies are influenced predominantly by one religion or worldview, others by several or many. Religions and worldviews often appeal to a highly respected authority or vision, and this can have significant impacts on societies and cultures, whether positive or negative.

Pathway 6: The Big Picture

Religions and worldviews provide comprehensive accounts of how and why the world is as it is. These accounts are sometimes called ‘grand narratives’. They seek to answer the big questions about the universe and the nature of humanity. These narratives are usually based on approaches to life, texts or traditions, which are taken to be authoritative. People interpret and understand these texts and traditions in different ways.

Underpinning our curriculum are our key principles of

ENJOY, ACHIEVE, BELIEVE, TOGETHER

ENJOY

At Farsley Westroyd Primary School, our RE curriculum aims to inspire a sense of joy and curiosity in exploring the diverse religions and worldviews that make up our communities. By structuring learning around six engaging pathways, pupils are encouraged to actively participate in creative and thought-provoking activities, such as art, music, drama, and storytelling, which make abstract concepts tangible and enjoyable. The curriculum’s emphasis on lived experiences and expressive forms of belief ensures that learning about religions is not only informative but also deeply engaging and reflective of the beauty and richness of human culture and diversity.

ACHIEVE 

At Farsley Westroyd, achievement in RE at Westroyd is about equipping pupils with the knowledge, skills, and understanding necessary to explore complex ideas and questions about beliefs, values, and human existence. By focusing on both broad and deep understanding, the curriculum supports every learner to progress in their ability to think critically, understand moral principles, and appreciate the diversity of religious traditions. With carefully sequenced learning pathways, students achieve a well-rounded comprehension of different religions and worldviews, allowing them to build on their knowledge incrementally, apply it meaningfully, and reflect on their own perspectives.

BELIEVE

At Farsley Westroyd, believing is at the heart of our RE curriculum, both in terms of understanding others' beliefs and developing one's own sense of identity and values. We foster a supportive environment where children are encouraged to explore the beliefs and traditions of various religions and worldviews, nurturing empathy and respect for others. Through pathways like "The Nature of Religion and Belief" and "Personal Journey," pupils are guided to consider the role of belief in shaping identity, purpose, and community, ultimately supporting them to develop their own personal beliefs and moral compass.

TOGETHER

At Farsley Westroyd, togetherness is a core value, and our RE curriculum reflects this by emphasising the importance of community, respect, and shared understanding. The pathway "Influence and Authority" explores how religious and non-religious communities contribute to the broader society, while "A Good Life" helps pupils consider how ethical behaviour and values contribute to cohesive communities. By learning about the shared and diverse experiences within and between faith communities, pupils develop a sense of belonging and an appreciation for the importance of working together to foster empathy, tolerance, and cohesion in our increasingly diverse world

Celebrating Diwali - Reception

Comparison of Sikhism and Hinduism - Year 6

Autumn - Believing and Belonging: What makes me special? - Reception