At RAF Benson Primary School we follow the Oxfordshire Agreed Syllabus for RE, which we teach through the Jigsaw RE scheme.

Although RE remains statutory, it justifies its place in the curriculum on purely educational grounds. It is the opportunity to explore major and distinctive dimensions of human experience, including:

• a sense of things having a transcendence or divine aspect that calls for reverence or worship;
• spiritual and religious experience and the different ways of interpreting this;
• a sense of belonging to something greater than oneself;
• the tendency to search for meaning, purpose and value in life;
• a sense of a shared humanity and the diverse cultural experiences and expressions of this. It offers pupils:
• the chance to raise and reflect on perennial questions about life;
• insights into the development of different human cultures.

In doing this, RE draws on the rich history of the major religious traditions in Britain, giving due prominence to Christianity to reflect the fact that the religious traditions in Great Britain are in the main Christian, whilst taking account of the principal world faiths, local communities and non‐ religious beliefs that may form the family background of many children in our schools.

Thus there are two main educational purposes to RE:

• For pupils to learn about religions and beliefs which have influenced the lives of millions of people and heavily influenced the development of different human cultures. Pupils apply academic skills such as analysis and critical and creative thinking, approaching the study of religion with different disciplines as they mature.
• For pupils to learn more about themselves and their place in the world from their increasingly academic and creative exploration of religions and beliefs.

The aims of the Agreed Syllabus are to enable pupils to:

• understand the nature, role and influence of different religions, traditions, beliefs and lifestyles in the world;
• pursue personal quest for meaning, purpose and value;
• formulate reasoned opinions/arguments in relation to controversial issues and truth claims;
• develop understanding of and respect for different beliefs and lifestyles.

RE in the Early Years Foundation Stage support the achievement of the Early Learning Goals through appropriate subject content, according to the needs of the pupils and the resources and expertise of the staff.

Through Key Stages 1 and 2 RE will focus on Christianity whilst also drawing from Buddhism, Sikhi, Sanatana Dharma, Islam and Judaism, as well as non‐ religious worldviews, to provide appropriate depth and breadth to the exploration of the core questions and to meet the needs of the pupils. Reference to other religions, traditions, beliefs and lifestyles can be used to illustrate specific points, to reflect world events, or to include those represented in the class.