RELIGIOUS EDUCATION 

The status of religious education within the curriculum

Religious education is taught as part of the basic curriculum alongside the National Curriculum.

Religious education has equal standing in relation to the core and foundation subjects within the school.

At Samuel Cody we follow the guidance given in Living Difference III, The Agreed Syllabus for Hampshire, Portsmouth and Southampton. 

All pupils in Years 1 to 11 have one lesson of RE per week.

 The purpose of religious education

Living Difference III seeks to introduce children and young people to what a religious way of looking at and existing in the world may offer in leading one’s life, individually and collectively.

Religious education in Hampshire, Portsmouth, Southampton and the Isle of Wight intends to play an educative part in the lives of children and young people as they come to speak, think and act in the world.

Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural Development

Religious Education will make a contribution to the curriculum which will promote the spiritual, moral, social, cultural, mental and physical development of the pupils at the school and prepare them for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of adult life.

Local Community Links

The department offers pupils the opportunity to visit local places of worship and to interact with the community.

The pupils will be able to explore religious traditions in a meaningful way, through evocative forms of stimuli, to engage their interest, and to help their understanding.

 Equal opportunities

The department aims to give all pupils equality of opportunity, whatever their ability. This involves setting suitable learning challenges for all pupils, responding to the diverse needs of the pupils and overcoming potential barriers to learning and assessment for individuals and groups of pupils. Religious Education promotes the idea of the subject being accessible to all pupils regardless of race, colour or creed. RE is able to provide pupils with an opportunity to explore issues of equality, including discrimination, gender, prejudice, and stereotyping.

 Content

In Key Stage 3 Christianity, Islam and Judaism are studied in depth, while pupils are introduced to aspects of Hinduism, Buddhism and the Sikh Faith at appropriate times. In Key Stage 4 all the major world faiths are included in the course, together with a consideration of alternative belief systems.