Religious Education (RE)

RE at The Vineyard prepares our children to be positive, inclusive members of a diverse society, enables them to develop the knowledge and understanding of different religions, and fosters empathy and skills for evaluating different beliefs and ideas.

share in and respect each other's lives
learn about the world's major religions, and other belief systems
visit places of worship and have visitors representing different faiths and beliefs
nurture children’s moral, social and cultural development
investigate the impact of religion on history and global life today

Our bespoke RE curriculum has four themes:

Living the faith
Buildings and places of worship
Important times, days, festivals and celebrations
Sacred texts

Through these themes, the children develop knowledge, understanding and awareness of Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism and Sikhism and Humanism.

The skills outlined below are a focus during our RE lessons.

Investigation	Ask relevant questions Know how to use different types of sources Know what may constitute evidence for understanding religions
Reflection	Reflect on feelings, relationships, experiences, ultimate questions, beliefs and practices
Empathy	Consider thoughts, feelings, relationships, ultimate questions, beliefs and values of others Develop the power of imagination to identify feelings of love, wonder, forgiveness and sorrow See the world through the eyes of others, and see issues from their point of view
Evaluation	Debate issues of religious significance with reference to evidence and argument Compare the respective claims of self-interest, consideration of others, religious teachings and individual conscience

Participation in RE Learning

As a school, we are committed to respecting the cultures, religions and backgrounds of the families in our community, and we want to work together to ensure that all the children develop an understanding and tolerance for those from different backgrounds to themselves and that they are ready for life in modern Britain. We understand that some families may have different views about certain aspects of our Religious Education curriculum and may wish to withdraw their child from some of these lessons, which is their right. However, we would urge you to come and talk to us to discuss your concerns as we may be able to put steps in place to support your wishes. If there is an upcoming lesson topic, trip or workshop that you do not want your child to take part in, please email Mrs Bracegirdle using headteacher@vineyard.richmond.sch.uk to request that your child doesn’t join.