Welcome to Religious Education

Why do we teach RE? 

As a school, we teach Religious Education to help our pupils understand different cultures, beliefs, and values, fostering respect and tolerance from a young age. It provides a foundation for moral development and ethical thinking, encouraging students to reflect on their own beliefs and those of others. This prepares pupils to engage thoughtfully and empathetically in a diverse society.  

Our Approach 

At Ark Oval, we believe that Religious Education is an important component of children’s personal, social and spiritual development. We aim for pupils to develop an understanding of their own and others’ worldviews, underpinning the growth of empathy and respect. Pupils will begin to understand that we all see the world through the lens that has been formed by our experiences, upbringing, culture and that this influences our decision-making and our own way of seeing the world extremely valuable.   

The curriculum will borrow from the following disciplines and in doing so will intertwine with the PSHE at Oval.  

• Theology is about people’s beliefs, including belief about God. This ‘way of knowing’ centres on the origins and key beliefs of a worldview, especially sacred texts and teachings. It can be used to explore different interpretations of stories from a worldview, including how these might have changed over time. 

• Philosophy is about curiosity, ‘big’ questions, and deep thinking. This ‘way of knowing’ can be asking ‘big’ questions about the meaning of life and how we make moral choices. It is also about exploring possible answers to these questions using reasoning and discussion to acknowledge diverse viewpoints and pupils’ own responses.  

• Human/Social Sciences is about how people put their beliefs into practice. This ‘way of knowing’ can include studying common practices of faith communities and individuals. It enables pupils to recognise the diversity of lived experiences within each worldview, exploring the context of the time and place in which followers are living.