Aims and purposes of RE
RE offers opportunities for pupils to:
- learn to understand and respect different religions, beliefs, values and traditions (including
ethical life stances), and understand their influence on individuals, societies, communities
and cultures;
- explore issues within, across and between faiths and consider questions of meaning and
purpose in life;
- learn about religious and ethical teaching, enabling them to make reasoned and informed
judgements on religious and moral issues;
- develop their sense of identity and belonging, preparing them for adult life as citizens in
a plural society;
- develop skills of enquiry and response in analysis, expression, reflection, evaluation and
application, through the use of distinctive language, listening and empathy.
Content of RE at key stage 3
In RE, pupils acquire and apply knowledge and understanding of:
- Christianity and the other principal religions represented in Great Britain
(following the model syllabuses, they are Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism,
Sikhism);
- how these religions influence individuals, communities, society and the
world;
- the nature of belief, religion, philosophy and ethics.
Progression in RE
Progression in RE is shown through pupils building on, and consolidating, the
skills, processes and areas of knowledge, understanding and evaluation that
they have developed at key stages 1 and 2. Progression depends on the provision
of regular opportunities for pupils to engage in and develop their skills of:
- investigation;
- interpretation;
- reflection;
- empathy;
- evaluation;
- analysis;
- synthesis;
- application;
- expression.
Their progression throughout the key stage will lead to them making increasingly
complex studies in religion.
For example: in studying Christianity across the key stage, progression could
be shown through year 7 pupils being able to explain that there are different
groups within Christianity (eg unit 7B);
year 8 pupils being able to explain that there may be diversity of belief and
practice within one denomination (eg unit 8B);
and year 9 pupils being able to explain the reasons that lie behind diversity
of belief within one denomination (eg unit 9B).
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