RE
RE is important at Salterhebble because it is vital that children have a knowledge, understanding and respect of the moral, cultural, spiritual and social similarities and differences of the people within our communities and the wider world. Through our teaching, the children will encounter topics which may test their own beliefs. We aim to teach children to feel confident about themselves whilst developing an understanding and tolerance of others. They may encounter people who do not agree with them and they will need to develop resilience in order to be able to handle these situations in the safe environment which Salterhebble provides for them, but also in the wider world.
Whilst some of our teaching and learning will be done through conversation and debate, we expect that children will be able to complete some tasks independently and that learning is recorded by the children every lesson. This will take various forms (written, pictorial, photographic etc). We have high expectations of all children to produce work to the best of their ability both in what they record on paper and what they contribute to class and group discussions. The opinion, thoughts and feelings of all children should be heard, listened to and respected.
We develop both substantive and disciplinary knowledge in RE.
End Points
By the end of KS1, children will be able to recall and name different beliefs and practices, retell and suggest meanings for some religious and moral stories, recognise some ways that people express beliefs, explore questions about beliefs, expressing their own ideas and opinions, observe and recount different ways of expressing belief, find out about questions of right and wrong and notice and respond sensitively to some similarities between different religions and other world views in their approach to questions of belief and meaning.
By the end of KS2, children will be able to describe and understand links between stories and other aspects of the communities they are investigating, responding thoughtfully to beliefs and teachings that arise from them, describe and make connections between different features of the religions and other world views, observe and understand varied examples of religions and other world views so that they can explain, with reasons, their meanings and significance for the choices made by individuals and communities, discuss and present thoughtfully their own views and others’ views on challenging questions about belonging, meaning, purpose and truth, discuss and respond to ethical questions and consider and apply ideas about ways in which diverse communities can live together for the well-being of all, responding thoughtfully to ideas about community, values and respect.
British Values
The Department for Education has reinforced the need “to create and enforce a clear and rigorous expectation on all schools to promote the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs.”
The Government set out its definition of British values in the 2011 Prevent Strategy, and these values have been reiterated more recently.
At Salterhebble Junior and Infant School we serve a diverse learning community of different ethnic heritages, cultures, faiths and socio-economic groups and their families.
We recognise the importance of teaching our pupils mutual respect and tolerance for those of different or of no faith, and the shared values of Christianity and other major world faiths. Our Religious Education Programme is based on the Calderdale/Kirklees agreed syllabus.
At Salterhebble Junior and Infant School, British Values are reinforced on a daily basis through our ‘ hidden curriculum’. This is where the school’s ethos influences more abstract areas of personal development such as forming and maintaining relationships, self-esteem and patterns of behaviour.
Our mission statement reinforces this ethos:
At Salterhebble Junior and Infant School WE CARE.
We show this by being:
Welcoming
Enthusiatic
Considerate
Accepting
Respectful
Encouraging
We also offer regular activities and opportunities to our pupils which promote British Values in a more explicit and deliberate way.
Democracy
Our school has a Governing Body which supports the Senior Leadership Team in the running and strategic planning of the school. This group is made up of some members who are voted for by the parents. The Governing Body votes and has the power to ratify decisions and policies.
Each year, children stand for, and are elected onto, the School Council, by their class peers. The School Council meets regularly and makes decisions and plans activities for the children they represent. They help run charity events and raise money for the school through the Rag Bag Scheme, which they choose how to spend.
Each year Senior Leaders carry out surveys of Governors, Staff, Parents and Pupils. The feedback from the surveys informs school development planning.
Parents are annually reminded/invited to voice their views on the Ofsted Parent View website. Senior Leaders take their responses into account when planning the way forward for the school.
Pupil voice is sought through different means throughout the academic year.
Rule of law
The importance of laws/rules, whether they are those that govern the class, the school or the country, are consistently reinforced throughout the school day, when dealing with behaviour and through school assemblies.
At the beginning of each academic year each class is involved in developing their own set of ‘rules’, enabling the pupils to engage in how decisions and laws come about under a democratic system.
Pupils are taught the value and reason behind the laws that govern and protect us, the responsibility that this involves and the consequences when laws are broken.
Specific roles in society, relating to the rule of law, are explored in various year group’s topics and Year 6 visit the local Magistrates Court for a guided tour and role play workshop.
Individual Liberty
Within school, pupils are actively encouraged to make choices - knowing they are in a safe and supportive environment. As a school we educate and provide boundaries for young pupils to make safe choices through the provision of a safe environment and empowering education.
Pupils are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms for example through PSHE and e-safety lessons.
Mutual Respect
Mutual respect is at the heart of all our values. Children learn that their behaviours have an effect on their own rights and the rights of others. All members of the school community are expected to treat each other with respect. Members of staff are expected to be good role models at all times. Respect and acceptance regularly feature as the focus of assemblies, worship and reflection.
Tolerance
Tolerating and welcoming individuals of differing faiths (including those who follow no faith), cultures, ethnic heritages and socio-economic groups enriches our school family by broadening our horizons and exploring our commonalities.
At Salterhebble, we will actively challenge pupils, parents or staff expressing opinions contrary to fundamental British values, including extremist views.