R.E. Policy
Ethos Statement
Church in Wales' Schools are designated through the Religious Character of Schools (Designation Procedure) 1998, as having a religious character.
All Church in Wales Schools have adopted the following ethos statement:
Recognising its historic foundation, the school will preserve and develop its religious character in accordance with the principles of the Church in Wales and in partnership with the Church at parish and diocesan level.
Mission Statement
In Magor Church in Wales Primary School we aim to:
q Provide a Christian, caring atmosphere acknowledging the importance of each individual.
q Make prayer and worship meaningful experiences which help the development of the faith of each individual within the school community
q Ensure that the curriculum, within the requirements of the National Curriculum, provides an opportunity for children to obtain a thorough understanding of Christianity and especially the Anglican tradition.
q Provide an environment in which pupils are given the opportunity to develop to their full potential.
Promote good links between the school, church and home and make the children aware that they are part of a Christian community.
Religious Education Policy
Religious Education in Magor Church in Wales Primary School is established on the basis of section 26 - 29 of the Education Act 1944, as amended by the Education Reform Act 1988. The R.E. Syllabus for Church in Wales Schools will be used.
This enables the school to base its teaching of Christianity on the major festivals of the year, whilst also teaching elements of Judaism and Islam as a major world faiths. Pupils are encouraged to develop Christian values and there is a strong emphasis on learning the difference between right and wrong. A variety of teaching methods is used, and R.E. is linked, where a natural link occurs, to other curriculum areas.
The policy at Magor Church in Wales Primary School will comply with the requirements of the Education Reform Act 1988, which states that all pupils should have an education which is balanced and broadly based and:
a) Promotes the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of pupils, of the school and of society.
b) Prepare such pupils for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of adult
life.
The policy will also 'promote respect, understanding and tolerance for those who adhere to different faiths'.
Aims
Religious Education at Magor Church in Wales Primary School should:
a) Introduce the pupils to the challenging nature of religion, and in particular the Christian faith in accordance with the schools Church in Wales' foundation.
b) To help pupils in their personal search for the meaning and purpose of life through an exploration of religious beliefs and practices.
c) Make an important contribution to spiritual, moral, social and cultural development through the content taught and the teaching methods used.
d) Be taught in a way that is interesting, challenging and relevant to the pupils. It must also ensure that it provided opportunities for the pupils to reach their full potential.
e) Not be restricted to mere study of religious facts and practices. It should also provide opportunities for involvement or experience of some creative aspect of religious belief.
f) To encourage pupils to reflect on their own beliefs whilst appreciating the need for tolerance, sensitivity and respect for the beliefs of others.
g) Provide opportunities for developing a sense of awe, wonder and joy and thankfulness - so reaching beyond the mundane and the ordinary.
Objectives
Magor Church in Wales Primary School will meet these aims by giving the pupils:
q The opportunity to work through the programmes of study.
q The opportunity to encounter the teachings and life of Jesus and how they relate to the main Christian festivals.
q The opportunity to encounter other faith traditions.
q The opportunity to handle religious artefacts in a way that is respectful and indicates a growing awareness of their importance or special meaning to believers.
q The opportunity to gain confidence to express their own beliefs, whether religious or not
Methods of teaching
a) The class teacher will teach Religious Education for approximately 1 hour per week.
b) Where natural links occur, Religious Education may be linked to other curricular areas, if this is not possible it will be taught discreetly.
c) Teaching will mainly be a whole class with the opportunity for the children to experience working as individuals, group work, research, investigation, visits and visitors.
d) Progression and task differentiation will be built in across the Key stage.
e) The Desirable Outcomes for Early Years will be built in.
f) Pupils will be encouraged to take part in discussion and questions.
The class teachers will use a variety of methods to encourage an interest in and an awareness of Religious Education. Opportunities will be made of:
q Collective worship - with a link to Religious Education
q Display work
q Drama, dance, music, poetry, written work.
q Visits to religious sites
q Handling artefacts
q Research and imagination
q Information technology