RE Curriculum Philosophy and Intent Statement
Of the 7.7 billion people in the world only 16% class themselves as non-believers (source The Pew Forum). In addition the issues RE covers are in the news on a regular basis, so RE is relevant and beneficial to all students, whether they are religious or not.
Our purpose is to provide students with a rigorous academic experience, which encourages critical thinking, tolerance, knowledge and understanding. The RE curriculum stimulates philosophical thought, decision making skills, collaboration and independent working skills. Moreover, it makes a key and unique contribution to understanding cultural values and the multicultural world in which we live. It provides an excellent opportunity for students to engage with contemporary moral issues and develop social, cultural, political and philosophical awareness. The RE curriculum fosters student oracy and literacy by providing opportunities to read, view, write, design and talk confidently, appropriately, sensitively and with empathy, about the many diverse topics we study.
It is our belief that students should have an opportunity to learn how to respect themselves and understand their own identity, to respect others, and to understand their own and others' rights and responsibilities. Therefore, the RE curriculum enables students to consider and respond to a range of important questions related to their own spiritual development, the development of values, attitudes and fundamental questions concerning the meaning and purpose of life. This is beneficial as it can play a key role in creating social cohesion and generating genuine understanding between communities thus reducing friction, intolerance and social unrest.