RE | Gusford Primary School

Intent

At Gusford, it is our intention that Religious Education will teach pupils to develop respect for others, including people with different faiths and beliefs, and help them challenge prejudice. By following Jigsaw RE, pupils will learn to explore their own beliefs (religious or non-religious) by examining issues of religious belief and faith and exploring how these impact on personal, institutional and social ethics. The enquiry based-approach of the scheme will encourage pupils to at first reflect on their own lives and support them to build a sense of identity and belonging within their own communities. Pupil’s will have the opportunity to develop their knowledge and understanding of different religions which will encourage them to think critically and ask thought-provoking questions. It is our aim, that by the end of their time at Gusford all pupils will have developed a sense of awe, wonder and mystery for other worldviews and at the same time learnt to nurture their own identity.

Implementation

All pupils, from Reception to Year 6 will be taught following the Jigsaw RE scheme of work. It covers all areas of RE for the primary phase and follows an enquiry- based approach. Each unit of work will begin with an enquiry question which doesn’t have a specific right or wrong answer but will enable all pupils to reflect and come to a justified answer. In Nursery, children will not follow the Jigsaw RE scheme but will be taught RE through the teaching of special religious festivals and holidays in the calendar, for example, Bonfire Night, Hanukkah and Easter.

In Reception, the RE learning is closely matched to Development Matters to contribute meaningfully to the child’s holistic development. It particularly focuses on supporting the child’s personal, social and emotional development, communication and language, and understanding of the world.

From Year 1 to Year 6, all pupils have a chance to answer the enquiry question fully as each unit of work is broken down into a four-step process; engagement (Step 1), investigation (Step 2), evaluation (Step 3) and expression (Step 4). The first stage is the engagement stage and this will enable all pupils to reflect on their own life experiences which will take them on a journey from their world to the world of that religion. Then, pupils will spend three lessons in the investigation stage which will teach the pupils all the subject knowledge they need to know about the religion or worldview to support their understanding of the enquiry. Next, the pupils will critically reflect on the knowledge they have gained in the evaluation stage and think about the answer they would give to the enquiry. Finally, pupils will spend one lesson reflecting on what they have learnt and what they can take from the enquiry in the expression stage. Throughout each unit of enquiry there are opportunities for assessment and self-assessment. Below is a breakdown of the worldviews that each year group will study and the enquiry question that they will focus on.

Foundation Stage 2 (Reception):

Jigsaw RE Enquiry	Worldview studied:
What makes people special?	Christianity, Judaism
What is Christmas?	Christianity
How do people celebrate?	Islam/Judaism
What is Easter?	Christianity
What can we learn from stories?	Christianity, Islam, Sanatana Dharma, Sikhism
What makes places special?	Christianity, Islam, Judaism

Year 1:

Jigsaw RE Enquiry	Worldview studied
What do Christians believe about God?	Christianity
What gifts might Christians in my town have given Jesus if he had been born here rather than Bethlehem?	Christianity
Who is God to Jews?	Judaism
Why was Jesus welcomed like a king or celebrity by the crowds on Palm Sunday?	Christianity
Is Shabbat important to Jewish children?	Judaism
Does visiting the synagogue help Jewish people feel closer to God?	Judaism

Year 2:

Jigsaw RE Enquiry	Worldview studied
Is it possible to be kind to everyone all of the time?	Christianity
Why do Christians believe God gave Jesus to the world?	Christianity
Who is God to Muslims?	Islam
How important is it to Christians that Jesus came back to life after his crucifixion	Christianity
How important is the prophet Muhammed to Muslims?	Islam
How important is the Qur’an to Muslims?	Islam

Year 3:

Jigsaw RE Enquiry	Worldview studied
Would visiting the Ganges make someone a better Sanatani?	Sanatana Dharma (Hinduism)
Has Christmas lost its true meaning?	Christianity
Could Jesus heal people? Did he perform miracles or is there some other explanation?	Christianity
What is ‘good’ about Good Friday?	Christianity
What do some deities tell Santanis about God?	Sanatana Dharma (Hinduism)
What is the best way for a Santanis to lead a good life?	Sanatana Dharma (Hinduism)

Year 4:

Jigsaw RE Enquiry	Worldview studied
Is it possible for everyone to be happy?	Buddhism
What is the most significant part of the nativity story for Christians today?	Christianity
Can the Buddha’s teachings make the world a better place?	Buddhism
Is forgiveness always possible for Christians?	Christianity
What is the best way for a Buddhist to lead a good life?	Buddhism
Do people need to go to church to show they are Christian?	Christianity

Year 5:

Jigsaw RE Enquiry	Worldview studied
How far would a Sikh go for their religion?	Sikhism
Is the Christmas story true?	Christianity
How are sacred teachings and stories interpreted by Sikhs today?	Sikhism
How significant is it for Christians to believe God intended Jesus to die?	Christianity
What is the best way for a Sikh to show commitment to God?	Sikhism
What is the best way for a Christian to show commitment to God?	Christianity

Year 6:

Jigsaw RE Enquiry	Worldview studied
How does Jesus make a ‘New Covenant’ and what does that mean to Christians today?	Christianity
How significant is it that Mary was Jesus’ mother?	Christianity
Is anything ever eternal?	Christianity
Is Christianity still a strong religion 2000 years after Jesus was on earth?	Christianity
What motivates Humanists to lead good lives?	Humanism
How do inspirational people impact on how Humanists live today?	Humanism

Impact

Teachers are eager to ensure that children are making progress with their learning throughout their RE journey. For every enquiry, children are assessed over three aspects of learning:

a personal resonance with or reflection on the material/religion being studied to answer the enquiry question.
knowledge and understanding of the material/religion being studied to answer the enquiry question.
evaluation/critical thinking in relation to the enquiry questions.

In line with the non-statutory guidance issued by the RE council in 2013, these descriptors utilise the age-related expectations of working towards, working at the expected attainment and working beyond.

Cross Curricular Links

PSHE: Respect for values and opinions of others, developing confidence about their own beliefs and identities and being sensitive about the impact of their ideas and behaviour on others.

Science: Understanding the interdependence between people and the environment and the ways in which human beings are dependent on the natural world. Caring for and improving the environment and reflecting on how people’s actions can affect plants, birds and animals.

Geography: Exploring their own cultural and religious backgrounds and the range of different cultures that exist in the community. And learning about places with religious value or associations.

History: Considering how events in the past have shaped opinions and beliefs in the future.

English: Listening to the stories, viewpoints and ideas of others, including people from different religious traditions and articulating their own views and ideas. Using evidence from religious texts to explain opinions and interpret meanings. Communicating information, meanings, feelings, imaginings and ideas in a clear and consistent way. Learning key vocabulary to take part in discussions and explanations.

Maths: Working with timelines to sequence religious events. Understanding the calendar to recognise when key religious events take place.

Design and Technology: Creating physical symbols and religious artefacts.

Music: Remembering religious songs and hymns.

Computing: Using the internet for research e.g. researching the work of a charity.

RE Documents

RE Long Term Plan

Updated: 24/04/2025 73 KB

Content Progression

Updated: 04/04/2024 169 KB

Parent Information

Updated: 04/04/2024 136 KB

RE