RE
Religious Education plays a huge role at Travis St Lawrence as our Christian virtues underpin all that we do! Our curriculum reflects on our Christian community however we also study Islam in KS1 and Islam, Judaism and Sikhism in KS2. These have been specifically chosen as they represent the largest religious communities within the Doncaster area. Each classroom has a reflective area where the children are able write a prayer or just enjoy a quiet and peaceful place.
As a church school, we place a great emphasis on our Christian ethos throughout our RE teaching. We teach RE with an aim of widening understanding of the beliefs and faiths of others, both within the school and in the wider world. We believe that this will, in turn, promote acceptance and unity and will give our pupils the opportunity to develop a thoughtful and considerate approach to all those they meet.
Our structured lessons are based upon the Doncaster Agreed Syllabus however are tailored to Travis St Lawrence. We follow Understanding Christianity which offers a coherent approach to teaching and learning about Christianity, in the wider RE curriculum. Through knowledge ‘building blocks’, pupils continue to build on their knowledge and understanding of 8 core concepts which are at the heart of mainstream Christian belief. It provides a teaching and learning approach to unpack these concepts and their impact in the lives of Christians in the UK and the world today, making connections with the world of the pupils and their wider understanding. Click to see the RE curriculum overview.
During the course of the year, the children explore a wide range and aspects of faith. Our teaching enables children to extend their own sense of values and promotes their spiritual growth and development. We encourage children to think about their own views and values in relation to the themes and topics studied in the RE curriculum. We encourage all pupils to consider how their learning can have an influence on their lives in addition to widening their knowledge.
Religious Education is taught in a way that engages pupils in a variety of activities appropriate to their age, ability and previous experience. Wherever possible, the children will have the opportunity to learn through exploring and experiencing places of worship, meeting and talking to visitors, handling religious artefacts, painting and writings, and through research. Children are given the opportunity to reflect on religion through exploring and expressing personal values, experiencing stillness, evaluating their experiences and discoveries, expressing their ideas with confidence and sensitivity and developing appropriate responses when encountering other people’s beliefs. Children record their learning and experiences in a variety of ways, such as through drama, art, music or in writing.
