Religious Education

In September 2022, we introduced the new Essex syllabus for RE, as set out below.  This syllabus teacher children about religion, faith and other worldviews through three lenses -

• Theology (learning through believing)
• Philosophy (learning through thinking)
• Human / social science (learning through living)

Our teaching in RE aims to help pupils develop an understanding of the world around them, particularly their understanding of diversity and their ability and willingness to respect the views of others.  It aims to inspire pupils’ curiosity to know more about belief; to explore the differences and similarities between different faiths and worldviews; to recognise the impact of belief and faith on people's lives.   RE helps pupils to understand the complexity and diversity of the human experience.  We believe that children from all backgrounds, including those from non-diverse communities such as ours, should have the opportunity to become familiar with the range of faiths; to respectfully evaluate their own beliefs and those of others; to create art with others; to visit and appreciate art in galleries and museums.

Please read on below to find more information on what we teach, how we teach it and how we ensure we are creating theologians and philosophers of the future!

Why do we learn RE?

• to develop children's understanding of the world around them
• to promote inclusion, understanding and tolerance
• to ensure children have opportunities to think, to question and to observe
• to revisit key skills and knowledge across the primary years to ensure children's understanding of Christianity and other religions or world views is embedded and built upon each year
• to equip children with the knowledge of religion and faith they need to hold a conversation and respond to the beliefs of others appropriately and with interest
• to develop children's ability to use philosophy and thought to question and make conclusions
• to introduce children to the wide range of ways people of faith can contribute to their communities and the wider world
• offering opportunities to visit places of faith, and hear from people of faith

What do we learn?

In September 2023, we will adopt the new Essex syllabus.  Click here for our two-year rolling programme.  As you will see, our teaching in RE will be based around a series of whole-school questions, such as What is faith? Who is God? or Who made the world?  Children will learn to talk about and answer these questions at a level appropriate to their age.  Much of our learning will be about Christianity, but we will also learn about other world religions such as Judaism and Islam and non-religious world views such as Humanism.

Whole School Curriculum Map

Our Whole School Curriculum Map for Religious Education in Year A can be found here and in Year B here.  It shows how different RE  skills and understanding will develop over your child's time at Great Tey.  

 (To decide which year we are in, A or B, years starting in an 'odd' year - September 2023, 2025 etc. - are Year A, years beginning in an 'even' year - September 2022, 2024 etc. - are Year B.)

Year Group Units

Click on each unit for further information -

Cycle A (2023-24; 2025-26)

EYFS:        Enquiry 1 - God       Enquiry 2 - Christmas       Enquiry 3 - Easter     Enquiry 4 - Noah's Ark

Sparrows Y1/2:  Beliefs and Senses      Celebrations        The Cross       Faith Families       Jewish Passover

Robins Y3/4:      Commitment        Religious Groups       Sacrifice         Diversity        God for Muslims

Woodpeckers Y5/6  Is Faith Reasonable?    Faith, Music, Art     Resurrection     Muslim Beliefs        Hinduism

Cycle B (2024-25; 2026-27)

EYFS:        Enquiry 1 - God        Enquiry 2 - Christmas       Enquiry 3 - Easter     Enquiry 4 - Noah's Ark

Sparrows Y1/2:    Light          Nativity          What is God?        Who made the Universe?      Jewish Shabbat  

Robins Y3/4:      Philosophy        Christian Beliefs           Trinity          Truth          Daily Muslim Life

Woodpeckers Y5/6    Philosophers      Conflict      What is a Human?    Creation & Science      Suffering   

 What does our learning in RE help us to do?

- develop our understanding of the world around us and the impact of faith on our past, present and future

- ask and answer questions, developing our ability to ask questions of increasing relevance

- develop our vocabulary to talk about religion, faith and diversity with increasing clarity

- enjoy questioning, theorising and concluding

- make connections between our lives and those of others, finding similarities as well as differences

-  prepare for our future, whether working in a faith-based career or continuing to develop our interest in the diversity of our world through reading and travel