Religious Education (RE) at Upwell Academy
At Upwell Academy, our intent is to provide high-quality Religious Education that develops religious literacy—the ability for pupils to hold balanced, well-informed conversations about religion and world views.
Our curriculum aims to:
- Enable pupils to understand a range of religious and non-religious world views through the lenses of theology, philosophy, and human/social sciences.
- Encourage pupils to express ideas and insights about the nature, significance, and impact of these world views.
- Equip pupils with critical thinking skills rooted in academic disciplines, preparing them to engage thoughtfully with questions of belief, identity, and ethics in a diverse society.
- Promote respect, tolerance, and curiosity, supporting pupils to flourish in a changing world.
Implementation
We implement the Norfolk Agreed Syllabus through a multi-disciplinary approach, ensuring a balance across theology (thinking through believing), philosophy (thinking through thinking), and human/social sciences (thinking through living).
Our approach includes:
- Enquiry-based learning structured around core questions that draw on different disciplinary lenses.
- A progressive curriculum from EYFS to KS2, introducing pupils to Christianity and other principal religions (Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism) and non-religious world views such as Humanism.
- Suggested core questions and core knowledge to ensure depth and progression, e.g., “What do Christians believe God is like?” (Theology), “Is believing in God reasonable?” (Philosophy), “How do festivals bring people together?” (Human/Social Sciences).
- Visits and encounters with places of worship and faith communities to bring learning to life.
- Assessment for learning using non-statutory age-related expectations to track progress in religious literacy.
- Inclusive practice for pupils with SEND, adapting content and methods to ensure access for all.
- Professional development for staff to maintain fidelity to the syllabus and strengthen subject knowledge.
Impact
The impact of our RE curriculum will be evident through:
- Pupils who are religiously literate, able to hold informed and respectful conversations about religion and worldviews.
- Critical engagement with theological, philosophical, and social questions, demonstrating reasoning and evaluation skills.
- Understanding of diversity: pupils appreciate the complexity and variety of beliefs and practices locally, nationally, and globally.
- Positive attitudes: pupils show curiosity, respect, and empathy towards others.
- Preparation for life in modern Britain: pupils understand how beliefs shape identity, culture, and society, supporting British Values and community cohesion.
- Evidence in books, discussions, and presentations showing progression in disciplinary knowledge and conceptual understanding.
Religious Education (RE) is a statutory part of the curriculum and is taught to all pupils. However, parents and carers have the legal right to withdraw their child from all or part of RE lessons if they wish. If you are considering this option, please contact the Principal to discuss your decision.
