Intent

At Coppice Academy, we offer a broad and rich RE curriculum to allow for coverage of the areas prescribed by Solihull SACRE whilst enabling pupils to explore, learn about and develop their understanding of other religions, their own communities, and build their spiritual and moral sense of identity and well-being. Our belief is that by using an enquiry based model for learning, children develop critical thinking skills, increased motivation to learn, more meaningful knowledge and understanding, and deeper empathy with people and their beliefs, both religious or otherwise. This will deepen their respect and tolerance, promote an ambition to enquire and evaluate, facilitate personal growth and development, and provide cultural capital and understanding of the wider world.

The development of such skills are in line with our values at Coppice Academy, SMSC development and will prepare pupils for modern life in Britain. Coppice Academy assists every student regardless of ability, gender or social and economic circumstances, to reach their individual potential as learners.

Implementation

We use the Discovery RE scheme of work. Detailed medium term planning ensures coverage of a broad curriculum which complies with the agreed syllabus of Solihull SACRE.

The medium term planning allows each year group to focus on Christianity and one other world religion, with 3 alternating units of each across the year (one per half term). In returning to the same religions across the course of an academic year, pupils revisit prior learning and deepen their development of knowledge in greater detail, more effectively remembering what they have learnt. Coverage of Christianity plus one other world religion for each academic year, also facilitates the process of training and empowering teachers with the detailed subject knowledge required to help pupils learn most effectively.

The scheme of work is enquiry based with each unit of work following the same detailed 4 step sequence. Commencing with a key question, lesson 1 focuses on children’s existing knowledge. Step 2 is a series of lessons, investigative in nature, where pupils develop knowledge, understanding and skills. Step 3 asks them to evaluate and reflect upon the evidence they have collected in order to answer their enquiry question, necessitating application of their knowledge and skills. Finally step 4 is a lesson focused on spiritual development and personal growth where pupils express an individual response to what they have learnt with a SMSC lens of focus.

High quality resources, artefacts, visitors and trips enrich and engage, facilitating the learning process. By the time pupils leave Coppice they will have visited a Church, Gurdwara, Mosque and Synagogue to enrich and deepn their understanding of other religions.

Impact

The impact of our effective intent and implementation will be visible in the pupils of Coppice Academy. They demonstrate a positive attitude towards people with different beliefs, religious or otherwise, and show an understanding of cultural beliefs different to their own. They also demonstrate respectful behaviour to all and this behaviour is transferable outside of school in the wider community and beyond.

Assessment takes place to ensure realisation of the intent for the subject. Teachers review learning and adapt lessons in accordance to best meet learners needs. Progression of skills across the curriculum are monitored by sampling and comparing the learning outcomes of each year group (Y3-Y6).

A sample of pupil views will be taken at two points within the academic year in order to give voice to their experiences of:

• The effectiveness of the intent for the subject of RE: Do they feel they are developing greater enquiry and evaluation skills, do they have the opportunity to develop and share views, do they feel they have a deeper understanding about people and their beliefs, is RE helping them to better understand themselves.

Teaching staff will also be consulted and provided with opportunities to give feedback regarding their experiences of RE provision, resourcing, delivery and learning.

Consultation of teachers and learners will allow the subject leader to adapt provision of resourcing, content and training, so as to better support and improve confidence, enjoyment, and learning, with the end goal of further raising standards in the RE curriculum. Curriculum development and provision remains cyclical, and will continue to consist of continuous development of intent, enablement of implementation, evaluation of impact and revision.