At Laceby Acres Christianity is taught in every year group in Discovery RE and the enquiry approach adds challenge, requiring children to retain knowledge and apply it to the big question using their critical thinking skills. Each enquiry addresses an aspect of Christian theology, sometimes explicitly using the theological language and sometimes laying foundations of experience and understanding which will later facilitate learning the explicit theology.
Discovery RE and ‘Understanding Christianity’ Mindful of the ‘Understanding Christianity’ materials, launched in 2016, which emphasise theological literacy, gaining knowledge and interpreting source texts in order to enhance children’s holistic understanding of Christianity, each Christianity enquiry in Discovery RE has the underpinning Christian concept/core belief made explicit. These are aligned with the ‘Understanding Christianity’ materials.
Each enquiry also has source texts and Teacher Background Knowledge sheets that have further texts cited.
RE Overview
At Laceby Acres we teach Religious Education using the Discovery Education scheme.
Discovery RE is a set of detailed medium-term plans for RE from Years F1/2 to Year 6. It adopts an enquiry based approach to teaching and learning. Christianity is taught in every year group, with Christmas and Easter given new treatment each year, developing the learning in a progressive way. Baha’i, Buddhism, Hinduism, Humanism, Islam, Judaism and Sikhism are also covered. Humanist perspectives are added when appropriate in some enquiries in addition to the Introduction to Humanism enquiry. The overview grid shows the long-term plan, with choices needing to be made as to which religion/ worldview to teach alongside Christianity in some year groups. Each enquiry demands the equivalent of 6 lessons, and each enquiry has a learning objective which shows the learning over the enquiry and SMSC (Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural) development opportunities are mapped throughout as is each enquiry’s contribution to the British Values agenda.
Religious Education is a key player in engendering knowledge and understanding which can lead to tolerance and respect for others and their beliefs. It does not, however, teach children to passively accept, but rather encourages evaluation and critical thinking, equipping them to consider belief positions they encounter. Discovery RE contributes significantly to the British Values agenda.
Mindfulness means cultivating a sense of awareness on purpose, in a non-judgemental way in the present moment. These practices to build children’s self-awareness and skills of reflection, thus supporting their RE learning as well as their personal spiritual development.