As a Church School, Religious Education plays an important part of our curriculum. Having a personal 'religious literacy' is critical in our children becoming the tolerant, understanding individuals in the diverse world we live in. 

VISION

‘Gods love in Action’ is the ethos behind everything that we do at St Johns and St Peters. As a Church of England school our actions and principles are focused on the teachings of the Bible. We are an inclusive school where everyone is valued, seen, and heard. We have a diverse community made up of many different faiths, beliefs and backgrounds and we are all unique and celebrated. Our RE curriculum teaches our students about each religion and creates an environment where the children can explore faith, deepen their spiritual understanding, and engage in conversations with others from diverse backgrounds. We aim to create a space where knowledge can be grown and we are understanding, compassionate and supportive of one another.

New CurriCulum

In Summer 1, we transitioned away from our current schemes of learning for History, Geography and RE for KS2 and introduced 'Opening Worlds'. We are working with St Matthew's Research School to implement this in the most effective way for our school.

What is 'Opening Worlds'?

Opening Worlds is a knowledge-rich humanities programme for History, Geography and Religion. Because of its rapidly discernible effects on literacy and highly inclusive approach, Opening Worlds is gaining appeal in schools tackling under-achievement in areas of social disadvantage.

The programme meets and substantially exceeds the demand of the National Curriculum for history and geography. The religion programme is compatible with the objectives of most SACRE locally agreed syllabuses in RE but substantially exceeds the knowledge-base and the resourcing that such local RE syllabuses offer. The programme is characterised by strong vertical sequencing within subjects (so that pupils gain security in a rich, broad vocabulary through systematic introduction, sustained practice and deliberate revisiting) and by intricate horizontal and diagonal connections, thus creating a curriculum whose effects are far greater than the sum of their parts.

 

Opening Worlds is rapidly becoming known for the following distinctive features:

• thoroughness in knowledge-building, achieved through intricate coherence and tight sequencing; • global and cultural breadth, embracing wide diversity across ethnicity, gender, region and community;
• rapid impact on literacy through systematic introduction and revisiting of new vocabulary;
• subject-specific disciplinary rigour, teaching pupils to interpret and argue, to advance and weigh claims, and to understand the distinctive ways in which subject traditions enquire and seek truth;
• well-told stories: beautifully written narratives and the nurture of teachers’ own story-telling art;
• a highly inclusive approach, secured partly through common knowledge (giving access to common language) and partly through thorough high-leverage teaching that is pacey, oral, interactive and fun;
• efficient use of lesson time, blending sharp pace, sustained practice and structured reflection;
• rapid improvement of teachers’ teaching through systematic training in the Opening Worlds evidence-informed, high-leverage techniques.

For more information, visit: KS2 Curriculum - Opening Worlds

 

Curriculum Documentation for our current Religious Education Provision (until Summer 1):

INTENT

• RE Curriculum Intent
• RE Curriculum Overview
• RE EYFS to KS1 Bridging Document

IMPLEMENTATION

• RE Curriculum Implementation

As we are in the process of changing our RE Curriculum to Opening Worlds, these documents will be updated shortly.

To see our RE Policy (currently draft, to be approved in June), click the link at the bottom of the page.

 

RE Whole School Curriculum Overview for the academic year 2023 - 2024

Here is our Religious Education Whole School Curriculum Overview for the academic year 2023 - 2024. Up until Summer 1, all of the school have been following the Understanding Christianity and Emmanuel Project curriculum resources. From Summer, all of KS2 are launching the Religion strand of Opening Worlds. 

 

Opening Worlds RE Implementation Plan for Summer One, 2024

The Opening Worlds programme relies heavily on sequencing. The level of difficulty is determined by prior knowledge. If pupils understand the programme in the right order, then prior knowledge gives access to later material and text. 

The programme works on the assumption that the curriculum itself is the progression model; Progress occurs through themes and the acquisition of knowledge. To begin with, all of KS2 will be starting with the Y3 material - this will enable them to access the themes later in the programme. The plan below shows how Opening Worlds will be implemented with different cohorts across the coming years.

 

Ladywood Interfaith Education Project

The Ladywood Interfaith Education Project (LIEP) is based in inner-city Birmingham. Initiated by St John & St Peter’s Parish Church, it is a partnership between four local places of faith since 1999, involving creative educational encounters for classes of school children.

Their aims are to:

• Nurture understanding and celebration of different faiths and beliefs among school children.
• Building on the partnerships of the communities of the four sacred spaces.
• Create opportunities for children to explore something of their personal spirituality.
• Enhance Religious Education syllabus of the schools involved.

Each faith is explored in its own sacred building by volunteer professional teachers and volunteer professional artists of that faith. Teaching and workshops include story, drama, art, music and appreciation of sacred space.

Our classes visit one or two of the sacred places on a visit, exploring themes in accordance with our RE Syllabus.

 

 

Parental Right of Withdrawal from Religious Education

Parents have the right to withdraw their child from Religious Education. If a parent wishes to consider this option, the Head Teacher should be approached. If there are any children whose parents exercise their right to withdraw them from Religious Education, alternative activities will be provided in consultation with the children’s parents. This does not mean that the children will be in any way exempt from the Christian ethos of the school which underpins the whole of school life. Parents are made fully aware of this when they enrol their children.