Barncroft Primary School
At Barncroft Primary School, we aim to provide children with a broad and balanced curriculum which has clear progression in subject knowledge and skills and is underpinned by our aims, values and purpose.
It is our belief that delivering a curriculum that gives our children equal entitlement to a depth and range of knowledge prepares them to become confident, caring, respectful and responsible future citizens and increases life chances.
RE in the Curriculum
RE is for all pupils in all schools. Every pupil has a legal entitlement to RE.
It is a necessary part of a ‘broad and balanced curriculum’ and must be provided for all registered pupils in state-funded schools in England, unless withdrawn by their parents.
This requirement does not apply to pupils below compulsory school age, although there are many good examples of RE in pre-school classes.
RE in Hampshire is determined by a locally agreed syllabus recommended by the standing advisory committee for RE (SACRE). At Barncroft, we use the ‘Living Difference IV’ syllabus.
The law requires all schools to teach about Christianity and other world faiths. These include Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism and Sikhism, however there is enormous diversity within these traditions, and this is recognised within our curriculum planning.
One of the key roles of RE in schools is to support community cohesion and the development of SMSC and Fundamental British Values.
At Barncroft, we take every opportunity to widen the opportunities for all pupils.
This is achieved by:
Parental right to withdrawal
In the UK, parents have the right to withdraw their children from RE on the grounds that they wish to make their own provision. This alternative will be the parents’ responsibility. This right of withdrawal exists for all pupils in all schools.
This request should be made in writing, and after discussion with the headteacher and the RE lead.
We adopt a flexible approach which is responsive to individual needs, whatever their starting points. By immersing our children in rich, first-hand purposeful experiences, including the use of environments and expertise beyond the classroom, we are preparing them to become confident, caring, respectful and responsible future citizens.
Our children are encouraged to be active learners. They are given opportunities to question, think and talk about their learning and to reflect on how they could apply their new skills in other contexts. There are high expectations for children to use appropriate vocabulary to articulate their thoughts and ideas. This is closely entwined with assessment to encourage growth mindset attitudes to learning. In the classroom, there is evidence of enjoyable challenge, where children are supported to succeed.
Success is acknowledged and celebrated using a variety of ways. These include ‘Learner of the Week’ certificates which are shared in Celebration Assembly, 5Bs key value certificates where children can work towards collecting a soft toy as a reward to keep.
The physical, mental, spiritual, cultural and intellectual health of the child is interwoven throughout our curriculum to ensure our children adopt an appreciation of the diversity and richness of spirituality and cultures across the world.
