At Bottesford Schools Federation, we want our children to enjoy religious education, remember their learning and make a difference in our world. We want to give them the substantive knowledge and disciplinary skills of believing, thinking and living in order to be religiously literate and able to hold balanced and well-informed conversations.

• Believing (Theology) – Identifying and making sense of religious and non-religious beliefs and concepts; understanding what these beliefs mean within their traditions; recognising how and why sources of authority, such as sacred texts, are used, expressed and interpreted in different ways; and developing skills of interpretation.
• Thinking (Philosophy) – Examining how and why people put their beliefs into practice in diverse ways, within their everyday lives, their communities and the wider world.
• Living (Social Sciences) – Evaluating, reflecting on and connecting the beliefs and practices studied, allowing pupils to challenge the ideas they encounter whilst also challenging their own thinking. Pupils are encouraged to discern possible connections between these beliefs and practices, their own lives and different ways of understanding the world.

Our children are living in a diverse and changing religious landscape and our curriculum reflects the need to understand the impact of religious and non-religious worldviews on a range of believers. Recognising that over 90% of Bottesford residents are of White British origin, we value the importance of widening children’s experiences and knowledge through real-life experiences, particularly through our well-planned visits to a range of places of worship. Furthermore, our work with our partner school in Ethiopia widens children’s worldviews, helping them to understand different cultures, experiences and perspectives.

These approaches encourage pupils to explore their own ideas whilst cultivating Respect, Integrity, Strive and Empowerment. Through our carefully sequenced curriculum and the use of retrieval, repetition and connections, children build and develop their knowledge of Christianity, Islam and Hinduism as they move through our schools. We also recognise the importance of exploring non-religious worldviews, such as Humanism, so that children understand the diverse ways people make sense of the world, form their values and respond to important questions about how we should live.

Our RISE values are embedded throughout our RE curriculum. Pupils develop Respect by listening to and valuing different beliefs, cultures and perspectives, recognising the dignity and worth of others. They develop Integrity by exploring questions honestly, forming balanced opinions and being willing to reflect on and challenge their own thinking. They Strive to deepen their knowledge, ask thoughtful questions, persevere when exploring challenging ideas and develop increasingly sophisticated understanding. Through RE, pupils become Empowered to express their ideas confidently, make informed choices, engage respectfully with difference and apply their learning to the world around them.

Religious Education has an important part to play in promoting the spiritual, moral, social, cultural, and intellectual development of our pupils. We strive to prepare our children for life in modern Britain by developing tolerance, mutual respect and understanding of different faiths, beliefs, and worldviews. Through active and purposeful learning, pupils develop independence, confidence and the ability to apply their knowledge beyond the classroom.

At the end of their time at our schools, a Bottesford Schools Federation child will have:

• An extensive base of theological knowledge and vocabulary which has helped them to become Empowered and independent learners.
• A genuine sense of curiosity about the world and a Respect for people regardless of their religion, belief, culture or background.
• The ability to work together, listening carefully to others and using excellent knowledge and understanding to express well-balanced opinions about current and contemporary issues in religious society.
• Demonstrated that they Strive to broaden their understanding by researching different religions and worldviews, asking questions and engaging thoughtfully with ideas that may be unfamiliar to them.
• The ability to Strive and persevere when debating different perspectives, whilst showing Respect for the viewpoints and experiences of others.
• Developed Integrity by being honest and thoughtful in their exploration of religious and non-religious beliefs, recognising that it is possible to question ideas whilst continuing to respect the people who hold them.
• A passion for and commitment to the subject, feeling Empowered to observe, explore, question, and consider different religions and worldviews and to use their understanding to make a positive difference in the world.