Religious Education

✝️ What Does Religious Education Look Like at St Michael & All Angels?

At St Michael's, we want every child to develop a deep understanding of faith, belief and the world around them. Through thought-provoking and engaging learning experiences, children are encouraged to ask questions, explore big ideas and reflect on their own beliefs and values whilst developing respect and understanding for others.

Our RE curriculum is carefully designed to reflect our vision. We encourage pupils to be inquisitive, thoughtful and reflective learners who value diversity, embrace difference and recognise the importance of treating others with kindness and respect.

Using Believing and Belonging, the agreed Religious Education syllabus for West Yorkshire, alongside Understanding Christianity, children explore a broad range of religions and non-religious world views throughout their time at St Michael & All Angels. This carefully planned approach helps pupils develop strong religious literacy and a deeper understanding of the beliefs, practices and traditions that shape people's lives.

📖 As a Church of England school, Christianity forms at least 50% of our RE curriculum. Through the Understanding Christianity programme, pupils explore seven core Christian concepts in increasing depth from the Early Years through to Year 6, helping them understand the Christian story and its relevance to life today.

🌍 Alongside Christianity, children learn about a range of world faiths and non-religious world views. Through discussion, art, music, drama, stories, artefacts and opportunities for reflection, pupils develop an appreciation of diverse beliefs and cultures, enabling them to participate positively in our modern multicultural society.

💭 RE provides a safe space for pupils to explore their own ideas, beliefs and values whilst learning to listen respectfully to the views of others. In doing so, children grow spiritually, morally, socially and culturally, developing the skills and understanding needed to flourish in an increasingly diverse world.

From Early Years through to Year 6, we nurture curious minds and resilient learners, helping children become thoughtful, respectful and compassionate members of our school and wider community.

Below, you can explore our RE in a Nutshell overview, which provides a snapshot of how Religious Education is taught across St Michael & All Angels and the journey our children take to become reflective, knowledgeable and respectful learners.

📋 Parental Right of Withdrawal

In the UK, parents have the legal right to withdraw their child from all or part of Religious Education should they wish to make alternative arrangements for this aspect of learning. Any alternative provision remains the responsibility of the parent or carer.

If a child is withdrawn from RE, the school will continue to exercise its duty of care but is not required to provide alternative curriculum content during RE lessons.