Religion and World Views (RWV) at Stamshaw supports children’s natural curiosity for the world them. RWV teaches children to ask their own questions, to think independently and draw their own conclusions. At Stamshaw, we believe in an RWV curriculum that inspires curiosity and helps contribute to the development of pupils’ own spiritual and philosophical views, exploring and enriching their own faiths and personal beliefs. RWV lessons as Stamshaw provide children with the opportunity to discuss their opinions and justify their views, which are key life skills and can be advantageous to a range of other subjects. RWV aims to support children to become lifelong thinkers, who question the views of others with respect and inquisitiveness.

The R.E. curriculum at Stamshaw is taught in accordance with the legal requirements of the Agreed Syllabus for Hampshire, ‘Living Difference IV’. The syllabus asks that children encounter four golden threads - Community, Belonging, Special and Love - which are developed as the children move through the school.  They will encounter two golden threads in Year 3 in different contexts and the other two in Year 4.  The process is then repeated in Years 5 and 6.

The syllabus places emphasis on the exploration of meaning, purpose and values of different faiths, through a concept driven approach. We aim to follow the recommended time allocation of 45 hours of taught R.E. for Key stage 2. Continuity and progression is ensured through carefully developed medium-term planned units which are delivered half-termly. The pupils study the faiths of Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and in Year 6, also Humanism. This ensures that a mixture of Abrahamic and Dharmic traditions are being studied in depth.

For the children, the units studied focus more on concepts that are common to many religions such as God, worship and symbolism. The concepts are always seen as ‘big ideas’ which lead pupils to embark on journeys of enquiry. Due to the nature of an enquiry, each unit is delivered in blocks of time, rather than in a weekly lesson. This allows for the development of deep thinking about issues surrounding a concept including debates, a chance to explore through art, drama and music, and use ICT to research and present evidence.

Our overall aim is to ensure that all pupils within Stamshaw Junior School receive high quality R.E. provision which is meaningful and celebrates diversity. They are then able to make reasoned judgements about religious issues and have respect for others views. They feel comfortable to express their thoughts and listen to others. In RWV, we assess the children in a range of different formats, including, verbal debate, creative work and drama, This allows all children to be assessed on their understanding of a religious concept and not other academic skills.

By fostering a responsible and caring attitude towards each other and developing relationships with others in the community, our pupils are prepared for the responsibilities, opportunities and experiences they will encounter throughout their lives.