SJS Curriculum For RE

What is RE?

Religious Education is a statutory part of the curriculum but not part of the National Curriculum. RE makes a unique contribution to the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of children and supports wider community cohesion.

What does it look like at SJS?

Shakespeare Junior School teaching follows the current Hampshire Agreed Syllabus, which is Living Difference III. The process of teaching and learning for each unit is planned using the cycle of enquiry. The content of the curriculum at each key stage is addressed in the breadth of study.

All or Part Withdrawal from RE Lessons

Parents/carers have the right to withdraw their children from all or part of the Religious Education in accordance with Schedule 19 to the School Standards and Framework Act 1998. However, we hope that all parents will feel comfortable with the type of religious education being taught in our school. In the first instance, parents who may wish to exercise this right should make an appointment with the Year Leader, who will explore any concerns and discuss any impact that withdrawal may have on the child. We will ensure that parents who want to withdraw their children from RE are aware of the RE syllabus and its relevance to all pupils, and respect their own personal beliefs. Parents will be made aware of the learning objectives and what is covered in the RE curriculum and will be given the opportunity to discuss this, if they wish.

We will review such a request each year, in discussion with the parents. The right to withdraw should be at the instigation of parents, and it should be made clear whether it is from the whole of the subject or specific parts of it. No reasons need be given.

Where parents have requested that their child is withdrawn, their rights will be respected, and where RE is integrated into the curriculum, the school will need to discuss the arrangements with the parents or carers to explore how the child’s withdrawal can be best accommodated.

Once a child has been withdrawn, they cannot take part in the RE programme until the request for withdrawal has been removed.

Providing an Alternative to RE lessons

We have a duty to supervise any pupils who have been withdrawn from RE, but not to:

• Provide additional teaching that is not RE
• Incur extra cost

We will not ask parents/carers to supervise their children if they’re withdrawn from RE.  However, we can make alternative arrangements for providing RE of the kind the parent/carer wants the child to receive. This is provided for in law, under section 71(3) of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 for maintained schools.

This might involve:

• Providing the relevant RE at our school
• Sending the pupil to another school that provides suitable RE, if practical
• Withdrawing the pupil from school for a “reasonable period of time” to attend external RE