Religious Education Overview

Our revised Religious Education (RE) curriculum is structured around three distinct types of knowledge to ensure a rich and meaningful learning experience for all pupils:

Substantive Knowledge - The core content we expect children to know and remember — key beliefs, teachings, and practices across a range of religions and worldviews.

Disciplinary Knowledge - The methods and approaches we use to help pupils engage with religious content critically and thoughtfully, introducing them to how scholars and practitioners explore religious and philosophical questions.

Personal Knowledge - The opportunities we provide for children to reflect on how their learning shapes their own worldviews. This goes beyond simply stating their beliefs and values, encouraging them to critically examine the reasons behind them, asking:

Why do I believe what I believe?

Why do I value what I value?

Why do I live the way I do?

How does my context influence the way I see the world?

Through this approach, we aim to deepen pupils’ self-awareness, critical thinking, and ability to articulate the foundations of their perspectives with clarity and understanding. We teach Religious Education weekly and extend this provision with enrichment times over the year, e.g. our Cultural Awareness Days. 

The Right to Withdraw from Religious Education

In England, parents and carers have the right to withdraw their children from RE. Parents and carers also have the right to withdraw their child from part of RE and can do so without giving any explanation.

Where a pupil has been withdrawn, the law provides for alternative arrangements to be made for RE of the kind the parent or carer wants their child to receive (Section 71(3) of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998). This RE could be provided at the school in question, or the pupil could be sent to another school where suitable RE is provided if this is reasonably convenient. If neither approach is practicable, outside arrangements can be made to provide the pupil with the kind of RE that the parent or carer wants, and the pupil may be withdrawn from school for a reasonable period of time to allow them to attend this external RE.

If you wish to withdraw your child from all or part of Religious Education, please contact the school office office@stanground-st-johns.peterborough.sch.uk.