‘Together, pursuing life in all its fullness’ (based on John 10:10)

Vision for R.E. at Stretton

As a member of the Coventry Diocese Multi-Academy Trust, Stretton maintains a distinctive and inclusive Christian character and shares the vision and ethos of the Trust. Our vision for each child at Stretton is firmly rooted in our Christian principles, recognising the uniqueness of every individual and the value of their contribution. Our approach to learning is founded on the Christian principles of empathy and challenge: we seek to provide a positive, respectful, and inspiring environment in which children are encouraged to be open, honest and kind. We aim to provide a curriculum which respects and validates children’s diverse experiences and broadens their horizons. We support each other to work hard and embrace new opportunities and challenges with confidence so that we can all achieve our best.

We want our children to be well-informed, reflective, and critical thinkers with the self-confidence to form and pursue their own valuable goals in life. They will be equipped to be ambitious, compassionate members of society who have the courage to challenge injustice and become responsible and empathetic leaders in their chosen fields. Our aim is for all our children to believe that there are no limits to what they can achieve and to equip them with the skills, personal qualities and understanding to nurture their own spiritual growth and to make their dreams a reality.

Religious education has a pivotal role in developing the foundations for reflection, empathy and challenge that will enable children to flourish and to live life in all its fullness. By developing their appreciation of the fundamental principles of Christianity and its expression as a living faith, as well as their understanding of the major religions and worldviews, they will be able to engage respectfully with people from all faiths as well as those who have no faith. They will also develop an appreciation of common values between faiths and worldviews, and an understanding of what it means to make a religious commitment. They will recognise the diversity and dynamism of religious expression between, and within, faiths. As they engage with the core principles and challenges facing religion, they will nurture their own spiritual growth and be able to express their own religious identity and beliefs confidently, whether they practise a faith or not.

Religious education at Stretton offers a broad curriculum to allow pupils to

• explore a wide range of religions, allowing for breadth of study, as well as depth of study in Christianity
• engage critically with significant questions that religions and worldviews address about life and how to lead it well, developing the understanding and skills needed to appreciate and evaluate varied responses to these questions, and formulate their own ideas.
• develop an awareness of the plurality of British life and global religious concerns, promoting community understanding and engagement, and supporting cohesion
• nurture their own personal spiritual growth, philosophical outlook, and psychological well-being in a variety of ways
• engage with the relevance of religion and world views in the modern world and how it affects people’s lives locally, nationally and globally today.

As a Church of England academy, the study of Christianity is a core part of our curriculum. The study of Christianity is supported by units of work from Understanding Christianity. Children also access teaching on all the major religions of the world, and examine spirituality and other world views, following the Coventry and Warwickshire Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education.  

Understanding Christianity gives pupils a deep knowledge of Christian practice and belief, including ways in which it is unique and diverse. It offers a programme of teaching that engages with biblical texts and theological ideas; it is rigorous and challenging, presenting ideas and debates in engaging and thought-provoking, age-appropriate ways. The aims of Understanding Christianity are to:

• enable children to know about and understand Christianity as a living world faith, by exploring core theological concepts;
• enable children to develop knowledge and skills in making sense of biblical texts and in understanding their impact on the lives of Christians;
• develop pupils’ abilities to connect, critically reflect upon, evaluate and apply their learning to their own growing understanding of religion and belief of themselves, the world and human experience.

R.E. is a fascinating, multi-disciplinary subject with particularly strong links to theology and philosophy, but with opportunities to draw on knowledge and critical skills from a number of disciplines (e.g. including science, history, art, literature and the social sciences).

The aim of the R.E. curriculum at Stretton is that all children will:

• know and understand the key teachings from a range of religions

• reflect on the teachings of different religions and worldviews
• explain their ideas with reference to their knowledge and understanding
• evaluate other people’s opinions and ideas
• make links and compare different ideas about faith and beliefs
• identify and reflect on their own worldview and the principles guiding their life.