Religious Education
RATIONALE
The RE curriculum at Cloughwood Academy has been designed to meet the needs and support students who may have missed a significant amount of learning in this subject. Pupils may have experienced disrupted or no experience in this subject and may arrive, no matter what year, with gaps and misconceptions that this curriculum will address.
- Students may struggle with abstract concepts, hold misconceptions, feel uncomfortable due to personal beliefs, lack confidence in expressing opinions, or have limited prior exposure to diverse religions.
- The RE curriculum is designed thematically and practically, using scaffolded content and interactive approaches tailored to learners’ interests and backgrounds, making complex ideas accessible and fostering engagement.
- Through a structured progression that builds on prior knowledge, inclusive examples, safe reflective activities, and active learning strategies, the curriculum helps bridge knowledge gaps, develop confidence, and re-engage learners.
INTENT
Our intent is to provide a RE Curriculum that is:
- Engaging, accessible and meaningful for learners who may be disengaged by RE and may have lost confidence in the subject.
- Students are to learn about key beliefs, practices, and ethical principles of world religions and philosophical perspectives. Along with this, learners are able to understand the people around them in their communities.
- Students are to begin critical thinking, analysis of texts and concepts, evaluation of moral and ethical issues, respectful discussion and debate.
- Students will learn the ability to connect religious and ethical ideas to personal, social, and cultural contexts, and appreciate diverse world views.
- Learning is made engaging through thematic, interactive, and real-life approaches that encourage reflection, collaboration, and creativity.
- The RE curriculum ensures all students can access learning through scaffolded content, inclusive examples, varied teaching methods, and a safe environment for discussion.
- The RE curriculum supports confidence, independence, communication skills, empathy, and respect through exploration of beliefs and ethical issues.
IMPLEMENTATION
- Each student in KS3 will have one 50-minute lesson a week of RE.
- Lessons will begin with a short retrieval task (recapping previous knowledge), followed by the introduction of new content through direct instruction and interactive activities.
- Students engage in a mix of teacher-led instruction, group discussions, hands-on activities, project work, and reflection tasks, with regular review sessions to consolidate learning.
- Topics are organised thematically and spirally, revisiting key concepts at increasing depth while integrating skills development across units.
- Lessons use scaffolding, visuals, questioning, retrieval practice, discussion, role-play, and collaborative activities to support understanding and engagement.
- Learning is adapted through differentiated tasks, scaffolding, flexible pacing, and support for diverse learning styles and prior knowledge.
- Students are provided with varied resources, including texts, multimedia, case studies, real-world examples, and hands-on activities to make learning concrete and relevant.
IMPACT
- Progress is monitored through a combination of formative and summative assessments, teacher observations, work samples, and regular feedback.
- Indicators include increased participation, initiative in tasks, sustained focus, willingness to contribute in discussions, and positive attitudes toward learning.
- Key knowledge, skills, and behaviours are tracked via formative feedback, assessment data, and ongoing teacher monitoring.
- Students apply their learning through real-life examples, ethical decision-making, and cross-curricular projects that connect RE to wider contexts.
- The curriculum develops independence, critical thinking, and evaluative skills, preparing students for qualifications, further learning, and successful transitions.