Religious Education (RE)

Why is Religious Education Significant?

Religious Education plays a vital role in the school curriculum, supporting the overall development of each pupil. Currently, we follow the Dudley Agreed Syllabus (2023), and supplement this with resources from the National Association of Teachers of Religious Education (NATRE).

At Wallbrook Primary Academy, we believe the significance of RE lies in:

• Promoting students’ understanding of religion. Our curriculum deepens their knowledge of religious beliefs, teachings, and practices while also exploring how religion influences individuals, families, communities, and cultures.
• Encouraging students to learn from a variety of religions and beliefs. The curriculum provides opportunities for personal reflection, allowing students to consider and express their perspectives.

Religious Education (RE) in this country is unique in that it is locally agreed upon by each Local Authority. In a community as diverse as Dudley, RE must remain relevant to the lives of all young people, regardless of their faith or beliefs. This syllabus reflects the experiences of the local faith communities within the Borough of Dudley.

Now more than ever, it is essential for young people to understand their place within a diverse society. This understanding helps them become active citizens, confident in interacting with peers whose backgrounds may differ from their own.

Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural Development

Spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development are crucial elements of growing up, and young people should be encouraged to cultivate these qualities as part of their journey toward adulthood. Our pupils are encouraged to develop their:

• ability to be reflective about their own beliefs (religious or otherwise) and their perspective on life knowledge of, and respect for, different people’s faiths, feelings, and values.
• ability to understand and appreciate the viewpoints of others.
• acceptance of and engagement with the fundamental British values including mutual respect for those with different faiths and beliefs.
• understanding and appreciation of the range of cultural influences in the school and further afield as an essential element of their preparation for life in modern Britain.
• understanding and appreciation of the wide range of cultural influences that have that have shaped their own heritage, that of others and the locality we live in.
• ability to recognise, and value, the things we share in common across cultural, religious, ethnic and socio-economic communities.
• understand, accept, respect, and celebrate diversity in local, national and global communities.