GLF Schools

GLF Schools

GLF Schools was founded in 2012 in order to enable the federation of Glyn School (an academy in 2011) and Danetree Junior School. Together, we began our journey to become a MAT of more than 1000 talented staff working with over 10,000 children in 40 schools across 5 regions in southern England.

Our Schools

Banbury Region

Banstead Region

Berkshire & Hampshire Region

Caterham Region

Crawley Region

Didcot Region

Epsom Region

London Boroughs

Redhill Region

Sunbury & Camberley Region

RE

Back to Subject List

Subject Overview

Religious Education at Cordwalles Junior School provides children with the opportunity to reflect on and learn from the faiths and beliefs of those around them.  We hope to provide opportunities for children in our schools to learn about the beliefs and practises people base their lives on, encouraging respect for those around us.  We believe that Religious Education should foster positive attitudes towards others while also enhancing students' spiritual and moral development in an environment where children can grow without prejudice.  It should promote community cohesion as well as global interaction, preparing children for an evolving environment.

Curriculum Intent

At Cordwalles Junior School, we believe that learning about different religious traditions and values provides a valuable educational, social, and cultural experience for our pupils.  We believe that the teaching of RE should develop positive attitudes towards others and enhance pupils’ own spiritual and moral development in an environment where children can grow without prejudice.  Our curriculum is based upon the National Curriculum and Surrey SACRE (Surrey Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education).

Curriculum Implementation

At Cordwalles Junior School, we strive to provide engaging and informative lessons enabling pupils to achieve their potential and contribute successfully to society.  The RE curriculum is a broad and varied curriculum where we deliver lessons in a variety of formal and less formal ways.  We have an excellent selection of artefacts for all religious education teaching units readily available to support our lessons.  We also use a range of videos and visitors to help share first hand experiences. At Cordwalles Junior School, our RE curriculum has links with art, drama, geography, PSHE, science and English.

Curriculum Impact

At Cordwalles Junior School, we envision the RE curriculum impacting the children in the following ways:

  • explore, gather, select, and organise ideas about religion and belief  

  • investigate and describe similarities and differences within and between religions and beliefs 

  • comment on connections between questions, beliefs, values and practices, drawing on key texts when appropriate  

  • suggest meanings for a range of forms of expression, using appropriate vocabulary  

  • describe the impact of beliefs and practices on individuals, groups and communities, locally, nationally and globally

By the end of key stage 2, pupils are expected to know, understand and apply skills related to the two attainment targets and learning themes embedded with the Surrey agreed Syllabus.  Assessment criteria has been developed in line with the expectations laid out in the Agreed Surrey Syllabus, to enable teachers to assess the progress of the children as they move through key stage 2.

What a ‘typical’ lesson looks like:

A typical RE lesson at Cordwalles starts by reviewing the learning intention and discussing success criteria.  As the lesson progresses, children are shown videos, artefacts, or firsthand accounts from the class.  Children also have the opportunity to participate in discussions regarding the topic explored, as well as their own ideas and viewpoints.  The children then participate in an engaging activity, demonstrating their understanding.  At the end of the session, the children explore a plenary question to reinforce and enhance their understanding.  Children then self assess their own understanding against the learning intention.
 

Teaching & Learning

At Cordwalles Junior School, children develop their understanding of Christianity and aspects of Judaism and Islam, and are introduced to aspects of Hinduism, Sikhism and Buddhism.  Each year group also explores at least one additional study unit where they explore moral, ethical and philosophical issues.

RE is taught for 1 hour every week.  Following the Surrey Guidance, children at Cordwalles Junior school explore Christianity for approximately 90 hours and explore Islam, Judaism, Hinduism and Buddhism for approximately 48 hours.

SEND

Children with Special Educational Needs and children for whom English is an additional language are able to gain equal access to the RE curriculum, although some adjustment may be necessary to cater for individual needs through planned differentiation and resources.  This will take into account the need to adapt lessons to account for children’s different learning styles.
 

Safeguarding

Prevent

From July 2015, all schools (as well as other organisations) have a duty to safeguard children from radicalisation and extremism.  This means we have a responsibility to protect children from extremist and violent views.  Importantly, we can provide a safe place for pupils to discuss these issues so they better understand how to protect themselves.  Many of the things we already do in school through the RE curriculum will help children become positive, happy members of society also contribute to the Prevent strategy.  These include:

  • Exploring other cultures and religions and promoting diversity 
  • Challenging prejudices and racist comments 
  • Promoting the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils