Religious Education

At the Skylark Federation, our Religious Education (RE) curriculum is designed to help children build a rich "schema"—a mental framework that allows them to organise, process, and store complex concepts about the world’s religions and belief systems. Supported by experts from Hampshire RE, we have refined our subject sequencing to ensure learning is cumulative and connected.

Our Approach: Building a Picture of Faith

We recognise that RE is a "horizontal" subject; knowledge isn't always hierarchical, but it is deeply interconnected. To help children create a clear picture of diversity and belief, we introduce specific religions in distinct phases:

Years R, 1 & 2: Hinduism and Christianity

Years 3 & 4: Judaism and Christianity

Years 5 & 6: Islam and Christianity

By focusing on these faiths in stages, students can "pin" new knowledge to their existing frameworks, eventually forming a comprehensive understanding of global religions and beliefs.

The "Golden Threads" of Learning

To make sense of disparate facts, we use Golden Threads. These are disciplinary concepts that unite different units of learning, allowing children to reuse and reapply what they have learned across different faiths.

Our curriculum is woven together by these core themes:

• Belonging

• Love

• Community

• Specialness

• Journeys

• Symbols 

The Power of Inquiry: Each unit is driven by a Key Question (KQ). These questions require students to piece together substantive knowledge over time to form thoughtful, evidence-based answers.

How We Teach

Our teachers use practical strategies to ensure these connections are clear for every child:

• Cyclical Learning: We use a cyclical approach to revisit concepts, making links between new information and prior learning obvious.

•  Concept Mapping: Concepts are mapped across the entire curriculum to ensure no topic exists in isolation. 

• Reflective Practice: We constantly ask, "What did we learn about this thread in a previous religion?" before applying it to a new one.

By bridging substantive knowledge (the facts) with disciplinary knowledge (the big ideas), we prepare our students to navigate a world of diverse beliefs with empathy and insight.

RE Curriculum Overview

kimpton overview for re.pdf

Religious Education and the Right to Withdraw

At Kimpton, our Religious Education (RE) curriculum is designed to be inclusive, broad, and balanced. We aim to help pupils develop an understanding of the diverse world around them, fostering respect and empathy for people of all faiths and none.

Our curriculum follows the  Diocesan Syllabus, which focuses on the historical, social, and philosophical aspects of religion.

We believe that RE is an essential part of a child's holistic education. However, we respect the right of parents and carers to withdraw their children from RE lessons and/or acts of Collective Worship.

• Statutory Right: In accordance with the School Standards and Framework Act 1998, parents have the right to withdraw their children from all or part of RE and Collective Worship.

To exercise this right, please submit a formal request in writing to the Headteacher at ktfadmin@skylarkfed.co.uk