Religious Education (RE)
Riddlesden St Mary's Religious Education leader is Mrs Khan.
Intent
Religious Education in our school enables every child to flourish and live life in all its fullness (John 10:10)
Our intent for RE teaching and learning is to help educate for dignity and respect encouraging all to live well together, preparing for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of life in modern Britain. All children will acquire core knowledge and understanding of the beliefs and practices of different religions and worldviews which not only shape their history and culture but which guide their development. The modern world needs young people who are sufficiently confident in their own beliefs and values so that they can respect the religious and cultural differences of others and contribute to a cohesive and compassionate society.
At Riddlesden St. Mary's Primary School we take into consideration the community and range of religions, faiths and beliefs from within it, ensuring that we show the utmost respect. In our Church school, pupils and their families can expect an RE curriculum that enables our pupils to acquire a rich, deep knowledge and understanding of Christian belief and practice, which will include the ways in which it is unique and diverse but also similar to other faiths.
An engaging, progressive and creative RE curriculum ensures that our children build an understanding of religious texts, beliefs, rituals and practices and how they help form identity in a range of religions and worldviews. Meaningful and informed dialogue holds a high profile in all RE teaching and learning throughout our school.
RE Yearly Overview
yearly overview of re 2023 2024.pdf
RE Strategy
Progression in RE
Gold Award
We are proud to hold the Gold Award for the RE Quality Mark.
gold award certificate riddlesden st marys cofe primary school.pdf
Inter Faith Week 12-19th November 2023
This week, we were joined by Imam Mahmood who led worship for both KS1 and KS2. He shared an Islamic story with the children which had a key message about forgiveness leading to peace- two of our school values.
The children were also joined by Reverend Tony and Reverend Rob for the morning. The children in years 2-6 took part in a workshop, split into 6 stations which allowed them to explore different faiths and have some time to reflect:
Station 1:
What is important to you?
Station 2:
Why is it important to learn about other faiths?
Station 3:
Which community/faith do these celebrities belong to?
Station 4:
What would you like to find out about your own or other faiths?
Station 5:
A prayer tree/tree of hope. Write down your thoughts, hopes or prayers and tie it to the tree.
Station 6:
Explore the books to discover more about your own or other faiths.
Reception and Year One were joined by Mrs Khan who read them a story about Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
The children really enjoyed their day and their time reflecting on their own beliefs and those of others.
Diwali 2023
Reception had a wonderful week celebrating the festival of Diwali. We now know that it is often referred to as the 'festival of light' because of the bright decorations and lights that are used during this special festival. We used the book 'The Best Diwali Ever' by Sonali Shah to help us to find out more. We thought about how this celebration is similar or different to some of the special festivals that we celebrate. During the week, we made our own rangoli patterns, made diva lamps from clay and even tried some traditional dancing!
Christingle 2023
On Thursday 14 December, the children took part in the Christingle service with Reverend Tony and Reverend Rob. Each child held their Christingle as they sang about what each part of the Christingle represented. Read below to find out more about Christingles!
t c 254092 christingle display poster ver 2.pdf
Godly play
Years 2,3 and 5 have enjoyed their Godly Play sessions this year with Mrs Hesselwood. Godly play encourages curiosity and imagination in experiencing the mystery of God.
Year 2- The Last Supper
Mosque Visit 2024
Year 3 had an inspiring visit to the Mosque to support their key question; How do festivals and worship show what matters to a Muslim? The children and staff were able to take part in a tour around Madina Mosque in Keighley, enjoy books in the Mosque library, listen to a presentation about Ramadan, ask questions, try on headscarves and hats, demonstrate prayer and find out what happens in a Mosque. Each child left with a gift from the Mosque!
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Rewind to Easter 2024
Year 5 had a visit to St Mary's Church to take part in Rewind to Easter. The children enjoyed taking parts in different activities and learning about Easter!
Ramadan Day 2024
The children had a visit from a local Imam and Mosque teacher who shared some facts about Ramadan. Each class shared a story that focused on different topics such as; Ramadan, being thankful, helping others, forgiveness, prayer and Eid. The day ended with a Ramadan crafts session in which parents joined their children in class to get creative!
'Be a Good Samaritan' day 2024
'Go and do Likewise.' (Luke 10:37)
Our vision is biblically underpinned by the story of the Good Samaritan. We decided to hold a 'Be a Good Samaritan' day. We began by revisiting the parable and discussed the importance of being kind to others, including those who may have different thoughts and beliefs to our own. Each year group had an act of kindness to carry out. There was a real buzz throughout the school!
Reception and Year 6 carried out some litter picking (the rain didn't stop them!)
Year 1 wrote positive affirmations to each staff member in school and gave a sweet treat along with it. The children were filled with joy as they hand delivered the notes!
Year 2 focused on helping animals by making 'seed bombs' with Joel. They also made 'helpful hands' tokens to take home.
Year 3 wrote letters to residents around school. Each letter had a sweet treat inside.
Year 4 took part in a Godly Play session with Mrs Hesselwood and carried out a reading session with Year 1.
Year 5 and 6 made 103 packs of cookies for the homeless. These certainly put a smile on many faces!
The choir represented the school beautifully as they sang to residents in a care home in Keighley to spread love.
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We evaluated the impact of the day through a survey. Here are some examples:
good samaritan day surveys.pdf
Year 5 visit to the Mosque 2024
In year 5, the children's 'Big Questions' for the summer term were; 'What does it mean to be a Muslim in Britain today?' and 'Why is pilgrimage important to some religious believers?' The children were able to take a visit to Madinah Mosque in Keighley to see the features of a Mosque and find out what happens in a Mosque such as the 5 daily prayers. They were also able to find out more about the pilgrimage Hajj. The session was run by a teacher in the Mosque. The teachers from the Mosque commented on how attentive and respectful the children were- they did St Mary's proud!
Godly play 2024-2025
Year 1 (Autumn 1)
This half term, Year 1's big question was; 'What does it mean to belong to a faith community?'. The children looked at different artefacts, places of worship and symbols that belong to different faiths. Year 1 were visit by Mrs Hesselwood who talked about Baptism through Godly play.
Year 3 (Autumn 1)
This half term, Year 3's big question was; 'What is it like for someone to follow God?'. The children have been learning about the story of Noah, considering what it is like to follow God. The children explored the story of Noah through Godly play. The children then followed this up by responding to the story through a range of resources.
Diwali Day 2024
The whole school took part in a Diwali Day to celebrate the festival of lights. Children in years 1-6 took part in a workshop. The children enjoyed listening to music and dressing up!
East Riddlesden Hall Diwali Event
We partnered up with East Riddlesden Hall to help make items for their Diwali event. The children's Diya lamps and Rangoli patterns were viewed by members of the community.- these looked amazing! The winning Rangoli pattern design was used a colouring sheet for the community! What a great opportunity to learn about another religion as well as share the fantastic work of children at Riddlesden St Mary's for others to see.
