Our core Christian values of Perseverance, Friendship and Respect run through our RE curriculum. Each unit encourages children to see how values shape the lives of believers and how they can guide our own choices.

Through RE, pupils:

• Discover how Christian beliefs inspire justice, compassion and hope

• Explore the impact of faith on everyday life

• Learn how values help communities thrive

• Recognise the importance of kindness, dignity and empathy

RE helps pupils understand what it means to live in a community where everyone is encouraged to grow in character, flourish in understanding and fly with confidence and purpose.

Our Christian code - Life in All Its Fullness (John 10:10) - underpins our approach to RE. We want pupils to experience fullness of life by developing spiritually, morally and emotionally.

RE supports this by allowing children to:

• Reflect deeply on big questions

• Explore what gives life meaning

• Consider how belief shapes identity

• Learn how people express faith through worship, prayer, celebration and service

Through these experiences, pupils discover that a life rooted in compassion, curiosity and understanding is one that can flourish.

Spirituality is woven throughout our RE curriculum. We encourage pupils to recognise WOWs, OWs, NOWs and POWs within their learning:

• WOWs – moments of awe or discovery when learning about faith, creation, stories or traditions

• OWs – exploring empathy, suffering and difficult questions such as loss, conflict or injustice

• NOWs – opportunities for quiet reflection, prayer, stillness and thoughtful discussion

• POWs – Powerful Opportunities to Change the World, where learning inspires courageous advocacy and responsible action

These experiences help children connect RE learning to their own lives and to their sense of purpose in the world.

At Tolleshunt D’Arcy, we follow the Church of England Statement of Entitlement, ensuring our RE curriculum is broad, balanced and academically rigorous. Children learn about Christianity in depth, while also exploring a range of world faiths and non-religious worldviews.

Through enquiry-based learning, pupils:

• Ask thoughtful and sometimes challenging questions

• Explore sacred texts and religious stories

• Learn about places of worship, rituals and celebrations

• Consider different beliefs about God, creation and humanity

• Compare similarities and differences across world religions

• Develop respect for communities and cultures across the globe

This prepares children to live well in a diverse society and to appreciate the richness of different beliefs and traditions.

RE is strengthened by the wider life of our school. Pupils experience faith through:

• Collective worship

• Links with our parish church

• Visits and visitors from faith communities

• Celebrations of Christian festivals

• School-wide projects on courageous advocacy and social justice

In all of these experiences, children grow in confidence to reflect, ask questions and engage with discussions about belief, meaning and purpose.

The RE curriculum encourages children to think deeply, respond creatively and live out values that shape a kinder, fairer world. By connecting learning to our Christian vision, spirituality and community life, we help our pupils become thoughtful, responsible and courageous young people.

At Tolleshunt D’Arcy, RE helps every child to:

Grow in wisdom,Flourish in faith and understanding, and fly with hope, curiosity and strength.