At Hillside Primary School, our Religious Education (RE) curriculum is designed to place the needs, identities, and aspirations of our pupils at the heart of their learning. Our bespoke curriculum is ambitious and inclusive, empowering every child to think like a theologian, philosopher, and social scientist, fostering a deep respect for the diverse beliefs that shape our world to help them "Be the BEST they can be."

Our RE curriculum intent is underpinned by our four key attitudes for learning, ensuring pupils develop the empathy and critical thinking needed to thrive in a multi-faith and non-religious modern world:

• Believe

• Engage

• Succeed

• Try

We deliver a high-quality RE curriculum—rooted in the Jigsaw RE enquiry-based model—that equips pupils with Substantive Knowledge (religious facts, texts, and traditions) and Disciplinary Knowledge (the ability to analyse, interpret, and evaluate). Our curriculum is anchored by six ‘Big Ideas’ that build progressively, helping pupils construct a mental schema of how faith and worldviews influence human experience.

 

BELIEVE: Building Confidence and Belonging

• Identity & Belonging (Big Idea): We foster an environment where children believe in the value of their own voice. By exploring Jigsaw RE’s focus on 'The Personal', children first understand their own 'insider' perspective before looking at the wider world.

• Vocabulary for Success: We believe vocabulary is the gateway to understanding complex worldviews. Pupils progress from simple terms like 'Faith' and 'Kindness' in EYFS to mastering tier-3 terminology such as ‘Covenant’, ‘Secularism’, ‘Dharma’, and ‘Atheism’.

• Inclusive Achievement: Through the Jigsaw RE approach, we ensure all pupils – regardless of faith background or SEND needs – believe they can access the 'Big Questions' of life through scaffolded discussion and sensory learning.

 

ENGAGE: Curiosity and Connection

• Practices & Lifestyles (Big Idea): We spark curiosity by investigating how beliefs are lived out in the real world, from the rituals of Salah to the celebration of Diwali.

• Theological Enquiry (Disciplinary): Following the Jigsaw RE 4-step process (Engagement, Investigation, Evaluation, Expression), pupils engage as active investigators. They move from asking 'Why is this object special?' in KS1 to 'How do religious texts influence modern ethics?' in KS2.

• Local Identity: We connect our learning to the local community. By visiting local places of worship in Gloucester—from the Cathedral to local Mosques and Gurdwaras—children see faith as a living part of their own city's story.

 

SUCCEED: Precision & Mastery

• Beliefs & Teachings (Big Idea): Success is rooted in an accurate understanding of core tenets. Pupils move from knowing religious stories to mastering the complex theology behind them, such as the Five Pillars of Islam or the concept of Salvation in Christianity.

• Interpretation (Disciplinary): Mastery is shown when pupils can explain why people within the same religion might disagree or practice differently, demonstrating an understanding of diversity within faith.

• Substantive Mastery: Pupils succeed when they can compare worldviews with precision, such as contrasting the concept of God in monotheistic faiths with dharmic traditions or humanistic perspectives.

 

TRY: Resilience & Hard Thinking

• Ethics & Values (Big Idea): Pupils embrace 'hard thinking' to tackle complex moral dilemmas. They 'try' out different philosophical stances to understand concepts of justice, peace, and the environment.

• Critical Reflection (Disciplinary): We cultivate a culture where children are not afraid to challenge ideas and be challenged. They learn that 'trying' to understand a perspective different from their own is the first step toward social cohesion.

• Meaning & Purpose (Big Idea): Children develop resilience by grappling with the 'Big Questions' of existence, such as 'Why do people suffer?' or 'What happens when we die?', understanding that different worldviews offer different answers.