Religious Education & Worldviews

At Ridgeway Farm CE Academy, Religious Education (RE) is central to how our Christian vision is lived out. Rooted in our vision to Believe, Learn and Grow, RE supports every child to flourish as part of God’s family — developing wisdom, compassion, curiosity and respect.

We believe that every child is uniquely created and deeply valued. RE provides a safe and meaningful space for pupils to explore big questions of life, belief and purpose, helping them to grow in understanding of themselves, others and the world.

RE is inclusive and academically rigorous, supporting pupils of all faiths and none to engage thoughtfully with a wide range of religious and non-religious worldviews.

Believe

At Ridgeway Farm, we believe that Religious Education is a vital part of enabling pupils to flourish as reflective, compassionate and thoughtful individuals.

Our RE curriculum is rooted in our Christian vision that every child is known, valued and able to grow. We aim for pupils to:

• understand Christianity as a living and diverse faith
• explore a range of religious and non-religious worldviews
• ask big questions about meaning, belief and purpose
• develop respect, empathy and understanding of difference
• grow in wisdom, moral awareness and spiritual understanding

RE is not a bolt-on subject, but a core expression of our Christian distinctiveness, supporting pupils to live life in all its fullness.

It reflects our commitment to dignity, belonging and hope, ensuring every child can develop their own beliefs while respecting others.

Learn

Our RE curriculum is carefully structured, progressive and ambitious, ensuring all pupils develop secure knowledge and deep understanding.

Curriculum

We teach:

• Christianity in depth using Understanding Christianity
• Other worldviews through the Swindon Agreed Syllabus, including:
  • Judaism
  • Islam
  • Hinduism
  • Humanism

Learning is sequenced so that knowledge and theological understanding deepen over time. RE is taught weekly in every class and is valued alongside core subjects.

Teaching and learning

RE lessons:

• encourage questioning, dialogue and reflection
• develop oracy through discussion and debate
• use drama, art, music and storytelling
• connect learning to real-life experiences
• create a safe and respectful space for different views

A person-centred approach ensures pupils understand diversity within religions and worldviews, avoiding stereotypes and deepening respect.

Spiritual development

RE is a key driver of spirituality across the school. Pupils are supported to develop through:

• self – reflection, identity and resilience
• others – empathy, respect and forgiveness
• world – awe, wonder and responsibility
• God – understanding faith, prayer and belief

RE provides regular opportunities for reflection, discussion and meaning-making.

Enrichment

Learning is enriched through:

• visits and visitors
• church-led experiences (e.g. Christmas, Easter, Pentecost)
• prayer spaces and reflection days
• themed events and curriculum links

These experiences bring RE to life and help pupils connect belief with lived experience.

Leadership and monitoring

• RE is led by a subject leader who supports curriculum and teaching
• Foundation governors and the Diocese provide challenge and support
• RE is monitored with the same rigour as other subjects

This ensures RE remains strong, theologically secure and impactful.

Grow

Through RE, pupils grow as thoughtful, respectful and reflective individuals.

Pupils at Ridgeway Farm:

• can articulate key Christian concepts and compare beliefs thoughtfully
• ask meaningful questions about life, belief and purpose
• show respect and understanding of different worldviews
• use religious language with increasing confidence
• demonstrate empathy, curiosity and moral awareness

RE strengthens pupils’:

• spiritual development
• oracy and communication skills
• critical thinking and reflection
• understanding of diversity and community

Our SIAMS self-evaluation highlights that RE enables pupils to think deeply, live well together and engage respectfully with different beliefs, preparing them well for life in modern Britain.

As a result, pupils leave Ridgeway Farm as confident individuals who understand themselves, respect others and are ready to contribute positively to the world.

Inclusion

RE at Ridgeway Farm is:

• Inclusive – for all pupils, whatever their background
• Invitational – encouraging engagement without pressure
• Respectful – valuing difference and diversity

Pupils are supported to express their views, listen carefully and disagree with kindness.

Right of Withdrawal

Parents/carers have the right to withdraw their children from all or part of Religious Education. Those parents/carers wishing to exercise this right are invited to meet with the Headteacher and/or RE Leader, who will explore any concerns and discuss any impact that withdrawal may have on the child.

The school will ensure that parents who wish to withdraw their children from RE are aware of the RE curriculum and that it is relevant to all children and respectful of personal beliefs. Parents will be made aware of the learning objectives and content and will be given the opportunity to discuss this if they wish. The school may review such requests annually.

The use of the right to withdraw should be at the instigation of parents, and it should be made clear whether this is from the whole subject or specific parts. No reasons need to be given.

Where a child is withdrawn, this right will be respected. The school will discuss suitable arrangements with parents/carers. The purpose of withdrawal is to allow parents/carers to make their own arrangements for RE, not for alternative curriculum activities. Once withdrawn, the child will not take part in RE unless the request is removed.

Parents are requested to confirm withdrawal in writing to the Headteacher, and will be invited to review this decision annually.

The right to withdraw does not extend to other areas of the curriculum where religion or belief may arise incidentally.