Religious Education (RE)
Our Intent
At Culverhill School, Religious Education (RE) is a vital part of our curriculum and contributes significantly to pupils’ personal development. Our RE curriculum is holistic, sequential and experiential, designed to support pupils in making sense of their own experiences while developing an understanding of the diverse world around them.
Pupils explore a range of world religions including Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism and Buddhism. Through this, we aim to nurture curiosity, empathy and respect, preparing pupils to become thoughtful and informed members of society.
Our RE curriculum aligns with our whole-school vision to Inspire, Nurture and Thrive, supporting pupils to develop skills for lifelong learning and meaningful participation in modern Britain.
Our Teaching Approach
Why We Use Experience-Based ‘Wow Days’
We have carefully adapted our approach from weekly RE lessons to termly immersive ‘Wow Days’.
This change reflects the needs of our learners and ensures that RE is:
- Meaningful and memorable
- Accessible for all pupils
- Engaging through sensory and practical experiences
Rather than weekly sessions, Wow Days allow pupils to:
- Build stronger connections through hands-on learning
- Engage in multisensory activities that support understanding and retention
- Understand each context by developing tolerance and respect
This approach ensures learning is rich, engaging and rooted in real experiences, enabling pupils to develop tolerance, respect and understanding over time.
Our Teaching Map
What Pupils Will Experience?
Wow Days, pupils take part in a range of activities designed to bring learning to life, including:
- Food tasting and cooking activities linked to religious celebrations
- Arts and crafts, such as creating Diwali lamps, Easter crafts or building a Sukkah
- Storytelling and role play, sequencing, retelling and using props
- Exploring artefacts, music and images from different religions
- Interactive and sensory experiences, including smell, touch, sound and visual exploration
- Discussion and comparison activities, supported at each pupil’s communication level
- Trips to places of religious significance
Promoting British Values
Through RE, we actively promote British Values, particularly:
- Mutual respect
- Tolerance of different faiths and beliefs
- Individual liberty
Pupils are supported to understand that:
- People may have different beliefs and traditions
- These differences should be respected
- We can learn from one another while maintaining our own identities
Statutory Information
While Religious Education is not compulsory within academies, Culverhill School chooses to include RE as an important part of our curriculum. We believe it plays a key role in promoting understanding, respect and awareness of different worldviews.
Parents and carers have the right to withdraw their child from all or part of RE. Please contact the school if you would like to discuss this further.