Religion and Worldviews

“A friendly study of the world’s religions is a sacred duty.”  Mahatma Gandhi

According to the REC toolkit ‘The key purpose for RE in an RW approach is for pupils to understand how worldviews work in human experience, including their own, through the study of religion and non-religion, using rigorous scholarly approaches that equip them for adult life in a diverse world. This incorporates several other purposes for the subject, drawn from the strong traditions of RE and the wider purposes of education.’ ​

INTENT

We encourage pupils to learn from different religions, beliefs, values and traditions while creating a safe space for them to explore their own beliefs and questions of meaning.  We have linked the intent of our RW teaching to our whole school values.

Togetherness –  We want pupils at Nunney First school to work together to develop an understanding of the beliefs, cultural practices and influence of principle religions and worldviews in the local, national and wider global community.  We want them to appreciate the diversity of the expression of beliefs, continuity and change within those religions and world views.

Happiness – We aim for RW to play a key role in the development of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. We want our pupils to engage with challenging questions of meaning and purpose.  We want to contribute to the healthy development of pupils’ own spiritual/philosophical convictions, exploring and enriching their own beliefs and values.

Respect – We encourage pupils to foster respect and open-mindedness towards others with different faiths and beliefs and develop their sense of identity and belonging through self-awareness and reflection. Respect and tolerance of those with different faiths (or no faith) underpins our approach to the RW curriculum.

 

Independence – We strive for pupils to develop independent thinking, being able to communicate their ideas confidently in discussions and through written activities.  RW will help prepare them to engage and contribute to our diverse society, through showing understanding and being mindful of the wide spectrum of beliefs.

Variety – we will provide pupils at Nunney First School the opportunity to explore and learn about a variety of faiths that will develop a broad understanding of religious and non-religious views.  They will be offered a variety of experiences throughout their time including special trips and visitors to deepen their learning.   Our curriculum will draw on the richness and variety of religious experience worldwide.

 

Excellence – Excellent teaching will inspire a desire to learn about other people’s beliefs and develop a strong knowledge base. Pupils will develop a range of skills such as enquiry, analysis, interpretation, evaluation and reflection to help them become successful learners for life.

IMPLEMENTATION

At Nunney First School we are beginning to implement the 2025 Somerset Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education. This is a new, dynamic framework built on a Religion and Worldviews (RW) approach. It emphasizes critical thinking, empathy, and local heritage. The syllabus focuses on exploring diverse religious and non-religious perspectives across all key stages. We have tailored our curriculum specifically to make it relevant to our school community and further encourage tolerance and respect.

This is our current Long Term Overview.

These are the core syllabus concepts that run through the whole curriculum.

Below is the Long Term Plan we will be following from September 2026.

RW is taught in a ‘whole class’ setting with flexibility to allow for discussion, questioning and reflection in small groups and individually.  Class and Whole school assemblies also take place to compliment RW teaching and promote the development of SMSC in Nunney First School.

A variety of teaching approaches are encouraged:

  • Teacher presentations, role play, drama and story telling
  • Questions and answer sessions, discussions and debates
  • Photographs, videos, pictures and maps
  • IT, film, podcasts, radio, websites, to research and communicate ideas.
  • Visits to local churches and other places of worship are encouraged
  • Visitors may come in person or virtually to share their beliefs.

More information can be found on the Somerset SACRE Website

For our units of working on Humanism we have also drawn upon the expertise and resources of The Humanist Society.

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION AND THE DAILY ACT OF WORSHIP: The school’s Religious Education Policy has been drawn up in accordance with the Local Authority’s non-denominational Agreed Syllabus and the Daily Act of Worship is designed to reflect this country’s Christian tradition. It is, however, intended that our pupils should gain awareness and understanding of other religions. The 1988 Education Reform Act allows parents to withdraw their child from RE and the Daily Act of Worship. Any parent wishing to do so is asked to make a written request to the Head Teacher.