In order to achieve our whole school intent, we have identified 3 Golden Threads that weave through our curriculum and underpin everything we do. This means that in delivering our curriculum we are embedding our school's Christian Values, developing knowledge and skills progressively over time with an ambitious and aspiring curriculum whilst immersing our children in language-rich teaching.
As a Church of England School, the Christian faith forms the foundations of everything that we do at Forest & Sandridge. Our Christian faith influences not only what we teach, but how we teach, and we promote an environment where all children feel known, accepted, and valued as individuals, within a caring community. The teaching and learning of Religious Education offers opportunities to promote respect for others, to challenge stereotypes and to build understanding of other cultures and beliefs. This contributes to a positive and inclusive school ethos that champions diversity, responsibility, and spirituality.
We encourage children to develop an array of skills that will enable them to make their own positive influence in our global society, including:
- To provoke challenging questions about the ultimate meaning of life, beliefs about God, the nature of reality and morality.
- To develop pupils' knowledge and understanding of Christianity, other principal world religions, religious traditions and world-views, which offer answers to ultimate questions.
- To encourage pupils to develop their sense of identity and belonging, in order to flourish within communities, as responsible citizens in society and global communities.
- To teach pupils to develop respect for others and their beliefs and help to challenge prejudice.
- To prompt pupils to consider their responsibilities to themselves and to others, and to explore how they might contribute to their communities and to wider society encouraging empathy, generosity and compassion.
- For children to be confident in 'retelling' within the context of RE using the language structures.
*In accordance with the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 section 71, parents have the right to withdraw their children from all or part of RE and acts of collective worship on religious grounds. Parents should make their wishes known to the Headteacher who will ensure that any pupils who are withdrawn are appropriately supervised while the act of collective worship / RE lesson takes place. Pupils can be withdrawn wholly or partly from acts of collective worship only by parents.
Forest and Sandridge CE Primary School has proudly been awarded the Religious Education Quality Mark (REQM).
It is the second time that the school has applied for the award and to make it even more special - they have achieved the highest level of gold.
The REQM acknowledges and celebrates outstanding RE in schools and recognises those who are making a difference to learners.
The team at REQM works with schools to see what pupils enjoy about religious education and what could make it even better.
Here is a quote from an REQM assessor:
"A pleasure to see how high profile RE is within your school. It was good to see how pupils, parents, governors and SLT are all so invested in the RE that takes place within your school. The Subject Leader's drive and ambition were clear as was her passion for the subject and her constant drive to improve the already outstanding practice."