Bradford is a multi-cultural city and a consequence, Thornbury is a multicultural school.  We are proud of our heritages and celebrate the rich diversity that is prevalent throughout our community.  At Thornbury children learn the skills, knowledge and understanding to be a well-informed and empathetic citizen of Bradford, modern Britain and the world. Our children learn about Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, Sikhism and Humanism. They develop an understanding of these different religions and world views through learning about different beliefs and practices and how sources of wisdom are used in stories. Our children also learn the importance of symbols and actions and how prayer, worship and reflection plays an important part in developing identity and belonging as well as developing their sense of wonder through asking ultimate questions.  Children learn about what is right and wrong, including through the teaching our Star values. Children explore moral stories in order to learn about justice and fairness.

Children in Reception and Nursery develop an understanding of the world – people, culture and communities through use of imagination and curiosity to develop their wonder of the world. It is here that they begin to learn about what is right and wrong and begin to understand fairness through listening to a wide range of stories and exploring different festivals.

Key Stage 1 children learn about different beliefs and practices, including festivals, worship, rituals and ways of life and explain some meanings behind them. They learn how to retell and suggest meanings to some religious and moral stories; think, talk and ask questions about some sacred writings and sources of wisdom and the traditions from which they come. They develop an understanding of symbols and actions in order to explain how and why they express religious meaning. Our children begin to notice some similarities between different faiths.  They explore how and where worshippers connect to prayer and worship and participate in periods of stillness and reflection. Children are given opportunities to talk with others about how people belong to different groups, including faith groups, and express who they are. They also learn what a leader does and why they do this.  Our children are encouraged to ask and answer a range of ‘how’ and ‘why’ questions about belonging, meaning and truth expressing their own ideas and opinions. They learn to tell stories and share real life examples of how people show care and have concern for humanity and the world.

Lower Key Stage 2 children describe, make connections and reflect on some religious beliefs and practices, including how celebrations and key moments in life are marked. They develop an understanding of how to show awareness, describe and interpret a range of stories, sacred writings, psalms, poems, hymns, prayers and artefacts as well as an understanding of their impact on individual believers.  Children explain how a range of beliefs, symbolic expression and actions (verbal and non-verbal) can communicate meaning to individual followers are encouraged to describe some similarities between communities and why and where worshippers connect to prayer and worship.  They also participate in periods of stillness and quiet thought and where appropriate, express personal reflections. Children are taught to show an understanding of some of the challenges individuals face when belonging to a faith community and how it may help them. They learn how some religious people are guided by their religious leaders and encouraged to respond to a range of challenging ‘if’ and ‘why’ questions about making sense of the world, expressing personal reflections whilst learning how diverse communities live together respectfully, sharing the same values and sense of responsibilities. Children discuss questions on matters that are important in the world, including choices about what is right and what is wrong.

Upper Key Stage 2, Children describe, make connections to reflect on some religious and worldviews and use specific religious vocabulary about how celebrations and key moments in life are marked by different communities. They show awareness, respond to and interpret a range of stories, sacred writings and sources of wisdom, in order to recognise and understand the impact within different communities and on individual believers. Children compare how and why a range of beliefs expression and actions communicate different meaning to individuals and identify and describe similarities and differences between and within communities. Through enquiry and experience, children demonstrate worshippers’ connection to prayer, faith and sacred spaces and show and express insights into the challenges of individual commitment, belonging and faith. They raise questions on guidance and leadership in their own and others’ lives and are taught to present a range of views and answers to challenging questions about belonging, meaning and truth.  Our children are taught how to explain the way diverse communities can live together through identifying common values, justice, respect and shared human responsibility.  They are taught to use personal and critical responses to challenge how individual and collective responsibility is shaped by faith and belief as well as evaluating and asking challenging questions in order to apply their own and others’ ideas about responsibility, what is right and wrong so they can consider the possible effects of different moral choices.

The detailed, sequential development of Religious Education is carefully mapped out in our RE progression map, accessible below.  This progression map ensures that teachers are supported to plan lessons that include all learners, of all abilities.

Our children are given motivating and inspiring cross-curricular opportunities and special experiences to embed essential learning.  This enrichment is an essential element of our RE curriculum offer.  For example:

• A full annual programme of assemblies, incorporating ‘Leadership Thought of the Week’ and ‘Word of the Week’;
• Reading assemblies that address moral stories;
• Dance workshops to celebrate different festivals – e.g. Diwali;
• A variety of religious leaders who visit the school to talk to children during their RE lessons;
• The opportunity to visit a range of places of worship;
• Celebrating and learning about important festivals from the six principle world religions;
• A range of activities to promote the Star values of Service, Teamwork, Ambition, Respect – e.g. Children in Need, McMillan, Winter Gift Programme.

Resources