Religious Education & Spiritual Development

We are a caring, Christian community. In recognising both the Christian Foundation of the school and the legal requirements for teaching RE, our teaching is based on a Church of England resource, “Understanding Christianity 2016” and the Somerset agreed syllabus for RE, “Awareness, Mystery and Value 2019’.

We believe that Religious Education can assist pupils in learning about and understanding the nature of religion and also in aiding their quest for meaning and purpose. It can help children to understand what it means to take a religion seriously. Whilst providing positive nurture, religious education helps children to develop their own beliefs, attitudes and values. Religious Education provokes challenging questions about the ultimate meaning and purpose of life, beliefs about God, the self and the nature of reality, issues of right and wrong and what it means to be human.  It develops children’s knowledge and understanding of the nature of religion and belief including Christianity, principal religions, other religious traditions and world views, in the context of a diverse society.

RE offers opportunities for personal reflection and spiritual development.  It enables children to flourish individually, within their communities and as citizens in a diverse society and global community.  RE has an important role in preparing children for adult life, employment and lifelong learning.  It enables them to develop respect for and sensitivity to others, and enables children to challenge prejudice.  In these ways it contributes to children’s wellbeing and promotes ways in which communities can live and work together.