Brockmoor Primary School: Religious Education (RE) Curriculum

A Curriculum That Develops Knowledgeable, Reflective, and Respectful Thinkers

At Brockmoor Primary School, we believe that Religious Education (RE) is essential for fostering understanding, respect, and critical thinking about different worldviews. Our curriculum is structured around Jigsaw RE, aligned with the Dudley Agreed Syllabus and adapted to follow the CUSP teaching cycle, ensuring:

📖 A knowledge-rich approach – Embedding explicit vocabulary instruction and key concepts.
🔄 Retrieval and fluency focus – Using connect cycles to revisit and reinforce knowledge.
🗣 Oral rehearsal and partner discussion – Encouraging pupils to articulate their understanding of religious beliefs and practices.
🌍 A broad and balanced approach – Covering Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Sikhism, Buddhism, Sanatana Dharma (Hindu Dharma), and Humanism.
🏆 Embedding school values in RE – Reinforcing respect, tolerance, perseverance, and reflection.
🎭 Experiential learning – Using storytelling, role-play, and artefacts to bring religions to life.

Our ambition is that every child leaves primary school with a strong understanding of world religions and worldviews, respect for different beliefs, and the ability to reflect on their own values and perspectives.

Religious Education in EYFS: Early Foundations

In EYFS, RE is embedded within "Understanding the World", ensuring children develop:

💡 An awareness of diversity – Recognising that different people have different beliefs, traditions, and ways of life.
🏡 Exploring places of worship and sacred spaces – Learning about churches, mosques, synagogues, and temples.
📖 Storytelling and religious narratives – Engaging with stories from different faiths and discussing their meanings.
🎉 Celebrating religious festivals – Learning about Diwali, Christmas, Hanukkah, Eid, and other celebrations.
🗣 Developing respectful discussion skills – Encouraging children to express their thoughts and listen to others.

Through interactive learning, children:

👥 Learn about special people in different faiths (e.g., Jesus, Muhammad, Moses, Guru Nanak).
🎨 Explore religious symbols, objects, and clothing through hands-on experiences.
🔍 Discuss what makes places and objects special to different communities.
🏡 Recognise how families celebrate important occasions differently.

This early introduction to worldviews and cultural diversity lays the foundation for deeper RE learning in Key Stage 1 and beyond.

A Structured and Progressive RE Curriculum

We follow the Jigsaw RE Framework, mapped to the Dudley Agreed Syllabus, ensuring a systematic and knowledge-rich progression across all year groups.

Key Features of Our RE Curriculum

✅ A structured progression model – Ensuring religious concepts are revisited and deepened over time.
✅ Oracy and vocabulary-rich instruction – Enabling pupils to express religious knowledge confidently.
✅ Real-world application and personal reflection – Encouraging pupils to relate religious concepts to their own lives.
✅ Retrieval and fluency focus – Using connect cycles to reinforce key knowledge.

Jigsaw RE Adapted to CUSP: The Teaching Cycle

Each unit of Jigsaw RE follows the CUSP-inspired teaching cycle, ensuring that learning is rigorous, structured, and enquiry-based.

1. Connect: Activating Prior Knowledge

🔄 Revisiting previous learning about religions, key figures, and beliefs.
📖 Vocabulary retrieval – Ensuring pupils recall and use correct terminology.

2. Explain: Vocabulary and Concept Teaching

🗣 Explicit instruction of key religious vocabulary and beliefs.
💡 Discussion of key religious texts, artefacts, and traditions.

3. Example: Modelling Religious Thinking

🎭 Role-play, storytelling, and scenario discussions help children understand different religious perspectives.
🤝 Partner discussions and collaborative learning reinforce understanding.

4. Attempt: Independent or Group Reflection

📖 Pupils express their understanding through writing, art, drama, or debate.
🗣 Class discussions explore the impact of religious beliefs on daily life.

5. Apply: Real-World Connections and Self-Reflection

🌍 Making links between religious teachings and real-world moral issues (e.g., kindness, charity, environmental responsibility).
🛡 Understanding religious diversity and the role of faith in modern society.

6. Challenge: Extending Thinking and Deepening Application

🎭 Applying religious ideas to ethical dilemmas, encouraging problem-solving and empathy.
💡 Higher-order questioning, prompting deep reflection on morality, spirituality, and belief systems.

By following this structured teaching cycle, we ensure that RE is not just about learning facts but about developing critical thinking, reflection, and respect for different worldviews.

Religious Education in Action: Beyond the Classroom

At Brockmoor, RE is more than just a subject – it is embedded into whole-school life and community engagement.

🏛 Experiential Learning and Visits

🌍 Trips to local places of worship – Including churches, mosques, gurdwaras, and synagogues.
📖 Workshops with religious leaders and community members.
🎉 Whole-school celebrations of religious and cultural festivals.

📖 Vocabulary and Oracy in RE

🗣 Structured partner talk and oral rehearsal before written tasks.
📚 Explicit teaching of tiered religious vocabulary for discussion and debate.
🎭 Drama, storytelling, and role-play to enhance engagement.

🌍 Community and Social Responsibility

🤝 Charity work linked to religious teachings (e.g., supporting food banks during Harvest Festival).
🛡 Exploring moral and ethical dilemmas from different religious perspectives.
🏫 Whole-school assemblies incorporating RE themes (e.g., perseverance in faith, the importance of kindness).

By integrating RE into school life and the local community, we ensure that pupils engage with religious education in a meaningful way.

Assessment: Tracking Progress in RE

📊 Reflective journals – Capturing pupils’ responses and personal reflections.
🗣 Oracy-based assessments – Encouraging verbal expression of religious understanding.
📖 Formative questioning and structured discussions – Ensuring conceptual understanding.
🏆 Recognition of values-based learning – Linking RE achievements to school values.

Assessment in RE is designed to track not just knowledge but the ability to engage in deep thinking, respect diverse perspectives, and apply learning to real-world issues.

The Impact: What Our RE Curriculum Achieves

By the time pupils leave Brockmoor Primary, they are:

📖 Knowledgeable about different world religions and worldviews.
🤝 Respectful and understanding of diversity and different beliefs.
🗣 Confident in discussing and debating religious and ethical topics.
🌍 Able to apply religious and moral principles to real-world situations.

RE, rooted in Jigsaw RE but adapted to enhance fluency, vocabulary, and retrieval practice, ensures that every child leaves primary school with a deep understanding of worldviews, a respect for diversity, and the ability to think critically about faith and belief.

Further Information

For more details, including:
📌 Jigsaw RE Planning with CUSP Adaptations
📌 RE Vocabulary Progression Overview
📌 Community Engagement and Educational Visits

Please contact our Curriculum Lead, Tom Amphlett, at info@brockmoor.dudley.sch.uk. 🚀