At Michaelchurch Escley Primary School, we believe that Religious Education (RE) plays an essential role in fostering pupils' understanding of the diverse world in which we live. By promoting knowledge and respect for different religions, cultures, and worldviews, our RE curriculum helps to develop empathy, tolerance, and thoughtful reflection in our students.

We follow the Herefordshire Agreed Syllabus for RE (2020-2025), which is designed to provoke meaningful questions about life, beliefs, and the world around us. The syllabus emphasises both religious and non-religious worldviews, encouraging children to explore diverse perspectives on values, traditions, and human experience.

RE at Michaelchurch Escley has three core aims:

• Making sense of beliefs: Pupils will learn to identify, describe, and analyse various religious and non-religious beliefs, developing a deeper understanding of key concepts and sources of authority within those traditions.
• Understanding the impact: Pupils will explore how individuals and communities express their beliefs and how these beliefs influence daily life and practices in various cultural contexts.
• Making connections: Pupils will reflect on the relevance of the beliefs and practices they study and connect these with their own experiences and ways of understanding the world.

Curriculum Overview

Our RE curriculum is inclusive, engaging, and progressively structured to allow pupils to explore Christianity as well as other major world religions, such as Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, and non-religious worldviews like Humanism. As pupils move through the school, they deepen their understanding of religious diversity and how beliefs influence the lives of individuals and communities. The teaching approach at Michaelchurch Escley is rooted in enquiry-based learning, where pupils are encouraged to ask questions, engage in discussions, and reflect critically on their learning.

Educational Visits to Places of Workshop

At Michaelchurch Escley, we believe that experiencing different religious environments first-hand greatly enriches pupils' learning. To deepen their understanding of the beliefs and practices studied in the classroom, we organise visits to a variety of places of worship. 

• Cathedral Visits: Pupils visited Hereford cathedrals to explore Christian history, architecture, and the role of the church in the community.
• Synagogue Visits: Our pupils visit Cardiff synagogue to learn more about Judaism, its traditions, and how the Jewish community worships.
• Mosque Visits: Pupils visit Gloucester  mosque to explore Islamic beliefs and practices, gaining insight into the importance of community and worship in Islam.

RE and Personal Development

RE contributes significantly to our pupils' spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development. It encourages open-mindedness, respect for diversity, and a deeper understanding of British values such as tolerance and mutual respect. Through RE, pupils are equipped with the skills needed to engage in constructive dialogue and to appreciate the beliefs and practices of others, preparing them for life in modern Britain.