Grimsargh St. Michael's C of E Primary School

“We learn about other faiths and worldviews so that our pupils grow in understanding, respect and curiosity, helping them flourish in our diverse world while remaining rooted in our Christian vision.”

At Grimsargh St Michael’s CE Primary School, our vision of inspiring, achieving and believing in a loving Christian community encourages pupils to value diversity, respect difference and engage thoughtfully with people of all faiths and worldviews.

Through our Questful RE curriculum, pupils learn both about and from religion through enquiry, discussion, visitors, workshops and first-hand experiences. These opportunities develop religious literacy, deepen understanding and help children appreciate how faith shapes people’s lives, communities and identities.

The examples below provide a snapshot of the opportunities pupils experience as they explore different faiths and worldviews throughout their time at St Michael’s.

Reception 

In Reception class, children begin to explore faith, belonging and values through stories, discussion and play.

Reception pupils used Serious Lego Play to explore the stories of Noah’s Ark, Daniel and the Lions’ Den and Joseph’s Coat. Through collaborative storytelling and creative exploration, children developed an understanding of courage, trust, kindness and God’s love for all people.

These experiences encouraged pupils to ask questions, express their ideas and begin to understand how beliefs and values influence the way people live. This approach helps our youngest pupils develop curiosity, empathy and respect for others whilst laying the foundations for future learning about Christianity and other faiths.

Key Stage 1

Year 1: Learning About Judaism

As part of their learning about Judaism, Year 1 explored the Jewish festival of Sukkot.

Pupils learnt about the importance of thanksgiving within Judaism and discovered how Jewish families build and use a sukkah during the festival. To deepen their understanding, children worked together to create their own sukkah in the school grounds, experiencing first-hand how faith traditions are celebrated within Jewish communities.

This practical experience helped pupils understand how beliefs are expressed through family life, worship and celebration whilst developing respect for different faith traditions.

Year 2: Learning About Sikhism

Year 2 pupils participated in a Sikh workshop, exploring Sikh beliefs, values and traditions through discussion and practical experiences.

This first-hand encounter enabled pupils to deepen their understanding of Sikhism whilst recognising shared values such as service, equality, kindness and community.

Lower Key Stage 2

Year 3: Hinduism

Through Maya (our Hindu persona doll), pupils explored Hindu beliefs, traditions and celebrations, developing an understanding of how faith influences family life, worship and identity. Pupils proudly shared artefacts and information with the wider school community, celebrating diversity and encouraging respectful understanding of different faith traditions.

Year 4

As part of their Questful RE enquiry, pupils explored the question:

“How do Christians believe Jesus shows God’s love and authority?”

Through this learning, pupils compared Christian teachings with Jewish beliefs about Shabbat, reflecting on worship, rest, belonging and community. Bart (our Jewish persona doll) helped Year 4 understand more about Judaism. Discussions encouraged children to think deeply about how beliefs influence actions and how faith communities demonstrate care, kindness and responsibility towards others.

To enrich their understanding, pupils welcomed visitors from different faith communities.

Learning About Sikhism with Mrs Singh

Mrs Singh shared her experiences of Sikh faith and community life, helping pupils understand Sikh beliefs, worship and traditions beyond the classroom.

Through thoughtful discussion and questioning, children explored how Sikh values such as equality, service and community are lived out in everyday life.

Learning About Islam with Mrs Bibbi

Mrs Bibbi visited Year 4 to share her experiences as a Muslim.

Pupils learnt about Islamic beliefs, prayer, worship and family life through an authentic encounter that enabled them to ask questions, challenge misconceptions and develop a deeper understanding of Islam as a living faith.

Upper Key Stage 2

Year 5: Comparing Faiths and Worldviews

Year 5 pupils develop increasingly sophisticated religious literacy through comparing different faiths and worldviews.

Through enquiry, discussion and reflection, pupils consider how beliefs shape people’s values, decisions and actions. They develop confidence in discussing faith respectfully whilst recognising both similarities and differences between religious traditions.

Year 6: Judaism and Islam

Through Bartholomew’s story, pupils explored Jewish beliefs, traditions and community life, developing a deeper understanding of Judaism as a living faith. Pupils reflected on how faith shapes identity, belonging and daily decision-making whilst considering the importance of worship, family and tradition.

To complement their learning, Year 6 also welcomed Mrs Bibbi, who shared her experiences of living as a Muslim. She also answered questions about Pilgrimage. Through discussion and questioning, pupils deepened their understanding of Islamic beliefs and practices and explored how faith can guide everyday life.

Building Religious Literacy

Throughout school, pupils encounter a range of faiths and worldviews and are encouraged to engage with difference respectfully and thoughtfully.

Children learn that whilst beliefs and practices may differ, many faith communities share values such as compassion, service, justice, respect and care for others. These experiences help pupils become respectful, informed and compassionate citizens who are prepared to flourish in modern Britain and the wider world.

Through learning about other faiths and worldviews, pupils:

• Develop religious literacy and confidence in discussing faith and belief.
• Learn from authentic encounters with people from different faith backgrounds.
• Recognise both the uniqueness and shared values of different faith traditions.
• Develop empathy, curiosity and respect for those whose beliefs may differ from their own.
• Reflect on their own beliefs, values and identity.
• Understand how faith influences communities, relationships and daily life.
• Develop the confidence to engage respectfully with different viewpoints.
• Become increasingly prepared to flourish within a diverse and multicultural society.
• Live out our vision of ‘inspiring, achieving and believing in a loving Christian community’.

 

 

“Maya helped us understand how Hindu families celebrate and express their faith.”

Year 3 Pupil

“Meeting Mrs Singh helped me understand Sikhism because I could ask questions and learn from her experiences.”

Year 4 Pupil

“Learning about Shabbat helped me understand why worship, family and rest are important in Judaism.” Year 4 Pupil

“Bart the persona doll helped us understand how faith can shape a person’s identity and everyday life.”

Year 6 Pupil

“Mrs Bibbi helped me understand that faith is something people live every day.”

Year 6 Pupil

Through these experiences, pupils develop the knowledge, understanding and respect needed to engage positively with people of all faiths and worldviews, preparing them to flourish in a diverse and changing world.