Religious Education

Inspiring, Believing and Achieving in our Loving Christian Community

“Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:16.

At Grimsargh St Michael’s Church of England Primary School, Religious Education is a core subject and lies at the heart of our curriculum and school life. Rooted in our Christian vision, RE enables every child to explore life’s big questions, develop wisdom and understanding, and grow as confident, respectful and reflective members of society. As a Church of England school, we believe every child is uniquely created and infinitely valued by God and that Religious Education plays a vital role in enabling all pupils to flourish academically, spiritually and personally.

Our Intent
Through the Blackburn Diocese ‘Questful’ RE curriculum, pupils engage thoughtfully, respectfully and critically with Christianity as a living and diverse global faith, alongside other principal world faiths and non-religious worldviews. RE develops religious literacy and helps pupils explore questions of meaning, purpose, identity and belonging whilst encouraging curiosity, empathy, respect and reflection.

We aim to equip pupils with the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to flourish in a diverse and changing world, while developing their own informed and reflective worldview. Through Religious Education, pupils develop wisdom, hope, dignity and community, preparing them to become compassionate and active citizens.

Our Curriculum
As a Church of England Voluntary Aided School, Religious Education is taught in accordance with the Church of England Religious Education Statement of Entitlement (2026) and Blackburn Diocese Questful RE 2026. Christianity is the principal religion studied, with approximately two-thirds of curriculum time devoted to Christianity.

The curriculum is structured around three disciplines:

Theology (Believing): Exploring beliefs, sacred texts, teachings and sources of authority.

Philosophy (Thinking): Considering questions of meaning, truth, purpose, ethics and identity.

Human and Social Sciences (Living): Investigating how beliefs and worldviews influence individuals, communities and society.

Our Three Big Ideas
Religious Education at Grimsargh St Michael’s is underpinned by three key approaches to learning:

Empathise: Developing understanding of the beliefs, values and lived experiences of others.

Reflect: Exploring questions of meaning, purpose, truth, identity and belonging whilst considering personal responses.

React: Evaluating ideas, expressing viewpoints and engaging respectfully in informed discussion and debate.

Through these three big ideas, pupils learn to think deeply, communicate respectfully and develop the knowledge, understanding and wisdom needed to flourish in a diverse world.

Miss Helen Smith is our Religious Education Subject Leader. Please contact the school office (01772 653600) if you require any further information.


Progression and Assessment
Learning is carefully sequenced from EYFS to Year 6, enabling pupils to develop progressively as theologians, philosophers and human and social scientists. Through increasingly challenging enquiry questions, pupils build knowledge, deepen understanding and develop the skills needed to engage critically and respectfully with Christianity, other faiths and worldviews.

Assessment is based on pupils’ progress within:

– Theology (Believing)
– Philosophy (Thinking)
– Human and Social Sciences (Living)

Assessment focuses on developing religious literacy, knowledge and understanding. Personal beliefs are never assessed.

Impact
Our RE curriculum enables pupils to become religiously literate young people who can engage confidently and respectfully with Christianity, other faiths and non-religious worldviews. Pupils develop curiosity, empathy, reflection and understanding, preparing them to flourish in modern Britain and the wider world.

Pupils leave Grimsargh St Michael’s with a secure understanding of Christianity as a living faith, an appreciation of diversity within and between worldviews and the confidence to express and justify their own developing worldview respectfully.

Religious Education and Collective Worship
Religious Education and Collective Worship naturally complement and enrich one another whilst remaining distinct aspects of school life. Together they contribute significantly to the Christian character, vision and values of our school community.