In This Section
Religion & Worldviews
Curriculum Intent
At Nicholas Hawksmoor Primary School, our Religion & Worldviews curriculum aims to engage and help pupils to understand religious and non-religious worldviews offering ways of answering life’s big questions. Our approach is built on three core concepts which are the disciplinary lenses from the Northamptonshire Agreed Syllabus, ensuring a balanced approach.
- Theology: Exploring the core beliefs and ideas that shape how people view the world.
- Social Sciences: Examining how and why people put their beliefs into action through behaviour, decisions and practices.
- Philosophy: Examining how and why people put their beliefs into action through behaviour, decisions and practices.
Through these core concepts, we strive to:
- Deliver Quality Learning: Our curriculum, based on the Northamptonshire agreed syllabus, which ensures a comprehensive and progressive approach to Religion & Worldviews education. We aim to equip pupils with systematic knowledge and understanding of a range of religions and worldviews, enabling them to develop their ideas, values, and identities.
- Inspire Enthusiasm: We encourage curiosity and open-mindedness towards different beliefs and worldviews. Our goal is to ignite a passion for understanding diverse perspectives, fostering empathy and respect for others' views while developing and articulating their own worldview.
- Foster Partnerships: We recognise the importance of community in religious and cultural understanding. Our curriculum emphasises the interconnectedness of different belief systems, worldviews and cultures, preparing students to engage positively in our diverse society.
We aim to provide quality Religion & Worldviews education that enthuses pupils about the rich tapestry of religious and cultural diversity and develops understanding within and beyond the school community. We aim to develop pupils who can articulate clearly and coherently their personal worldview, ideas, values, and experiences while respecting the right of others to differ.
Implementation
We deliver a comprehensive, engaging Religion & Worldviews education that builds knowledge and skills progressively:
- Curriculum Structure: We follow the Northants Growing Together syllabus, ensuring coverage of major world religions represented in the UK, including Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism, and Judaism. Non-religious worldviews, such as Humanism, are also explored to ensure an inclusive education. The children will also explore the diversity of beliefs within each worldview.
- Theological Focus: Throughout the curriculum, pupils engage with different worldviews, understand and interpret their core beliefs and how various sources inform these beliefs. The children explore and develop skills to analyse and interpret different beliefs and concepts. By doing so, they gain a deeper understanding of the diversity of worldviews.
- Social Science Emphasis: We provide the opportunity for pupils to explore how and why individuals put their beliefs into action. We provide opportunities for pupils to explore the diversity of religious and cultural practices through visits to places of worship, engagement with faith leaders, and exploration of religious artifacts. This hands-on approach fosters a deep appreciation for different ways of life and promotes community cohesion.
- Philosophical Exploration: Our curriculum encourages pupils to grapple with challenging questions using their knowledge of different worldviews. Through discussion, debate, and reflection, pupils develop their own ethical frameworks while understanding and respecting those of others.
- Cross-Curricular Integration: Religion & Worldviews is linked with other subjects where appropriate, particularly Health and Wellbeing, History and Geography, to provide a holistic understanding of how religion, worldviews and culture shape societies and individual experiences.
- Assessment and Progression: We use a variety of assessment methods, including discussions, written work, and creative projects, to monitor progress and inform teaching. This ensures that all pupils are appropriately challenged and supported in their learning journey. All pupils work is recorded in class floor books.
Key Resources
Our approach reflects our ethos of quality through a well-structured, progressive curriculum; enthusiasm through engaging, experiential learning experiences; and partnership through community engagement and interfaith dialogue.
Impact
The impact of our Religion & Worldviews curriculum is evident in the following outcomes:
- Spiritual Growth: Pupils demonstrate a deeper understanding of their own beliefs and values and show respect for those of others. They can articulate their thoughts on spiritual matters and show empathy towards different worldviews.
- Cultural Competence: Students exhibit an informed and respectful attitude towards diverse religious and cultural practices. They can discuss similarities and differences between various faiths, worldviews and cultures with sensitivity and insight.
- Ethical Reasoning: Our pupils show the ability to engage in thoughtful discussions about moral and ethical issues. They can consider multiple perspectives and articulate their own worldviews while respecting those of others.
- Religious Literacy: Students demonstrate a solid knowledge base of major world religions and worldviews. They can use subject-specific vocabulary accurately and apply their understanding to interpret religious symbolism in various forms.
- Critical Thinking: Pupils show the ability to ask perceptive questions, think critically about religious claims, and evaluate different sources of information about beliefs and practices.
- Personal Development: Pupils demonstrate increased self-awareness, empathy, and respect for diversity, contributing to their overall personal and social development. They begin to develop their own worldviews.
We assess these impacts through regular observations of learning, review of pupils' work, and discussions with pupils about their learning journey in Religion & Worldviews. The way pupils engage in discussions, respond to ethical dilemmas, and interact with peers from different backgrounds provides tangible evidence of the curriculum's impact.
When children leave Nicholas Hawksmoor Primary School, they are religiously literate, culturally aware, and ethically minded citizens, ready to positively contribute to our diverse society. They have a strong foundation in our core concepts of theology, social sciences, and philosophy, preparing them to navigate the complex landscape of beliefs and values in the modern world.