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Religious Education

Religious Education


What is RE?


RE explores big questions about life, to find out what people believe and what difference this makes to how they live. RE helps pupils to make sense of religion and belief, reflecting on their own ideas and ways of living.


How does RE link to our school vision?


As a school we want staff and pupils to spur each other on with love to be the best that they can be within every area of the curriculum.  Within Religious Education this means encouraging each other to ask big questions, aspiring to grow in knowledge about what people believe and how this makes a difference to how they live their lives.




RE Curriculum Statement of Intent

What does our RE Curriculum look like?


At Bickleigh Down C of E (Aided) Primary School we follow the Devon locally agreed syllabus that includes the Understanding Christianity materials. 

Our curriculum is mapped out in the following way:


Year Group

Autumn 1

Autumn 2

Spring 1

Spring 2

Summer 1

Summer 2



Why is the word God so important to Christians?



Why do Christians perform Nativity plays at Christmas?


Being special: where do we belong?


Why do Christians put a cross on their Easter garden?


Which places are special and why?


Which stories are special and why?

Year 1


Who made the world?



Why does Christmas matter to Christians?


Who is Jewish and how do they live?


What do Christians believe God is like?


What does it mean to belong to a faith community?


How should we care for the world and why does it matter?

Year 2


What is the good news that Jesus brings?


What is the good news that Jesus brings?


Who is a Muslim and how do they live? (Part 1)


Why does Easter matter to Christians?


Who is a Muslim and how do they live? (Part 2)



What makes some places special to believers?

Year 3


People of God

What is it like to follow God?



What is the Trinity?


How do festivals and worship show what matters to a Muslim?


How do festivals and family life show what matters to Jewish people?


What do Christians learn from the creation story?



Year 4


What kind of world did Jesus want?

Kingdom of God

When Jesus left; what was the impact of Pentecost?


What do Hindus believe God is like?


Why do Christians call the day that Jesus died ‘Good Friday’?


What does it mean to be a Hindu is Britain today?


How and why do people mark the significant events of life?

Year 5


What does it mean if God is Holy and loving?


What does it mean to be a Muslim in Britain today?


Why is the Torah so important to Jewish people?

Creation and Fall

Creation and science, conflicting or complimentary?

People of God

How can following God bring freedom and justice?


What matters most to Humanists and Christians?

Year 6


What would Jesus do?


Was Jesus the Messiah?


Why do Hindus want to be good?


What difference does the resurrection make to Christians?


Kingdom of God

What kind of king is Jesus?


Why do some people believe in God and some not?

How does faith help people when life gets hard?

RE Events


The children in our school take part in a range of events and learning opportunities that link to their work in Religious Education.  Here you will find updates, examples of work and photos of these events.



Year 6 feature in REToday magazine


In the Autumn Term, the children in Year 6 found out about the concept of 'Gospel'.  As part of this unit they found out about Jesus' Sermon on the Mount and the Beatitudes.  The children learnt about what Jesus called his followers to do and how he wanted them to act.  Later in the unit Year 6 found out about the life of Mother Teresa.  They Discussed how she put Jesus' teachings into action and rewrote the Beatitudes from her point of view.  Year 6 were lucky enough to have their work published in REToday magazine.  This national publication goes out to hundreds of different schools and thousands of members of NATRE.  Well done Year 6, we are really proud of you!  

RE Learning at Home


Well done to all the children from across the school who are working so hard on their RE home learning.  Here are some examples of what children from different year groups have been doing in their RE lessons at home.  If you would like to see some of our video RE lessons, you will find them in the 'Video Resource' section of our school website.  

(January 2021)

Links with Goldsmiths University

In January last year, Year 5 were visited by Adam Dinham and Martha Shaw from Goldsmiths University.  Adam and Martha were doing some research into teaching RE with an approach that linked to the Commission on RE's final report.  Click on the link below to see the video of the children's lesson and the final case study about the way that RE is taught at Bickleigh Down. 

 Innovative RE: Case studies | Goldsmiths, University of London

Finding out about Advent

Year 1 have been finding out about Advent in their RE lessons this week.  The children spent time researching what happens in church during Advent.  They found out that the church is often decorated in purple and some vicars wear purple vestments. Later in the lesson they found out about Advent Wreaths.  These wreaths are often used in churches at Christmas to remember different parts of the Christmas story.  The children made their own class wreaths and wrote notes to remind everyone of what the different candles represent.

Home Learning

All our children at Bickleigh Down have been continuing their RE learning while at home.  Here are some examples of what children from across our school have been doing.

Foundation Stage Home Learning


During their time at home, Foundation have been learning about stories from the Bible.  The children found out about 'Daniel and the Lion's Den' and 'Joseph and his Dreamcoat'.  They read Daniel's story, made lion masks and acted out the story with their families.  The children also learnt about Joseph's story and designed him a new coat of many colours. 

RE Home Learning Opportunities

Thy Kingdom Come


During May, churches across the country will be taking part in a prayer event which is linked to the Lord's Prayer called 'Thy Kingdom Come'.  Exeter Diocese has produced a range of RE home learning opportunities, for children to find out more about how and why Christians pray.  The resources can be found below.  We would love to see any learning outcomes the children produce which are linked to these resources.

Noah and the Rainbow of Hope

Still image for this video
As part of their remote learning, all of the children from Foundation to Year 6 have been finding out about the story of Noah and the flood. Each year group has learnt about the story in a different way and focused on the rainbow being a symbol of hope. Watch our whole school video to find out more about the children's learning.

Spirited Arts


During their time away from school, Key Stage One pupils have been creating artwork and poems based on the Spirited Arts theme 'Where is God?',  Spirited Arts is a national competition run by The National Association for Teachers of RE (NATRE).  The competition aims to get children thinking deeply about religious and non-religious worldviews.  Watch this space for photographs of the children's work.  You can find out more about the competition by using this link:


Bible Timeline


Bickleigh Down C of E Primary School were really lucky to have Gary from 'Flash Signs' visit.  Gary created a Bible timeline on one of the walls in our school which features the key concepts in Christianity that the children study as part of their RE curriculum.  The children often visit the timeline in their RE lessons to find out about where the concept that they are studying fits in to the big story of the Bible.

Holocaust Memorial Flames Exhibition 


Our school was invited to take part in the Holocaust Memorial flames Exhibition at Plymouth Guildhall in January 2020.  Year 6 worked in class to find out about the Holocaust and Holocaust Memorial Day (HMD).  They used their knowledge of this to design and create a memorial flame to represent 75 years since the liberation of the concentration camps.  The children's flame featured 75 smaller flames to represent each of the 75 years.  Some representatives from Year 6 took the flame to Plymouth's Guildhall and shared their learning with the Lord Mayor, Richard Ball.

A Visit From Goldsmiths University


Adam Dinham and Martha Shaw came to visit our school to find out about our RE lessons.  They watched a lesson in Year 5 where the children were finding out about religion and science.  The children shared their knowledge of different theological ideas linked to the Christian view of the creation story.  They then asked their questions to a panel which was made up of Jonathan Marshall (a Buddhist), Karl Freeman (a vicar) and Katie (from Christians in science).  All our visitors were really impressed with the children's knowledge and our pupils found the discussions fascinating.

Remembering Solly Irving 


As a follow up to their work finding out about the Holocaust, Year 6 had a visit from Jonathan Marshall.  Jonathan who works for Plymouth Centre for Faiths and Cultural Diversity told the children about his friend Solly Irving who was a Holocaust survivor.  Jonathan told Solly's story to Year 6 and talked to them about how Solly felt he was destined to survive.  At the end of the session he answered the children's questions and talked to them about the importance of Holocaust Memorial Day.