Religious Education at Burnt Oak Junior School

At Burnt Oak Junior School, we value Religious Education (RE) as a key part of promoting understanding, respect, and inclusion in our diverse school community. Taught weekly through the 2021 Bexley Agreed Syllabus, RE encourages pupils to explore a wide range of religious and non-religious worldviews, including Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism, Judaism, and Buddhism.

Our RE curriculum helps children develop a strong sense of identity and belonging, while encouraging critical thinking, reflection, and respectful dialogue. Pupils consider life’s big questions—about belief, purpose, morality, and what it means to be human—building understanding of both their own values and those of others.

We aim to:

• Create a safe space for exploring challenging ideas

• Foster empathy, tolerance, and mutual respect

• Encourage personal reflection and ethical awareness

• Teach key vocabulary and promote clear expression

• Connect learning across subjects and to real life

RE is structured around three key areas:

• Believing – Understanding religious beliefs and their meaning

• Expressing – Exploring identity, diversity, and ways of expressing faith

• Living – Learning about religious practices and values in daily life

Core themes—such as scripture, worship, festivals, and moral choices—are revisited throughout the curriculum to deepen understanding. We also celebrate religious festivals across the year to enhance cultural awareness.

Though RE is a compulsory subject, parents may withdraw their child from RE lessons or collective worship by contacting the Head of School  to discuss appropriate arrangements.

At Burnt Oak Junior School, RE plays a vital role in helping children grow into thoughtful, respectful, and open-minded individuals, prepared for life in a diverse and global society.