Religious Education at Burnt Oak Junior School

At Burnt Oak Junior School, we aim to celebrate diversity and provide a welcoming, inclusive environment for all our pupils, including new arrivals and non-native English speakers. Religious Education (RE) is taught weekly through the Bexley Agreed Syllabus, covering a broad range of topics and the major religions of the world.

Our RE curriculum encourages pupils to learn from different religions, beliefs, values, and traditions while also challenging and exploring their own beliefs and questions of meaning. It supports children in developing a strong sense of identity and belonging. Through RE, pupils learn to respect the views of others, preparing them to live in a diverse local and global community. We see Religious Education as a valuable opportunity to celebrate and foster awareness of difference within our school and beyond.

We aim to:

• Provide a safe and supportive setting where pupils feel confident to explore challenging questions

• Help learners develop understanding, respect, and empathy for people of different beliefs and practices

• Encourage reflection on pupils’ responsibilities towards themselves, their families, and society

• Enable children to communicate their knowledge and understanding using specialist vocabulary

• Support pupils in exploring ultimate questions and ethical issues

Through RE, children develop important skills such as critical thinking, research, evaluation, reflection, and empathy. Wherever possible, links are made between RE and other areas of the curriculum to enrich learning.

The Bexley Agreed Syllabus focuses on three key areas:

• Believing: Exploring religious beliefs, teachings, and sources, and asking questions about meaning, purpose, and truth

• Expressing: Investigating religious and spiritual forms of expression, along with questions about identity and diversity

• Living: Understanding religious practices and ways of living, and reflecting on questions about values and commitments

The major religions studied include:

• Christianity

• Hinduism

• Sikhism

• Judaism

• Islam

• Buddhism

Throughout the school year, we also celebrate a variety of religious festivals to enhance pupils’ cultural awareness and appreciation of diversity.

At Burnt Oak Junior School, our approach to Religious Education fosters thoughtful discussion, critical enquiry, and a strong sense of mutual respect — essential qualities for life in our diverse world.