Religious Education (RE)

At Park View Primary, we believe it is essential that children enjoy learning about the beliefs, traditions and experiences of others. Through Religious Education, children develop an understanding of the diverse communities that make up our society and learn to value and celebrate differences as a source of strength and enrichment.

We want RE lessons to be a highlight of the school term, where a sense of curiosity, wonder and reflection inspires children to learn about different faiths and worldviews. Through engaging discussions, meaningful experiences and thoughtful enquiry, pupils develop both knowledge and understanding while exploring the big questions about life, belief and identity.

Our RE curriculum aims to create a safe and respectful environment where children feel confident to ask questions, share ideas and explore different perspectives. We encourage pupils to think deeply, listen carefully and develop respect for the beliefs and experiences of others.

We are proud of the diversity within our school community and actively celebrate opportunities for children and families from different faith backgrounds to share their experiences and expertise. These authentic encounters help bring learning to life and foster a deeper appreciation of the rich cultural and religious diversity around us.

Why We Base Our RE Curriculum on Living Difference IV

Religious Education (RE) is a statutory part of the curriculum in all maintained schools and plays an important role in helping children understand the diverse beliefs, values and traditions that shape our communities and wider society.

As a Hampshire Local Authority school, we follow Living Difference IV, Hampshire's locally agreed syllabus for Religious Education. This approach encourages children to engage with religion and world-views through enquiry, reflection and personal meaning, helping them to develop knowledge, understanding and respect for others.

Each Living Difference IV unit is built around a key concept or theme. This enables children to connect their learning to their own lives and experiences, regardless of whether they practise the religion being studied. By making these meaningful connections, children are better able to understand and appreciate the beliefs and experiences of others.

At Park View, we have carefully selected five recurring concepts that run throughout our RE curriculum:

• Special Days
• Special Stories
• Special Places
• Key Beliefs
• Shared Ideas

By revisiting these concepts across different faiths and year groups, children develop a secure framework for organising their knowledge and making meaningful comparisons between religions and world-views. This approach is particularly valuable for children who may have limited personal experience of different faith communities.

Our Approach: Windows, Mirrors and Doors

At Park View, we have enhanced the Living Difference IV approach by embedding the spirituality model of Windows, Mirrors and Doors throughout our RE curriculum.

• Windows allow children to learn about the beliefs, experiences and traditions of others.
• Mirrors encourage children to reflect on their own thoughts, values, experiences and beliefs.
• Doors provide opportunities for children to respond through action, discussion, creativity and personal expression.

This approach helps children become active participants in their learning. They understand where they are in the learning journey, why they are completing particular activities and how new knowledge connects to their own lives and the wider world.

Enquiry and Reflection

Living Difference IV follows a cycle of enquiry consisting of:

Communicate • Apply • Enquire • Contextualise • Evaluate

At Park View, this cycle remains at the heart of every RE unit. Through carefully designed learning journeys, children explore religions and world-views in depth, with increased opportunities to develop contextual knowledge and understanding. We also ensure that pupils have meaningful opportunities to reflect on their learning and respond creatively, enabling them to deepen both their understanding and their personal development.

By combining the enquiry-based approach of Living Difference IV with our Windows, Mirrors and Doors model, we aim to create RE lessons that are engaging, thought-provoking and relevant, fostering curiosity, respect and a genuine appreciation of the rich diversity of our world.

To find out more about how our Windows, Mirrors and Doors approach aligns with Hampshire's Living Difference IV syllabus, please see the document below.

 At Park View, we study units with a Christian context for approximately half of the units. The children will also learn about a comparative religion:

Years 1 and 2 - Judaism

Years 3 and 4 - Dharmic traditions (Hindu, Sikh and Buddhist)

Year 5 and 6 - Islam

In the Nursery and Reception years, we regularly share stories from world religions and topics throughout the year allow children to share ideas and experiences. This allows children to gain confidence in expressing their thoughts and being respectful toward the beliefs and ideas of others.