Horton Park follows the agreed syllabus Believing and Belonging for Religious Education (RE).  

Our vision for RE is based on the national guidance issued by the RE Council in 2013 and the local agreed syllabus, 2019.

Our world is enriched by a wide and profound diversity of cultures and beliefs. Human beings are strengthened and empowered by learning from each other. Engaging and stimulating RE helps to nurture informed and resilient responses to misunderstanding, stereotyping and division. It offers a place of integrity and security within which difficult or ‘risky’ questions can be tackled within a safe but challenging context. Religious education at Horton Park contributes dynamically to children and young people’s education in schools by provoking challenging questions about meaning and purpose in life, beliefs about God, ultimate reality, issues of right and wrong and what it means to be human.

In RE pupils discover, explore and consider different answers to these questions, in local, national and global contexts, through learning about and from religions and other world views. They learn to appraise the value of wisdom from different sources, to develop and express their insights in response, and to agree or disagree respectfully.

Teaching equips our pupils with the knowledge and understanding of a range of religions and other world views, enabling them to develop their ideas, values and identities. It develops in pupils an aptitude for dialogue so that they can participate positively in society with its diverse understanding of life from religious and other world views.

Pupils at Horton Park gain and deploy the skills needed to understand, interpret and evaluate texts, sources of wisdom and authority and other evidence. They learn to articulate clearly and coherently their personal beliefs, ideas, values and experiences while respecting the right of others to differ.

The Right to Withdraw from Religious Education (RE)

At Horton Park Primary School, we are committed to providing a broad and balanced curriculum, which includes Religious Education (RE) as a key component. RE offers pupils the opportunity to explore a range of beliefs, religions, and world views, encouraging respect, understanding, and tolerance for different perspectives.

We recognise that parents and carers have the legal right to withdraw their child from all or part of Religious Education, in accordance with the Education Act 1996 and the School Standards and Framework Act 1998. This right allows parents to opt out if they feel that the content covered does not align with their personal beliefs or wishes for their child’s education.

If you wish to withdraw your child from all or part of RE, we kindly request that you inform the school in writing. We will then arrange a discussion to understand your concerns and explore potential alternative arrangements for your child during RE lessons.

While we respect every family’s beliefs and decisions, we encourage parents and carers to consider the value of RE in promoting inclusivity, tolerance, and cultural awareness.

For further information or to discuss the process, please contact the school office.