Intent:

Religious Education at Langdale CE Primary School is a central part of our commitment to nurturing the whole child—spiritually, morally, socially, culturally, and intellectually. Our intent is rooted in our school’s Christian vision and values, which underpin everything we do. We enable pupils to flourish through RE by fostering respect, curiosity, empathy, and an understanding of diverse beliefs. We strive for every child to develop religious literacy, enabling them to engage meaningfully with the world around them, recognising both the richness and complexity of faiths and worldviews in local, national, and global contexts.

Implementation:

To achieve this, we implement the Cumbria Agreed Syllabus and structure our curriculum across three key disciplinary lenses: Theology, Philosophy, and Human/Social Sciences. This approach allows children to explore religion in a way that is deep, balanced, and reflective. Our bespoke three-year rolling programme, enhanced by the Understanding Christianity resource, provides progression in knowledge and skills across EYFS to Year 6. In EYFS and KS1, children begin to explore Christianity in depth alongside one other religion or worldview, often through storytelling, play, and discussion. They start to make connections between traditions and explore key concepts such as belief, celebration, and identity. In KS2, pupils build on this foundation by investigating multiple faiths—including Islam, Buddhism, and Humanism—with increasing critical awareness. Learning is made relevant to our rural Lake District context through our Learning Beyond the Classroom ethos via local visits, real-life encounters, and opportunities to hear religious voices first-hand. Religious Education lessons are further enriched through whole-school celebrations of key religious festivals and dedicated days.

Impact:

The impact of our RE curriculum is clear in the thoughtful, respectful, and open-minded attitudes our pupils demonstrate. Through visits to local places of worship, such as Carlisle Cathedral and Manjushri Kadampa Meditation Centre, and engaging with visitors representing a range of faiths and worldviews, our children develop a nuanced understanding of how belief influences people’s lives. Pupils regularly reflect on their own views and values, and they enjoy opportunities to ask big questions and consider multiple perspectives. The strong relationship we maintain with our local church community ensures that Christianity remains a lived and celebrated part of our school life, whether through regular worship or special moments. By the time children leave Langdale, they have developed the ability to think deeply, speak respectfully, and act with compassion—key qualities that each child will carry with them both within and beyond their education.