✨Religious Education at Ryton-on-Dunsmore

At Ryton‑on‑Dunsmore, we follow the Coventry and Warwickshire Agreed Syllabus alongside Understanding Christianity. Through this approach, all children acquire core knowledge and understanding of the beliefs, practices and worldviews that have shaped history, culture and human experience—and which continue to influence their own development today.

We believe that the modern world needs young people who are confident in their own beliefs and values, and who can respect the religious and cultural differences of others. Our RE curriculum supports pupils to contribute to a cohesive, compassionate and inclusive society.

A Distinctively Christian Foundation
As a Church of England academy, the study of Christianity is central to our curriculum. This is supported by the Understanding Christianity resource, which provides pupils with a deep and rigorous understanding of Christian belief and practice, including its diversity across time and place. Pupils engage with biblical texts, theological ideas and Christian concepts in ways that are age‑appropriate, intellectually challenging and thought‑provoking.

Alongside this, pupils study all major world religions, as well as a range of spiritual and non‑religious worldviews, following the Coventry and Warwickshire Agreed Syllabus. This ensures that children develop a broad and balanced understanding of religion and belief in the modern world.

Aims of Understanding Christianity
The Understanding Christianity programme aims to:

• enable children to know about and understand Christianity as a living world faith by exploring core theological concepts
• develop pupils’ knowledge and skills in making sense of biblical texts and understanding their impact on the lives of Christians today
• support pupils to connect, critically reflect upon, evaluate and apply their learning to their own developing understanding of religion, belief, the world and human experience

The Purpose of Religious Education
Learning about religion and learning from religion are both essential. RE helps pupils to:

• understand themselves and others
• explore questions of meaning, purpose and identity
• develop respect, empathy and open‑mindedness
• reflect on their own beliefs and values
• appreciate the diversity of beliefs and practices within their community and beyond

RE at Ryton‑on‑Dunsmore promotes the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of all pupils. It supports them to become thoughtful, reflective and respectful individuals who can engage confidently with the complexity of the world around them.

Teaching and Learning
The teaching of Religious Education at Ryton‑on‑Dunsmore involves a balance of direct instruction and whole‑class, group, paired and individual activities. A wide range of teaching approaches is used—including enquiry, exploration, discussion, questioning, handling artefacts, visits and engagement with faith visitors—to ensure pupils are actively involved in their learning.

Children also learn through other areas of the curriculum such as art, music, creative writing and drama, enabling them to express ideas, explore beliefs and deepen their understanding in creative and meaningful ways.

Right for Parents to Withdraw their Children from RE, Collective Worship & Sex & Relationship Education

In England and Wales, parents have a statutory right under Section 71 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 to withdraw their children from Religious Education (RE) lessons and from acts of Collective Worship. Parents may also request that their child is withdrawn from any subjects, lessons or assemblies that include discussions relating to sex and relationships.

Parents are not required to give a reason for requesting a withdrawal.
However, before exercising this right, we strongly encourage parents to discuss their concerns with the class teacher or the Headteacher. These conversations often help clarify the content being taught and ensure that decisions are made with a full understanding of the curriculum.

All requests for withdrawal must be made in writing.