Religious Education

We are proud of our RE Curriculum and work with the Diocese to remain current and up-to-date with new resources and information.

We deliver an inclusive curriculum and value everyone equally within our school.  Parents do have the right to withdraw from RE and staff would be keen to support as parents make such decision.

We aspire for our pupils to move on from Finchampstead C of E (Aided) Primary school confidently and with an understanding and appreciation of world views.

Mrs Fox from St. James Church visited today to share her faith and talk to us about why she feels christenings and communions are so important for Christians.

We used a bowl of mud and dirt to represent poor choices and then talked about how it's easy to wash our hands on the outside but harder to clean our hearts. Christians believe that baptism and communian are a chance to cleanse and ask for forgiveness and acceptance.

Chaffinch children took part in a pilgrimage today around our school grounds as part of the learning on special journeys. They wore a scallop shell and observed closely/ tried thinking about things in a new way. It was great to be part of their reflection on the experience.

Year 6 were lucky enough to attend The Easter Experience at Wokingham Baptist Church. This was a series of interactive workshops detailing the events of Easter week with lots of thought provoking questions about decisions that Jesus made.

RE and sustainability. Goldfinch investigated the messages that Christianity, Islam and Hinduism share about sustainability before helping to create a sustainable outdoor area at school. We're looking forward to attracting more wildlife and eating out own veg!

March 2023 - Y6 enjoying the thought provoking Easter Experience at Wokingham Baptist Church.

Celebrating Ascension Day. May 2023

Bullfinch visited our Church to take time to reflect, share prayers we'd written and to give our thanks for Queen Elizabeth.

Can made up stories tell the truth? We have been learning about Jesus' parables and how the stories told can help people live their lives in a more fulfilling way. Our story today was 'The workers in the vineyard', from Matthew Chapter 20. We acted out the story and thought about the key message it contained.

Christmas: learning about angels. Love made visible

Ascension Day Celebrations KS2

Learning about Jewish symbols.

Religious Education provides an opportunity for the children to explore some powerful concepts and we love seeing how their critical and compassionate thinking develops throughout the school.

What do children in Bullfinch (Y2) think about RE?

What do you enjoy about your Religious education lessons?

• We made menorahs to show what was in a Jewish temple
• Making bread
• When we coloured a stained-glass window

How does this help you in your life?

When we made bread, I took it home and shared it with my family.  That made me feel happier and when I went to bed and thought about it I felt really loved and special.  I really liked sharing it.  Better than just eating it myself.  That’s what I learned.

How are you challenged? 

Sometimes the ideas are big and I have to think really hard about it.  It doesn’t always make sense to me but I keep thinking. 

What do Children in Chaffinch (Year 3/4) think of RE?

What do you enjoy about your Religious education lessons?

• How we learn to love people
• When we learnt about karma and how you get to higher places
• The Jewish Sedar plate and what all the things on the plate mean.  I cant remember it all now but I know they had special meanings
• When we did a play about the workers in the vineyard all getting the same coin
• When we did a Jewish stained glass window
• When Jesus calmed a storm and everyone was amazed.  It made me think how did he do that?
• So we know what other people’s beliefs are and what their religions are

How does this help you in your life?

It helps when I meet someone new I can think what are they believing in and it helps me understand them more maybe

How are you challenged in RE? 

It’s a good subject in life - sometimes I agree with the ideas and sometimes I don’t.  Sometimes I don’t know what to think.

What do Children in Goldfinch (Year 5/6) think of RE?

What is your best work in RE?

• I liked doing the stop motion creation story. It made me think more about the creation story.
• Animating the creation story was good as we were all working together in a team.
• I liked drawing a story board of prophecies linked to Jesus’ birth: Mika and Isiah prophesied about Jesus’ birth, also Gabriel the angel.
• It was interesting that saints are followers of Jesus and die for their beliefs often.
• I enjoyed making a fact file about saints. Saint Magdalena was interesting as she witnessed Jesus’ crucifixion.
• I liked learning about sacrifices people have to make – like sacrificing time to help someone or like  Jesus was sacrificed for us
• I was interested in Guru Granth Sahib –a book written by 10 gurus. It is treated like a person as it has all the texts in it so very special. It has its own room and has a bed where it sleeps.

Can you think of a time/lesson when you felt your spirituality grow?

• When I have helped someone and have a good feeling
• When you encourage someone to do the right thing
• When you are nice/kind to someone
• When you go to church
• When you go to the temple
• When you are in art class
• When you are with nature as you relax and appreciate things