Religious Education

At St Mary’s, Religious Education (RE) is a vital part of our broad and balanced curriculum. We believe every child should have the opportunity to grow spiritually, morally, socially, and culturally through thoughtful exploration of Christianity and other world faiths.

Although RE is not part of the National Curriculum, it is compulsory for all pupils and is shaped by the Hertfordshire Agreed Syllabus (2023–2028), alongside The Emmanuel Project, which supports our teaching of world religions and worldviews. As a Church of England school, Christianity is the primary focus of study, forming at least two-thirds of the RE curriculum in Key Stages 1 and 2.

Our pupils come from a range of religious and non-religious backgrounds, and we are committed to creating a respectful and inclusive environment where all beliefs are valued.

Our Approach

RE at St Mary’s invites children to ask and explore life’s big questions—about belief, identity, purpose, and morality—through engaging, reflective, and age-appropriate learning experiences. Children learn through discussion, enquiry, storytelling, artefacts, visits, and visitors from different faiths.

We teach eight key areas across each year group:

• Beliefs and practices
• Sources of wisdom
• Symbols and actions
  Prayer, worship and reflection
• Identity and belonging
• Ultimate questions
• Human responsibility and values
• Justice and fairness

Through this, we aim to build religious and theological literacy, helping pupils to understand their own views while developing empathy, respect, and curiosity about others.

Curriculum Coverage

EYFS: Focus on Christianity and local beliefs
KS1: Christianity plus Judaism and Islam
KS2: Christianity plus three other major world religions (from Hinduism, Sikhism, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism)

This includes lessons, visits, and RE curriculum days (but not assemblies or worship).

Right of Withdrawal

We respect the legal right of parents to withdraw their children from RE. However, we encourage open conversation about the curriculum’s aims and value before any decision is made. Teachers may also exercise the right to withdraw from teaching RE.