RE is taught in weekly BRAVE sessions across the school. We follow the Suffolk agreed syllabus for RE and use the multi-faith scheme called 'The Emmanuel Project' to support our delivery of the learning themes and key concepts for all major world faiths.
The Emmanuel Project uses an ‘Enquiry Based’ Model of learning and therefore children tend to move through a cycle of learning for each unit taught as demonstrated in the diagram below:

During the academic year 2018-2019 we piloted and explored class scrapbooking as a method for recording the children’s work in RE. This proved to be a very successful way to show-case the high standard of work.

“I like using scrapbooks in RE because when we have visitors- all our work gets seen and not just the best RE book. We all get to be included in RE scrapbooking.” (Year 5 Child)

Therefore, from September 2019, all classes will have a ‘BRAVE iBook’ for each unit of work they cover. They will also have an additional class ‘iBook’ to include further evidence of Spiritual Development and anything that links to the Christian Ethos of our school.

In terms of marking these books, lots of the feedback will be given verbally as these books are made with the class and there will be less formal written marking. However, progress should be clearly evidenced as we will complete a ‘red-dot’ piece of work at the start of the book and a ‘green-dot’ piece at the end. This will usually involve the class being given the enquiry question for that unit and being asked to share what they know already and what they want to learn as the red-dot task. When the unit has been taught fully, it will be expected that children can fully answer the enquiry question and explain the learning they have done. This is known as the green-dot task.

Teachers may also ask the children to rate their learning at the beginning of a unit and then again at the end. They colour code themselves against the enquiry question for that particular unit of work, this will usually be evidenced using a photograph as it is easy to visually see the progress that has been made. These are the colours:

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BRAVE is monitored as a core subject and assessment data is also collected at the same time as with other core subjects. We use Target Tracker for this purpose. Parents are updated 3 times a year on their child’s progress and attainment in this subject.

In our teaching and learning we tend to ‘colour-code’ the different religions to enable the children to make sense of their learning by adding an associated colour and symbol. The children’s work will be presented in a coloured scrap-book depending on which religion is being studied.

The children helped choose these colours red for Hinduism as Hindu brides often wear red, blue for Judaism as the Star of David is often blue and Green representing Islam which is said to have been Muhammad’s favourite colour. Yellow was the colour chosen for Christianity as the children talked about wanting it to be a bright colour that stood out that represented Jesus- the light of the world. Orange was the colour chosen for Sikhism which is the colour of the Nishan Sahib flag. Finally, purple was chosen for Buddhism and Pink for Humanism