We believe that a high quality religious education will help pupils gain a coherent knowledge and understanding of the nature, role and influence of religion in the world.

Teaching should equip pupils to think critically, ask perceptive questions, formulate reasoned opinion and handle controversial issues and truth claims. It should provide pupils with the opportunity to pursue a personal quest for meaning, purpose and value and to develop an understanding of, and respect for, different beliefs and lifestyles. The development of human cultures and the lives of millions of people have been influenced by religions and beliefs; RE enables pupils to recognise this and respond to it so that they can learn more about themselves and their place in the world. The subject has a key role in enabling pupils to achieve and in preparing them for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of life.

At St. Mary's, our RE curriculum is currently based on the Southend locally agreed syllabus, supported by the primary curriculum from RE Today/NATRE. We organise visits to local places of worship and invite representatives of local religious groups to talk to the children. Through our RE curriculum, pupils are able to explore and learn more about various religions and worldviews so they are able to love and accept their neighbours.

Our aims of RE are that pupils will:

• Know about and understand Christianity as a diverse global living faith through the exploration of core beliefs.

• Gain knowledge and understanding of a range of religions and worldviews appreciating diversity, continuity and change within religions and worldviews being studied.

• Engage with challenging questions of meaning and purpose raised by human existence and experience.

• Recognise the concept of religion and its continuing influence on Britain’s cultural heritage and in the lives of individuals and societies in different times, cultures and places.

• Explore their own religious, spiritual and philosophical ways of believing, thinking and living.

Our RE lead teacher is Mrs Fatma Ali.