RE at West View
Religious Education is provided in the school within the framework of the Hartlepool Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education (2020 – as recommended by the Hartlepool SACRE) in accordance with the 1944 Education Act.
RE is an open and broad subject which explores a range of religious and non-religious world views. Our RE curriculum is multi-faith and recognises the place of Christianity and other principle religious in the UK – non-religious world views are also included. EYFS, KS1 and KS2 follow a curriculum which has 5 termly topics per year group. For the teaching of RE for Christmas and Easter, we follow a whole school thematic approach which is progressive and provides opportunities for collaborative celebration at these key points of the year.
Withdrawal from Religious Education
In England and Wales, parents have the statutory right, as outlined in Section 71 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998, to withdraw their children from Religious Education (RE) lessons and acts of Collective Worship in schools.
Additionally, parents can request withdrawal from any subjects, lessons, or assemblies that involve discussions about sex and relationships.
As parents, you are not required to provide a reason for your withdrawal request. However, it is advisable to discuss any concerns with the Headteacher before proceeding with a withdrawal.
While parents or carers can withdraw their children from RE, it’s important to understand that children may still encounter various religions, beliefs, and broader aspects of faith in other areas of the curriculum, from which there is no option to withdraw.
Sometimes, spontaneous questions about religious topics may arise from children, or issues related to religion may come up in other subjects like history or PSHE. For example, schools encourage community cohesion and help pupils to explore concepts of identity, diversity, feelings and emotions within both religious and non-religious frameworks.
If you wish for your child to be withdrawn from Religious Education, please put your request in writing, addressed for the attention of the Headteacher.