INTENT

At Galley Common School we begin to develop the children’s knowledge and understanding of the major world faiths. We address the fundamental questions in life as they relate to children of infant age and in ways they can begin to understand. We enable children to begin to consider knowledge not only of Christianity but also of other world faiths, by encountering mainly Islam, Sikhism, Judaism; but also Hinduism and Buddhism. We aim for our children to begin to be able to reflect on what it means to have a faith and to develop their own spiritual knowledge and understanding. We help the children learn from religions as well as about religions.

The aims of Religious Education are to help children:

• develop an awareness of spiritual and moral issues in life experiences;
• develop knowledge and understanding of Christianity and other major world religions and value systems found in Britain;
• develop an understanding of what it means to be committed to a religious tradition;
• be able to reflect on their own experiences and to develop a personal response to the fundamental questions of life;
• develop an understanding of religious traditions and to appreciate the cultural differences in Britain and throughout the wider world today;
• to have respect for other peoples’ views and to celebrate the diversity in society.
• Children in our school are of such an age that we will only be able to begin to address many of the above issues.