At Mayville, we believe Religious Education gives pupils the knowledge, understanding and curiosity to engage thoughtfully with the diverse world in which they live. Our curriculum reflects the rich religious and cultural diversity of Mayville and the wider Waltham Forest community.

Our curriculum follows the Waltham Forest SACRE Locally Agreed Syllabus and is supported by Discovery RE. Pupils develop secure knowledge of religious and non-religious world-views, religious literacy and the ability to explore questions about belief, identity, ethics, meaning and purpose.

Our aims

Our RE curriculum aims to:

• celebrate the faiths, beliefs, cultures and world-views represented in our school and community
• develop secure, progressive knowledge of religions and non-religious world views
• encourage pupils to ask meaningful questions and make connections between their own experiences and those of others
• develop respect and empathy, recognising that people within the same religion or world-view may practise their beliefs differently
• contribute to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, community cohesion and understanding of fundamental British values.

Teaching approach

RE is taught through a carefully sequenced curriculum from EYFS to Year 6. Lessons follow an enquiry-based approach: pupils explore a key question, investigate beliefs and practices, build knowledge and vocabulary, discuss different perspectives and reflect on their learning. Teachers adapt Discovery RE resources so that the Waltham Forest syllabus and the needs of Mayville pupils remain central.

EYFS

Children encounter different beliefs, celebrations, traditions, stories and communities through developmentally appropriate experiences, building on their own lives and the diversity of our school.

KS1 and KS2

Pupils progressively study Christianity and a range of other religious and non-religious world-views. Through their learning, pupils:

• explore religious stories, texts, traditions, celebrations, symbols and practices
• understand how beliefs influence people’s lives, values and actions
• use increasingly accurate religious vocabulary
• compare beliefs and practices, recognising diversity within and between communities
• reflect on their own ideas and engage respectfully with views that differ from their own.

Enrichment

Learning is enriched through visitors, artefacts, first-hand experiences and visits to local places of worship, helping pupils connect classroom learning with lived religion and belief in their community.

Inclusion

All pupils, including those with SEND and EAL, take part fully in RE, with adaptations made through quality first teaching. Support may include:

• pre-teaching and visual support for key vocabulary
• artefacts, images and first-hand experiences to make learning concrete
• sentence stems and structured discussion to support pupils in sharing their ideas
• scaffolding, recording and flexible groupings for peer support.

Challenge

Pupils are challenged to tackle “big questions” about belief, identity, ethics, meaning and purpose, to explain and justify their own views, and to make connections and comparisons within and between world-views.

Pupils become knowledgeable, inquisitive, respectful and reflective learners. By the end of Year 6, they have secure knowledge of a range of religious and non-religious world-views and can identify similarities and differences, discuss beliefs and practices and explain how these influence people’s lives.

Pupils ask meaningful questions, express their own ideas confidently and listen respectfully to others. They understand and appreciate the diversity of Mayville, Waltham Forest and modern Britain, contributing to a culture of respect and community cohesion.

Assessment

Teachers assess what pupils know, understand, can explain and connect, including how thoughtfully they discuss different perspectives. This helps teachers address misconceptions and build on prior learning.

Monitoring

The subject leader monitors the quality and impact of RE through pupil voice, learning walks, work scrutiny, assessment information and staff discussion, and checks progression from EYFS to Year 6. During 2026–27, the subject leader will review the Waltham Forest SACRE 2026–2031 syllabus and update the curriculum when the revised syllabus is formally available.