Religious Education

At Avening Primary School, we believe that Religious Education (RE) enables children to investigate and reflect on some of the most provoking and challenging questions asked by people about the meaning and purpose of life, with ongoing benefits for an open, articulate and understanding society. Contributing to our school vision, RE provides a space in the curriculum to explore and reflect on some of the major world religions, beliefs about God, what it means to have a faith, issues of right and wrong, and what it means to be human, developing their own spiritual knowledge and understanding. 

'In religious education (RE), pupils enter into a rich discourse about the religious and non-religious traditions that have shaped Great Britain and the world... At its best, it is intellectually challenging and personally enriching. It affords pupils both the opportunity to see the religion and non-religion in the world, and the opportunity to make sense of their own place in that world.' (Ofsted Research Review Series, Religious Education, 2021)

RE Policy 2025

At our school, we follow the Gloucestershire Agreed Syllabus. During 2025-2026, we have been following the new draft Gloucestershire 2025 Syllabus. Children's outcomes may be recorded through writing or pictures, or may involve oracy. 

The Gloucestershire syllabus, 2025, states that 'The principal aim for religious education in Gloucestershire is for pupils to understand how worldviews influence people's lives, including their own, through the study of religious and non-religious worldviews, so that they better understand themselves and the world around them, and become better equipped to contribute to and flourish in society. 

Click here for our curriculum intent for RE.

The units taught are as follows:

Right to Withdraw

At Avening Primary School, we aim to be an inclusive community. We believe that every pupil has an entitlement to RE. RE is a necessary part of a 'broad and balanced curriculum' and must be provided for all registered pupils in state-funded schools in England. However, we recognise that parents have the legal right to withdraw their child from RE. 

The right of withdrawal was first granted when RE was actually religious instruction and carried with it connotations of induction into the Christian faith. RE is very different now - open, broad, exploring a range of religious and non-religious worldviews. We would ask any parent considering withdrawing their child from RE to contact the headteacher to discuss any concerns about the policy, provision and practice of RE at our school. Please see our RE Policy for further details.