Understanding Christianity Diocese of Bath & Wells Day One Welcome to the Old Deanery

Module 1: Introduction

Empathy Game Part of a resource on teaching Hinduism but works for introduction to any faith.

a programme to raise the level of pupils’ religious literacy Making a difference? National Society (2014) Called for: a more intellectually coherent and challenging curriculum with regard to teaching Christianity a programme to raise the level of pupils’ religious literacy to develop pupils’ ‘ability to think theologically and engage in theological enquiry’. © RE Today 2016

Understanding Christianity response: Reduce content – depth rather than breadth Coherent content selection Spiral curriculum Explore the impact on Christian living today Weave in personal reflection and response © RE Today 2016

Key purpose To support pupils in developing their understanding of Christianity, as a contribution to their understanding of the world and their own experience within it.   Aims To enable pupils to know about and understand Christianity as a living world faith, by exploring core theological concepts To enable pupils to develop knowledge and skills in making sense of biblical texts and understanding their impact in the lives of Christians To develop pupils’ abilities to connect, critically reflect upon, evaluate and apply their learning to their own growing understanding of Christianity, of religion and belief more widely, of themselves, the world and human experience. Activities: Discuss what kind of RE is needed to meet these – how far does RE in your school do this already? See handbook p6 for this text Introduce concepts as the CONTENT of UC © RE Today 2016

God Creation Fall People of God Incarnation Gospel Salvation Note how the Understanding Christianity resources have selected and explore these eight concepts because they offer a coherent series of ideas that underpin Christian belief and practice. The ‘big story’ gives a context into which teachers and pupils can place the concepts as they encounter them in RE throughout the school. Activity: match concepts to definitions and symbols - then refer to handbook p 14-15 Salvation Kingdom of God © RE Today 2016

Core concepts and key questions CONTENT Each concept is explored through a key question. See Handbook p18-19 for the whole range from foundation to the end of KS3 Use of key questions is similar to the approach to our agreed syllabus AMV © RE Today 2016

People of God Prophecy Wisdom Kingdom of God God Creation Fall Incarnation Gospel Salvation Kingdom of God Creation/ Fall People of God God Incarnation Gospel Salvation People of God Kingdom of God Creation/Fall Incarnation Gospel Salvation God Creation Incarnation Gospel Salvation Pupils encounter concepts several times as part of a spiral curriculum – each encounter uses different key questions, texts and approaches. Understanding is reinforced and deepened through these on-going encounters. See Handbook p17 Creation Incarnation Salvation © RE Today 2016

Teachers are clear about what to teach pupils, and what pupils should know and understand about each concept, by making use of these knowledge ‘building blocks’. Shows progress across pupils’ schooling. Pupils might be assessed against these statements if a school is adopting a ‘mastery’ model of assessment. NB Very much the approach Somerset Local Authority is taking to assessment of each faith. See Handbook p26 Having a look at the Building Blocks for Incarnation. (reason will be clear later) Show how the knowledge builds up – end of key stage 3, ready for a full-course GCSE © RE Today 2016

APPROACH The teaching and learning approach is fundamental to the Understanding Christianity resource. All three elements above are needed in each unit if pupils are to gain the expected understanding and ability to handle concepts and texts. See Handbook p 10-11 © RE Today 2016

End-of-phase outcomes ‘Big picture’ of where children’s progress is aiming at in terms of three elements of Text – Impact – Connections (Don’t worry too much about this , at this stage) Each unit identifies knowledge-specific outcomes for each element, which can be used for assessment. See Handbook p36-37 © RE Today 2016

Essential information Background for teachers Links Resources Digging deeper Core learning Outcomes Resource sheets The actual teaching resource: 29 units of work provide rich resources for teachers – supporting their subject knowledge as well as offering a wide range of ideas and resources to teach the concepts in a variety of settings. ‘Essential information’ designed to give teachers some confidence in handling the content. To look at first! ‘You might like to start with…’ starter activities, bridge to pupils’ experience, imaginative ways in. Etc. Show example unit: Lower key stage 2 Incarnation/God Building blocks Teaching and learning suggestions You might like to start with… © RE Today 2016

Exploring the resource materials: Overview of the resource Lower key stage 2 Incarnation Essential Information p 6-7 Core Learning p 2-3 Outcomes and Building blocks ‘You might like to start with…’ Making sense of the text Understanding the impact Making connections Digging deeper p 4-5 Hand out packs and Resource pack overview sheet Ask them to look at Lower KS2 Incarnation/God © RE Today 2016

Module 2 will look at this

What this resource is not… It is not a complete RE curriculum It is not offering lesson plans  It is not particularly easy! It is not an undergraduate degree course in theology It is not a study of the history of Christianity It is not an existential search approach It is not offering a philosophical or sociological approach to RE. See Handbook p.7 for detail on each of these points. © RE Today 2016

Foundation Stage © RE Today 2016 Devised and written by Helen Matter with EY practitioners in Suffolk. Makes great use of Tom and Tessa persona dolls. Script given for conversations with Tom and Tessa. Activities offered, along with suggestions for enhanced classroom provision. © RE Today 2016 St Mary's CE Primary Mildenhall, Suffolk

Key Stage 1 Year 2 Experiencing nature St Leonard's CE Primary, Exeter Look at Unit 1.2 Creation to see how trial school explored Genesis 1 and its meaning and impact for Christians. Year 2 Experiencing nature St Leonard's CE Primary, Exeter © RE Today 2016

Making sense of the text through role play… …and drawing – from darkness to light St Leonard's CE Primary, Exeter © RE Today 2016

Being busy… …and at rest © RE Today 2016 Trial school selected this part from the Digging Deeper section of the unit. © RE Today 2016 St Leonard's CE Primary, Exeter

© RE Today 2016 A Rocha – eco churches http://ecochurch.arocha.org.uk/ See Unit 1.2 Understanding the Impact: Christians: Being thankful – Grace/Harvest/Eco Church Making connections: Pupils – being thankful, generous, caring for world. A Rocha – eco churches http://ecochurch.arocha.org.uk/

Y2, Hyde Park Infant School, Plymouth © RE Today 2016 This community school tried out its own timeline before the Frieze was produced! Y2, Hyde Park Infant School, Plymouth © RE Today 2016

Sculthorpe CE VA Academy, Fakenham Upper Key Stage 2 See Unit 2b.6 for activities; See Upper KS2 Resource book for resources indicating texts and artworks for Holy Week. © RE Today 2016