Discovery RE Success Stories

The Discovery RE teaching scheme, which includes comprehensive assessment plans, is well used by staff. Consequently, the subject leader has an excellent knowledge of progress and attainment in RE throughout the school, which informs future planning.

Staff value ‘all God’s children’ and ensure all pupils are respected, loved and cared for. Good examples include the use of ‘Jigsaw’ materials, with their focus on feelings, to support pupils’ personal, social and health education [PSHE]. Pupils enjoy RE, and say they ‘learn more things about God and Jesus’ … Continue reading →

The RE curriculum successfully promotes the school’s Christian values and staff are making great steps in developing high level skills in children’s enquiry, analysis, interpretation, evaluation and reflection. The school’s creative enquiry led approach to RE gives children many opportunities to apply their impressive knowledge and skills. Tasks are well … Continue reading →

[Pupils] have developed respect for and an understanding of the beliefs and traditions of other world faiths and can compare them to those of Christianity as a result of the recently introduced enquiry based approach to religious education (RE). Pupils enjoy this new approach to RE, which challenges their thinking, … Continue reading →

Pupils enjoy their RE lessons hugely especially the opportunity to discuss ‘big questions’, to reflect and bring their own personal observations and thoughts to the lesson. Planning is very thorough and the Discovery scheme which is being used is being adapted sensibly for the needs of the pupils and to … Continue reading →

The introduction of a new scheme of work has improved the teaching of RE by giving teachers greater confidence to plan more creatively using enquiry and exploration as strategies that engage children more directly in their learning. The success of this approach is reflected in the best teaching which challenges … Continue reading →

Significant progress has been made in the development of RE since the last Church inspection. The school has adopted the Discovery scheme of work that is used as an effective basis for teaching of RE throughout the school. Pupils enjoy the subject and are keen to be fully involved in … Continue reading →

The enquiry-based ‘Discovery Pan-Berkshire’ system is used throughout the school and enables all learners to make good progress in the subject. Each topic is underpinned by ‘big questions’ that provide a good level of challenge for all pupils. Children are encouraged to develop their critical thinking skills and have empathy … Continue reading →

The Discovery scheme is now used as the basis for a consistent RE curriculum. RE now has a high profile in the school’s overall curriculum and is seen as a way of reinforcing the school’s values and of teaching global awareness. A lesson observed at inspection was outstanding, with excellent … Continue reading →

The story of Jesus turning over the tables in the temple led to a discussion during which the children recognised that Jesus was a social agitator who needed courage to stand up for what he believed. Classwork, which covered the events of Holy Week, helped pupils to understand how Jesus … Continue reading →

Assessment tasks are in place to support teacher’s judgements for each unit of work. Pupils attain high standards, and as well as, and in some cases significantly higher than, in the other core subjects. More importantly, they enjoy their RE, saying ‘we get to learn about what other people believe … Continue reading →

Pupils take on responsibility from an early age and address moral issues through RE and circle time activities, with all pupils engaging with Discovery RE, enabling them to learn about Christianity. Pupils have opportunities to ask questions, such as why did God give us Jesus? These young children have a … Continue reading →

The children say they thoroughly enjoy RE, particularly emphasising that it explores the similarities between the major faiths. This was clearly evidenced in the lessons observed, illustrating how the children are fascinated by exploring faith. A display of children’s comments on RE also strongly supports this, typical examples being: “I … Continue reading →

After the last inspection the RE scheme of work was reviewed and brought into line with the locally agreed syllabus for RE. In September 2013 “Discovery RE‟, an enquiry based programme which links to the Dorset agreed syllabus, was introduced. This has enabled teachers to develop imaginative and creative approaches … Continue reading →