At Ryelands Primary School, we follow the Lancashire Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education. This syllabus aims to help pupils develop a deep understanding of a range of religions and worldviews, while also building the skills needed to engage thoughtfully with them. Through Religious Education, children are encouraged to explore questions of meaning, purpose, and belonging, and to reflect on their own beliefs and values in a respectful and open-minded way.
The Lancashire Agreed Syllabus provides a progressive and sequenced curriculum, ensuring that learning in RE builds effectively from the Early Years through to the end of Key Stage 2. Each stage has clear goals that promote ambitious outcomes for all pupils. The syllabus focuses on developing both knowledge and skills, such as analysing religious beliefs and practices, expressing personal ideas about faith and values, and investigating key questions that help pupils make sense of the world around them.
A key strength of the syllabus is its emphasis on spiritual, moral, social, and cultural (SMSC) development. RE plays an important role in supporting pupils’ personal growth and in helping schools promote the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect and tolerance. Lessons provide opportunities for pupils to learn about and from different faiths, encouraging understanding and respect for the diversity of belief in our community and beyond.
The syllabus reflects that the main religious tradition in Great Britain is Christianity, while also exploring the beliefs and practices of other principal religions represented in the country. It ensures that teaching is fair, balanced, and open, promoting mutual respect and understanding rather than persuasion or conversion.
At Ryelands, we also value opportunities for community engagement. We encourage our pupils to learn from local faith communities and explore how people within our area live out their beliefs in everyday life. In the Early Years Foundation Stage, Religious Education is taught through the Understanding the World strand of the EYFS framework, with a particular focus on developing awareness of and respect for diversity.
Following the Lancashire Agreed Syllabus is a legal requirement for community and voluntary controlled schools, while academies may choose to adopt it or create their own. Parents do have the legal right to withdraw their child from Religious Education, and details of this can be found in our school’s RE Policy.