Our curriculum

At Wareham St Mary CE Primary School, Religious Education contributes significantly to pupils’ personal development by encouraging them to explore challenging questions about meaning and purpose, beliefs about God, ultimate reality, morality, and what it means to be human.

Through Religious Education, pupils learn both about and from religions and worldviews in local, national and global contexts. They are given opportunities to discover, explore and consider a range of responses to thought-provoking questions, developing their understanding of how beliefs and values influence individuals, communities and society.

Our RE curriculum encourages pupils to engage critically with different sources of wisdom and authority, including religious texts, traditions, practices and lived experiences. As they encounter a variety of faiths and worldviews, pupils are supported to reflect on their own ideas and beliefs, develop their understanding of others, and articulate their thoughts with increasing confidence and maturity.

We aim to develop pupils who can thoughtfully evaluate different perspectives, express their own views clearly and respectfully, and engage in meaningful dialogue with those whose beliefs may differ from their own. Through this process, children learn the importance of empathy, respect and open-mindedness, preparing them to flourish within a diverse and rapidly changing world.

Understanding Christianity 

To support pupils in developing a deeper understanding of Christianity and its significance in shaping both the world and their own experiences within it, we draw upon the Understanding Christianity resource. This approach explores eight core concepts that underpin Christian belief and practice, providing pupils with a coherent framework for understanding the Christian faith. The concepts are set within the context of the Christian ‘Big Story’ of the Bible, enabling children to see how key themes connect and develop throughout scripture. As pupils encounter these concepts through Religious Education and Collective Worship, they are encouraged to make links between Christian teachings, their own lives and the wider world, fostering deeper reflection and spiritual growth.

The Big Frieze

The frieze illustrates seven of the eight core concepts explored through the Understanding Christianity resource and provides a visual representation of the Christian ‘Big Story’ of the Bible. Created as an artistic interpretation of the Understanding Christianity approach, it helps pupils to see how key concepts are connected within the overarching biblical narrative. The frieze serves as a valuable reference point during Religious Education lessons and Collective Worship, enabling children to place their learning within the wider context of Christian belief and practice and supporting their understanding of how these concepts relate to both faith and everyday life.

The Emmanuel Project

Alongside Understanding Christianity, we use The Emmanuel Project, developed by the Diocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich. The Emmanuel Project complements the teaching of Christianity by providing high-quality units on other world faiths and Humanism. 

The Emmanuel Project is built around clear theological concepts and encourages pupils to explore sacred texts, narratives and beliefs in depth. It makes meaningful connections between religious teachings, the life of faith communities and the impact that beliefs can have on individuals and their daily lives. This approach supports pupils in developing both substantive knowledge and deeper understanding of religion and belief.

The Emmanuel Project and Understanding Christianity have been developed in close partnership and work together effectively to provide a coherent and progressive Religious Education curriculum. Both resources are underpinned by a carefully planned spiral curriculum, enabling pupils to revisit key concepts, deepen their understanding over time and build upon prior learning. Through this approach, children develop a wide range of disciplinary and theological skills, allowing them to engage thoughtfully with Christianity, other faiths and worldviews throughout their primary education.