Religious Education at Danson is taught in line with the Religious Education Agreed Syllabus for Bexley 2021-2026.

The Agreed Syllabus for Bexley states that:

‘The principal aim of Religious Education is to engage pupils in systematic enquiry into significant human questions which religion and worldviews address, so that they can develop the understanding and skills needed to appreciate and appraise varied responses to these questions, as well as develop responses of their own.’

This aim will permeate and underpin all of the Religious Education teaching and learning at Danson.

The study units are organised into three strands, which are Believing, Expressing and Living, and each study unit has a key question which will be explored in depth during the teaching and learning of it. All year groups at Danson will explore four key questions and a spiral curriculum approach will be used, across the Key Stages, to enable pupils to revisit concepts, acquire deeper understanding and facilitate the embedding and consolidation of knowledge.

Aspects of Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, Islam and Non-Religious/worldviews will be explored in depth during the study units. Other religions can/may be looked at during thematic units alongside these.

 The teaching and learning in Religious Education at Danson aims to make children more culturally aware of others’ ways of life and beliefs, which may be different from their own, and, in turn, will prepare our children for living in the culturally diverse society that exists now and in their future and will enable them to be both curious as well as tolerant.

The teaching of Religious Education at Danson enables children to have first hand and sensory experiences and will incorporate some or all of the following: the use of religious artefacts, visits to places of worship, visitors to the school from different faiths, teaching approaches that promote Religious Education skills and a variety of ways for children to record their learning experiences. 

The following skills will be promoted and developed through our teaching and learning in Religious Education:

                      Investigating                                                       Applying

                      Reflecting                                                           Discerning

                      Expressing                                                         Analysing

                      Interpreting                                                       Synthesising

                      Empathising                                                      Evaluating                       

Collective Worship

Collective Worship is part of  our assemblies at Danson and these take a variety of forms: Whole School, Phase, Key Stage and Class. Each week has a different theme which incorporates PSHE (SCARF), Global/British Values, SMSC, RE or Danson Values.

Assemblies include:

Values themed assemblies led by teachers in rotation (these will also include special days or festivals throughout the year).

 A visitor’s assembly led by a member of St John’s Church in Welling.

Class assemblies.

 A weekly celebration/achievement assembly led by the Headteacher, Deputy or Assistant Head.

An end of term celebration assembly taken by the Headteacher.

Right of Withdrawal from RE or Collective Worship

In accordance with Schedule 19 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998, parents have the right to withdraw their child from RE without giving a reason but they need to notify the school via letter or email of this decision and the parent needs to make clear whether it is from the whole of the subject or specific parts of it and/or collective worship.

If pupils are withdrawn from RE (and/or collective worship), Danson has a duty to supervise the pupil, but will not provide additional teaching or incur extra costs due to this during this time.