Welcome to R.E at Longcause!

RE lead: Jo Vinecombe (jvinecombe@longcause.plymouth.sch.uk)

RE  Curriculum Intent Statement

Intent:

What will our pupils experience throughout their RE curriculum at Longcause?

The pupils in our school predominantly have Autism and a cognitive delay and often have co-morbid conditions and complex needs.  One of the difficulties our children have is with flexibility of thought. Therefore we want our children, to have even more opportunities to develop flexible thinking outside of their current experience. In addition to their needs they also live in  one of  the less diverse places in the UK and have less opportunities to encounter different ways of life because of this. We want our pupils to leave Longcause knowing the Relevance of religion and spirituality to real life and that they can choose their own Response to this whilst Respecting others. 

Why do we want this? 

We want our pupils to:

• understand how the world is wider than themselves and their own family. 
• make sense of their world starting with themselves, their own family culture/community, their local culture/ community, the wider culture nationally and internationally. 
• understand where they currently belong and opportunities to belong elsewhere at other times in their life.
• understand that others have many similarities as well as differences in their lives.
• be tolerant and respectful of others who have different lives, different values and beliefs.
• have the tools and knowledge necessary to make good choices and live happy, positive lives. 
• explore and respond sensitively , promoting their personal development by making connections between  core religious/ non religious  concepts and their own experiences.

Implementation: 

How will we deliver this?

• All pupils to be taught RE
• Termly planning by subject leader (Religious and non religious groups suggested in the syllabus and based on the demographic in the locality are studied. )  Christmas and Easter are celebrated yearly due to the importance of pupils understanding events in their own life and locality. 
• Weekly lessons
• Daily worship 
• Assemblies
• Special celebrations i.e., church visits for harvest, Christmas and Easter. 
• Visits to places of significance.

Impact:

Our pupils will have:

• Increased cultural capital
• A better capacity to identify right and wrong and  to make good choices
• More potential for kindness, tolerance, respect and understanding
• Increased flexible thinking and empathy
• A sense and understanding of belonging and feelings
• A better ability to find out about things, express themselves and to reflect 
• Be better prepared  for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of their later lives.

Curriculum Progression Map.

  We want learning to start from the unique individuality of the pupils and therefore pupils will begin by learning about themselves and their environment  as well as engaging with the sensory aspects of festivals celebrated by the school ie, Christmas, Easter, birthdays etc. Pupils who are not yet ready to access Scheme A will learn in a way that focuses on engagement, developing curiosity and the vocabulary they will need to progress. This happens through the  'Pre Scheme A' scheme and the Explorers curriculum.

The Curriculum Progression Map ensures a breadth of learning based on the demographic in the locality. It allows  for rehearsal and progression of knowledge, concepts and skills across it's schemes as well as developing the range of religious groups and traditions studied as pupils progress through the schemes of work.  

Festivals and celebrations.

Three times a year we hold specific celebrations at the local historic church at Plympton St Maurice.  We celebrate Harvest, Christmas and Easter every year. We love to see all the pupils across the school taking part in our celebrations using songs, music and movement,drama and poems. 

We have visitors from 'Open the Book' come to teach us about harvest, Christmas and Easter. The children love listening, watching and joining in with the acting and singing!