1. Understanding Christianity
Heads and Chairs’ briefing
October 2016

2. The why, the what and the how

3. a programme to raise the level of pupils’ religious literacy
Making a difference?
National Society (2014)
Called for:
a more intellectually coherent and challenging curriculum with regard to teaching Christianity
a programme to raise the level of pupils’ religious literacy
to develop pupils’ ‘ability to think theologically and engage in theological enquiry’.
The ‘Why?’
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4. In response, a resource that:
Reduces content – depth rather than breadth
Offers coherent content selection
Based on a spiral curriculum
Explores the impact on Christian living today
Weaves in personal reflection and response
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5. Key purpose
To support pupils in developing their understanding of Christianity, as a contribution to their understanding of the world and their own experience within it.

6. Aims
To enable pupils to know about and understand Christianity as a living world faith, by exploring core theological concepts
To enable pupils to develop knowledge and skills in making sense of biblical texts and understanding their impact in the lives of Christians
To develop pupils’ abilities to connect, critically reflect upon, evaluate and apply their learning to their own growing understanding of Christianity, of religion and belief more widely, of themselves, the world and human experience.
Activities:
How far does the RE in your school do this already? See handbook p6 for this text
GIVE DEFINITIONS AND CARDS TO MATCH AND SEQUENCE
© RE Today 2016

7. God Creation Fall People of God Incarnation Gospel Salvation
The ‘What?’
Note how the Understanding Christianity resources have selected and explore these eight concepts because they offer a coherent series of ideas that underpin Christian belief and practice. The ‘big story’ gives a context into which teachers and pupils can place the concepts as they encounter them in RE throughout the school.
Activity: match concepts to definitions and symbols - then refer to handbook p 14-15
Salvation
Kingdom of God
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8. Core concepts and key questions
CONTENT
Each concept is explored through a key question. See Handbook p18-19 for the whole range from foundation to the end of KS3
Use of key questions is similar to the approach to our agreed syllabus AMV
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9. People of God Prophecy Wisdom Kingdom of God God Creation Fall
Incarnation
Gospel
Salvation
Kingdom of God
Creation/
Fall
People of God
God
Incarnation
Gospel
Salvation
People of God
Kingdom of God
Creation/Fall
Incarnation
Gospel
Salvation
God
Creation
Incarnation
Gospel
Salvation
Pupils encounter concepts several times as part of a spiral curriculum – each encounter uses different key questions, texts and approaches. Understanding is reinforced and deepened through these on-going encounters.
See Handbook p17
ALL THESE ARE EXPLAINED IN TEACHERS HANDBOOK - TRAINING LOOKS IN DETAIL
Creation
Incarnation
Salvation
© RE Today 2016

10. Teachers are clear about what to teach pupils, and what pupils should know and understand about each concept, by making use of these knowledge ‘building blocks’. Shows progress across pupils’ schooling. Pupils might be assessed against these statements if a school is adopting a ‘mastery’ model of assessment.
NB Very much the approach Somerset Local Authority is taking to assessment of each faith.
See Handbook p26 Having a look at the Building Blocks for Incarnation. (reason will be clear later)
Show how the knowledge builds up – end of key stage 3, ready for a full-course GCSE
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11. Essential information Background for teachers Links Resources
Digging deeper
Core learning
Outcomes
Resource sheets
The actual teaching resource:
29 units of work provide rich resources for teachers – supporting their subject knowledge as well as offering a wide range of ideas and resources to teach the concepts in a variety of settings.
‘Essential information’ designed to give teachers some confidence in handling the content. To look at first!
‘You might like to start with…’ starter activities, bridge to pupils’ experience, imaginative ways in.
Etc.
Show example unit: Lower key stage 2 Incarnation/God
Building blocks
Teaching and learning suggestions
You might like to start with…
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12. End-of-phase outcomes
‘Big picture’ of where children’s progress is aiming at in terms of three elements of Text – Impact – Connections (Don’t worry too much about this , at this stage)
Each unit identifies knowledge-specific outcomes for each element, which can be used for assessment. See Handbook p36-37
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13. The ‘How?’
APPROACH
The teaching and learning approach is fundamental to the Understanding Christianity resource. All three elements above are needed in each unit if pupils are to gain the expected understanding and ability to handle concepts and texts.
See Handbook p 10-11
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14. TWO OTHER RESOURCES – Big Frieze and Picture Pack

15. What the resource contains:
Teacher’s Handbook
The Big Frieze and Small Frieze
Foundation Stage: Introduction and Units
Key Stage 1: Introduction, Units and Resource Book
Lower Key Stage 2: Introduction, Units and Resource Book
Upper Key Stage 2: Introduction, Units and Resource Book
Key Stage 3: Introduction, Units and Resource Book
SHOW PACK and PICTURE PACK

16. What this resource is not…
It is not a complete RE curriculum
It is not offering lesson plans 
It is not particularly easy!
It is not an undergraduate degree course in theology
It is not a study of the history of Christianity
It is not an existential search approach
It is not offering a philosophical or sociological approach to RE.
See Handbook p.7 for detail on each of these points.
© RE Today 2016

17. Foundation Stage © RE Today 2016
Devised and written by Helen Matter with EY practitioners in Suffolk. Makes great use of Tom and Tessa persona dolls. Script given for conversations with Tom and Tessa. Activities offered, along with suggestions for enhanced classroom provision.
© RE Today 2016
St Mary's CE Primary Mildenhall, Suffolk

18. Key Stage 1 Year 2 Experiencing nature St Leonard's CE Primary, Exeter
Look at Unit 1.2 Creation to see how trial school explored Genesis 1 and its meaning and impact for Christians.
Year 2 Experiencing nature
St Leonard's CE Primary, Exeter
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19. Making sense of the text through role play…
…and drawing –
from darkness to light
St Leonard's CE Primary, Exeter
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20. Being busy… …and at rest © RE Today 2016
Trial school selected this part from the Digging Deeper section of the unit.
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St Leonard's CE Primary, Exeter

21. © RE Today 2016 A Rocha – eco churches http://ecochurch.arocha.org.uk/
See Unit 1.2
Understanding the Impact: Christians: Being thankful – Grace/Harvest/Eco Church
Making connections: Pupils – being thankful, generous, caring for world.
A Rocha – eco churches

22. Y2, Hyde Park Infant School, Plymouth © RE Today 2016
This community school tried out its own timeline before the Frieze was produced!
Y2, Hyde Park Infant School, Plymouth
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23. Sculthorpe CE VA Academy, Fakenham
Upper Key Stage 2
See Unit 2b.6 for activities; See Upper KS2 Resource book for resources indicating texts and artworks for Holy Week.
© RE Today 2016