RE at Cotsford
At Cotsford Primary school we follow County Durham Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education. The children study a range of religions including Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism, Islam and the core religion of Christianity.
Please click the link for Religious Education National Curriculum Information.
Summer 2
The children in Reception looked at different places of worship this term. They sorted photographs looking at similarities and differences between religious buildings. The children went on a virtual tour of a church and some talked about their experiences at weddings and christenings. They thought about places that are special to them and what makes them special.
Year 1 continued learning about Buddha and Buddhism, and loved listening to and role playing stories like ‘The Monkey King’, ‘Buddha and the Injured Swan’ and ‘The Angry Elephant’ to find out why being caring, kind and thoughtful is so important within Buddhism.
The Year 2 children began to identify different faiths and the various buildings people meet in to pray. They looked closely at The Kingdom Hall and the importance of this for Jehovah Witnesses. They concluded the year by discussing the importance of respecting and tolerating all faiths and believes.
In Year 3, the children have continued to look at the unit ‘what do Hindus believe?’. They have looked at how Hindus represent god in different ways and enjoyed exploring artefacts relating to this. The children have also looked at the Hindu belief in reincarnation and how karma may have an impact on reincarnation. The children have enjoyed expressing their own views and have shown great respect to each other when doing so.
In Year 4, the children have looked at the question: ‘why do people visit Durham Cathedral today?’ They have looked at why Durham Cathedral is important, including which Saints have been buried there. The children completed some research into each of these Saints, and have provided reasons why they think Durham Cathedral is still important today.
Why do people use rituals today? That’s the question that Year 5 have been investigating this half term. They started by working with a partner to brain dump all of the rituals that they know so far and discussing what the what word ‘ritual’ means. Then, the children looked at rituals from different religions including; a Eucharist, what a Salah is and the key events in the story of the Israelites being freed from slavery in Egypt. Finally, the children applied their understanding and created new rituals.
In RE, Year 6 took the opportunity to recap and review everything they had learned about Christianity. They decided to do this as a huge display, showing different aspects of the religious year, all about the Holy Trinity, special objects and symbols, how Christianity can guide and support people’s lives and how it compares with some of the other major religions they have studied at primary school. The finished display was crammed with so much information – well done Year 6!
Summer 1
The Reception children looked at different places of worship this half term. They sorted photographs looking at similarities and differences between religious buildings. The children went on a virtual tour of a church and some talked about their experiences at weddings and christenings.
In Year 1, the children have found Buddhism very interesting. They have explored the story of Prince Siddhartha’s birth, why he left the palace, the story of Siddhartha and the swan, what happened at the Bodhi tree, and Buddhist messages of kindness, compassion, and care for all living things.
In Year 2 this half term we have been learning all about Buddhism. Understanding the Buddhism story and the true meaning of what it is all about. The children were fully engaged in creating a dharma wheel and had several discussions about the importance of each spoke. The children began to identify the main teachings of Buddha and the impact of Siddharta had on his people. In addition, the children designed their own prayer flags with inspiring words of wisdom. They had fun creating their own mandalas.
RE this half term has helped Year 3 to understand that different religions have different beliefs and not everyone has to believe the same thing. They have been learning about Hinduism and that they believe in Karma and reincarnation. The children understand that Hindu Gods represent different areas of life, and their form is seen in many ways.
Year 4 have been looking at the question: ‘How and why do people care for each other?’ The children have looked at Christianity, Sikhism and Judaism to help them answer this question. They have loved learning about how people from these religions and communities help each other.
This half term, Year 5 have been considering the question, How are Jewish beliefs expressed in the home? As you can see in the pictures below, the children explored lots of artefacts which Jewish people use in their beliefs and practices. The children explored Shabbat and loved creating their own Kosher menu. They focused on three main pieces of clothing-Kippah, Tallit and Tzizit and looked at how Jewish people use these items in their daily prayer.
In Year 6, the children finished off their topic about Easter. Did you know, Jesus’ story at Easter doesn’t finish on Easter Sunday? He visited his disciples after to let them know that everything was going to be alright! They also looked at a range of parables and how these stories have messages which we can use in our lives today.
Spring 2
EYFS
In EY this term the children have explored the Easter story and the main events. They talked about feelings of happy and sad too and how they felt. They have also looked at Easter symbols and marking the start of Lent by making pancakes.
Year 1 were introduced to the main events of the Easter story and how it is important to Christians because Jesus died on the cross on Good Friday and was resurrected on Easter Sunday. The children looked at Easter traditions, why we have them and how they link to Christian beliefs. Children then thought about what makes them happy because Christians see Easter Day as a happy day because they believe that Jesus came back to life.
Year 2 re-visited the story of Easter, focussing on how Christians remember these events and celebrate these days. They looked at some of the events of Holy Weeks, including Jesus entering Jerusalem, the Last Supper, Good Friday and Easter Day, and how objects such as the crucifix, palm cross, bread and wine, and church colours link to the story of Easter.
As it was leading up to Easter, Year 3 learned about how Christians celebrate this as part of their religion. They read the Easter story and could sequence pictures to show the correct order. The children also learned about how Easter is celebrated around the world and presented this as part of their class assembly.
In Year 4 the children finished off their learning about what Christians believe about Jesus. They were able to look at some of Jesus’ teachings and how he was said to perform miracles. The children were able to link these events to the impact on Christians today.
The children then focussed on ‘Why is Lent such an important period for Christians?’ The children were able to describe ways in which Christians keep Lent today and they enjoyed finding out about what happened when Jesus was tempted in the desert. The children were able to make links between Jesus’ period in the desert and Lent today and were able to reflect on their own feelings, experiences and values about being tempted.
Why is The Last Supper important to Christians? Year 5 started to answer this question by watching the Easter story, which you can enjoy here https://youtu.be/Wnbo2AmS3OI. From the story, the children created their own comic strips and focused on Holy Week. They started to consider the importance of these events for Christians today and in particular, The Last Supper and how this has affected what Christians believe about Jesus and what some Christians do to show these beliefs.
Year 6 started looking at the Christian celebration of Easter, ordering Holy Week and understanding what happened during the last days of Jesus’ life. They thought it was really interesting looking at the signs and symbolism of Christian symbols associated with Easter. The children are looking forward to finishing off our learning around this topic after the Easter holidays.
Spring 1
EYFS
In EYFS this term the children have had fun exploring Chinese New Year where they looked at dragon dances and created some amazing dragon puppets. The children created shadow pictures to represent the year of the rabbit.
Year 1
The children have looked at ‘Why Jesus is special to Christians’ exploring different stories featuring Jesus. They shared Zacchaeus and the idea of forgiveness, thinking about a time when they made a bad choice and were shown forgiveness by others. They also looked at Jesus as a healer and thought about why this was special so they could begin to understand why Jesus is special to Christians.
Year 2
Focusing on Christianity, the children have an understanding the term ‘belonging’ and the importance of ‘belonging’ to a particular group or community. In addition, they have been learning about Baptism. Understanding why Christians are Baptised, what happens at the service, what special objects are used and what happens after the service. They enjoyed discussing, caring for others and realised how people feel when we are not caring.
Year 3
Year 3 have also been studying Christian beliefs and how they worship. The children have improved their understanding of Christian beliefs and why a church is important to them. They know that there are different parts in the church that have different purposes and that different colours represent different celebrations.
Year 4
In RE this half term, the children have been looking at the question ‘What do Christians believe about Jesus?’ They have learned about some of the events in the life of Jesus and have also learned about some of Jesus’ teachings. The children have enjoyed listening to the stories and have discussed how these impact what Christians believe today.
Year 5
What do Christians believe about God? That is the question that Year 5 have been trying to answer this half term. They started by looking at the Holy Trinity and what each part represents. The children watched some different Bible stories to help, such as the Creation story and Moses and Noah. You can enjoy the Creation story here, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARyWE8e50yM. Then, they examined each part of the Holy Trinity in more detail, God as the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit to help them answer the question and talk about some of the symbols associated with the Holy Trinity.
Year 6
Year 6 have been looking at how looking after the environment is important in religion. They looked at principles from Christianity, Buddhism and Islam and how each religion tries to look after the environment. The children had some brilliant discussions about how each religion uses their Holy Books to guide them in looking after the Earth and how these are important to everyone. They also compared the creation stories and were amazed by the similarities.
Autumn 2
EYFS
In Early Years this term, the children have explored Diwali and how people celebrate this festival of light. They have made some Rangoli patterns using lots of different resources on a plate. They thoroughly enjoyed it!
The children have also learnt the true story of Christmas. They have had some of the main characters from the story in their building area and have enjoyed building houses like those in Bethlehem.
Year 1
The children focussed on the visit of the wise men to Jesus and the gifts they brought. They recapped what they already knew about Christmas and why it is celebrated. The children discussed their experiences of giving and receiving presents, and the reasons why people give gifts. They also thought about how it feels to both give and receive gifts by drawing on their own experiences, and what makes a present precious.
Year 2
Year 2 have been learning about how and why light is important at Christmas. They have identified symbols of light in the Christmas stories, gained an understanding of the importance of light over dark and good over evil, identified some ways Christians use light at Christmas, and learned about Christingles, including making a Christingle in class at the beginning of Advent.
Year 3
The children have been learning all about why advent is important to Christians. They know that the word advent means coming or arrival and is the period before Christmas. They have loved learning about the arrival of Jesus and what it takes to be a good leader. The children have even made their own advent calendars!
Year 4
During the topic ‘Why Christian’s believe Jesus is the light of the world’, the children have discussed the good (the light) and the bad (the darkness) of the world today. They have discussed how Jesus is seen as the light of the world and have also discussed how Christians believe Jesus brings the light in many different situations. They were also very excited to talk about the lead up to Christmas, advent and the symbolisation of the advent wreath. The children also had a visit from Fr McNeil, who did an assembly all about what Christmas means for Christians.
Year 5
Year 5 have continued to study Judaism and in particular they have focused on a Jewish synagogue. They have studied the various important aspects including worship, prayer, education and the importance to the community. As you can see in the pictures below, the children enjoyed designing their own stained-glass windows and comparing these to the type of windows that would be found in a Church. The children explored the role of the Rabbi and also compared this role to a priest or vicar.
To end the half term, Year 5 explored the theme of gifts and giving. They considered the significance of the gifts of the wise men and how Christians understand the concept of giving today. The children enjoyed using the film, ‘The Greatest Gift’, which you can watch here https://youtu.be/bq5SGSCZe4E, to reflect on the commercialisation of Christmas today.
Year 6
Year 6 have been looking at the Christmas story and how it is written about in different books of the bible. They have studied the role of the shepherds, the Maji, and Mary and Joseph. It has been very interesting to see how the story is interpreted differently and where we get our modern imagery of the Christmas story from.
Autumn 1
Year 1
The children have looked at Christianity and enjoyed visiting St. Mary’s Church to find out more about the importance of the church to Christians. They looked for Christian symbols in church and discussed what Christians believe about God. The children shared their own experiences of baptisms and weddings and how they felt attending such special ceremonies.
The children also looked at Harvest, why we celebrate it and the importance of helping others. The children enjoyed learning Harvest songs and rhymes for their Harvest assembly.
Year 2
The children have loved exploring the different children’s Bibles this half term. They have enjoyed listening to a range of stories from Noah’s Ark to the Creation Story. They discussed the importance of the Bible to Christians and how it is used and looked after in church. The children explored the Christian belief of God being the Father and the Creator. From this they looked at the festival of Harvest and why Christians are thankful to God.
Year 3
The children have discussed how people from different religions worship. The focus has been on Hinduism and the children now understand that Hindu’s worship gods that may appear in different forms. They now know that Hindus can worship at home or in a temple and that a mandir is a sacred place of worship. The children can explain, using their senses, what you might experience when visiting a Hindu temple.
Year 4
This half-term Year 4 children have been studying “Why is the Bible Special to Christians?” They have learned how the Bible tells the beliefs of Christianity, the different types of writing in the Bible, and how it is a collection of books written over a long period of time. The class visited St. Mary’s Church to explore the various ways the Bible is used and how it can influence how a Christian feels, thinks and acts.
Year 5
The children have been exploring the religion of Judaism. They began by identifying features of a synagogue and comparing these with features of a church. They took a virtual tour of a synagogue and thought about why it is such a sacred place to the Jewish people. Through watching extracts from ‘The Prince of Egypt,’ the children learned about the prophet Moses and his significance in Judaism. They learned why the Torah is so special, and explored the relevance of the 10 commandments in the modern day. To conclude, the question was posed as to whether Moses was a good leader, and the children demonstrated debating skills to answer this.
Year 6
The children have been looking at the Islamic faith. They started by comparing different aspects of different religions, looking at what they have in common and how they are different. The children found it so interesting to see how many similarities there were. Next, they looked at what a mosque looked like inside and what the different parts were used for. The children then learned about the Qur’an and how important it is to all Muslims. They even learned how to debate, discussing if a mosque should be used only for prayer, or for other aspects of Islam, such as teaching and learning.
