At Aston Rowant, our Religious Education lessons are designed to be rigorous, reflective, intellectually stretching and spiritually rich. Our aim is to ensure every pupil gains a deep understanding of Christianity alongside a thoughtful appreciation of world faiths and world views, empowering them to become compassionate, reflective and informed global citizens.

We follow the ODBE RE Scheme, written by diocesan specialists - with our own Headteacher/RE Lead having served as a member of the writing panel. This gives us exceptional curriculum integrity, strong theological underpinning, and assurance that our RE provision is at the forefront of best practice across the diocese.

A Curriculum of Excellence

The ODBE scheme ensures our RE curriculum is:

• Accurate – rooted in credible theology and diverse, authentic expressions of faith
• Well-sequenced – concepts build progressively, allowing pupils to revisit, deepen and connect ideas
• Theologically robust – engaging pupils in real thinking about the Christian narrative, Scripture, belief and practice
• Balanced and diverse – exploring Christianity deeply (as required for Church schools) while giving high-quality time to Judaism, Islam and other worldviews
• Challenging and engaging – prompting pupils to analyse, evaluate, reflect and respond thoughtfully

Our curriculum enables pupils not only to know about religion, but to think theologically, reason philosophically, and understand the impact of belief on lived experience.

How RE Lessons Are Structured

Every unit and every lesson follows the ODBE’s powerful and research-informed pedagogical cycle. This structure ensures clarity, rigour and deep learning.

1. Engage – Making Connections

Children begin by exploring a meaningful stimulus: a question, story, object, scenario, image, symbol or real-life dilemma. This stage:

• ignites curiosity
• builds relevance
• connects learning to pupils’ own experiences

2. Explore – Building Knowledge & Understanding

Children develop secure, accurate knowledge through:

• carefully chosen biblical texts
• theological ideas
• beliefs and practices from Christian, Jewish, Muslim and other traditions
• lived experiences and real voices of faith
• concepts such as forgiveness, hope, belonging, justice, sacrifice and love

This stage emphasises rigour, accuracy and depth, enabling children to think carefully about what different people believe - and why.

3. Evaluate – Reflecting, Responding & Applying

Pupils:

• draw conclusions
• reflect on meaning
• consider ethical questions
• apply learning to real-life contexts
• articulate their own insights and beliefs respectfully
• build empathy and understanding

This is where RE becomes transformative, helping pupils grow personally, spiritually and morally.

🧠 What We Teach: Deep, Rich Learning 

RE at Aston Rowant nurtures the core disciplines of religious education

✝️ Theological Understanding

Exploring Scripture, Christian belief, doctrine and the big story of the Bible.

🌍 Religious Literacy

Understanding how beliefs shape lives, communities, festivals, practices and identity.

⚖️ Ethical Decision-Making

Reflecting on justice, compassion, equality, forgiveness, responsibility and moral choices.

🌱 Personal Reflection

Considering personal experiences, responses, values and beliefs.

🗣️ Respectful Dialogue

Learning to articulate ideas clearly, disagree well, and listen with compassion.

✨ Belief in Action

Understanding how faith inspires behaviour, service, activism and courageous advocacy.

Pupils learn to think deeply, question thoughtfully, use theological vocabulary accurately, and express their own ideas safely and confidently.

Quality of Teaching: High Expectations, Deep Thinking

Our teachers are committed to providing exceptional RE learning experiences. They:

• Hold high expectations of every pupil, ensuring challenge for all
• Deliver rich, engaging lessons that promote curiosity and deep thinking
• Use precise questioning to probe understanding and stimulate insight
• Systematically check learning throughout lessons to ensure progression
• Provide high-quality marking and feedback, enabling pupils to make rapid gains
• Create a classroom climate where diverse ideas are valued and respected
• Offer opportunities for spiritual flourishing, thoughtful reflection and meaningful dialogue

RE lessons at Aston Rowant are characterised by rigour, joy, respect and intellectual vibrancy.

A Place Where RE Shapes the Whole Child

Through this high-quality teaching, children at Aston Rowant:

• Build strong religious knowledge
• Develop critical and reflective thinking
• Make thoughtful links between belief and action
• Grow in empathy, respect and emotional maturity
• Become confident in exploring life’s big questions
• Flourish spiritually, morally, intellectually and socially

Our RE lessons inspire children to explore who they are, who they want to be, and how they can contribute to a better world.