At Northbourne we place a strong emphasis on Christian values. This is embedded in our school ethos and we have had a very successful R.E. Ofsted inspection.
Religious Education
All teachers use a variety of different teaching methods to cater for different learning needs and to bring R.E. alive. The use of drama techniques, artefacts, video and dvds, tapes, art work, books, guests and visits are some of the many things that ensure our children enjoy exploring their own ideas as well as learning about other people’s beliefs.
In the Foundation Stage, children learn about different cultures through a variety of practical activities, for example cooking Hanukkah food and having a special celebration meal, making a nativity scene and doing dragon dancing for Chinese New Year. The children enjoy meeting Father Edward and going to church for a special young children’s service.
Hanukkah meal
In Key Stage 1 children focus on Christianity and Judaism. This year, during a focus on Baptism, the children visited 2 different churches in Didcot to look at different ways people are baptised. They were also visited by members of different churches to answer their questions.
In Key Stage 2 children explore Christianity and Judaism in more depth, and also begin to learn about Islam. They have visited a Synagogue, made Mezuzahs', had a Shabbat meal, written their own prayers, explored who Jesus is and created Islamic art.
Mezuzah.
The whole school goes to our local church, St Peters, several times a year for special services, for example at Harvest, Christmas, Easter and Pentecost. At the end of the year, the Year 6 children have a Leavers Service. We also have a Peace Day on November 11th where the whole school participates in a range of discussions and activities based around RE.
Food collected for Harvest.
Worship
Values Education forms the basis of our Worship. Each month we focus on a different value, which is linked to the school’s Christian ethos. There is an interactive Values Board where children can share their views, for example hanging ideas up on a friendship tree, answering a question on a post-it note.
Each day we have a different style of worship.
Monday – Infant worship and junior worship.
Tuesday – Celebration and singing worship.
Wednesday – Father Edward leads worship.
Thursday – Classroom worship.
Friday – Class Assembly.
