Religious Studies (RE) at Key Stage 2 & Key Stage 3

Religious Studies (RE) helps pupils understand belief systems, religious and non-religious worldviews, and the difference these make to people’s lives. 

It builds knowledge, empathy and critical thinking so pupils can live well in a diverse modern Britain. 

• The principal aim of RE is to explore what people believe and what difference this makes to how they live, enabling pupils to reflect on their own ideas and ways of living.

The Worcestershire 2025–2030 syllabus adopts a Religion and Worldviews approach and emphasises a balance of knowledge types — substantive knowledge, ways of knowing, and personal knowledge — so learning is both broad and rigorous. 

• The 2025–2030 syllabus extends prior provision to include a systematic study of non-religious worldviews (for example Humanism) and deliberately integrates Ofsted’s three forms of knowledge and the Religion & Worldviews approach.

• Ofsted’s three forms of knowledge 

1. Substantive knowledge (facts, beliefs, practices, traditions)
2. Ways of knowing (how we come to know, interpret, question)
3. Personal knowledge (pupil reflection, responses, worldview) 

• There is also included a systematic inclusion of non-religious worldviews (e.g. Humanism).  

• Progression is intended via a “spiral curriculum” — key concepts are revisited in increasing depth across years. 

In Key Stage 2, the  syllabus expects pupils to deepen their understanding of religious and non-religious worldviews by addressing core questions, key concepts, and applying the three knowledge domains.

Core Themes / Questions

Pupils explore key questions (often question-based units) which prompt enquiry into belief, meaning, values, and practice. These units encourage pupils to:

• “Make sense of beliefs” — identify and explore core beliefs and concepts in religions/worldviews

• “Understand the impact” — examine how beliefs affect lives and communities

• “Make connections” — reflect on links between belief and personal worldview or the wider world

The three strands (making sense, impact, connections) are central to all units. 

Religious & Non-religious Traditions Studied

• Christianity is studied in all key stages, including KS2. It remains a core focus, especially given the legal expectation that Worcestershire’s syllabus “reflects the Christian tradition while taking account of other principal religions and worldviews.” 

• Other religions included are : Islam, Judaism, Hinduism 

• Non-religious worldviews (e.g. Humanism) are also exclusively studied throughout the Key Stage.

Progression & Depth

• Units in KS2 build in complexity over time: early years of KS2 may focus on description and simple interpretation, later years more on analysis, comparison, evaluation.

• Pupils revisit core concepts (e.g. belief, authority, community, identity) in different religious/worldview contexts to deepen their understanding.

• Emphasis is on conceptual connections, not just discrete facts; for example: How do ideas of caring for creation relate across faiths and worldviews?

• The syllabus supports diversification of content by offering optional units (e.g. caring for the earth, anti-racism, multidisciplinary RE) to keep RE relevant and responsive.

Assessment & Outcomes

• The syllabus provides end-of-phase outcomes (i.e. what a pupil should know, understand, and be able to do by the end of KS2) aligned with the three knowledge strands. 

• Teacher assessment is meant to integrate all three knowledge types (substantive, ways of knowing, personal) rather than separating them unnaturally. 

• Assessment should support learning rather than become merely a “tick-box” exercise.  

Key Emphases & Implications for Teaching

To bring the syllabus into life in the classroom, certain emphases are important:

1. Using “Ways of Knowing” explicitly 
   Introduce and use methods (textual study, narrative, ritual, lived experience, philosophy, evidence, empirical observation) to help pupils see how knowledge in RE is constructed. 
2. Encouraging pupil reflection & response 
   Pupils’ personal knowledge — their own thoughts, doubts, worldview — has an explicit place in the syllabus. RE allows space for reflection, not just content delivery.
3. Localising & contextualising 
   The syllabus encourages use of local examples, community voices, and local places of worship to make learning more meaningful. 
4. Flexibility & enrichment units 
   Core units provide structure, whilst the inclusion of enrichment units (e.g. anti-racism, environmental care etc.) allows pupils to respond to school context and pupil interests. 
5. Progressive retrieval and spacing 
   Because of the spiral design, key ideas are revisited across the years, spacing and interleaving learning to promote retention.

Overview: What’s New & Key Features at KS3

The syllabus continues the Religion & Worldviews framework: pupils don’t just study religions in isolation but compare religious and non-religious worldviews, consider how beliefs are lived out, and look at how worldviews answer big human questions.

• It emphasises the three forms of knowledge:

1. Substantive knowledge (beliefs, teachings, practices, traditions across religions/worldviews)
2. Ways of knowing (how knowledge is derived, sources of authority, interpretation)
3. Personal knowledge (reflection, personal standpoint, worldview)

• Increased expectation of critical thinking, evaluation, comparison: not just what people believe, but why and how beliefs lead to differences in life, morality, society.

• We use thematic units, as well as systematic study of particular traditions, so that pupils can compare, contrast, and deepen understanding across religions and non-religious worldviews.

• There is attention to local context, current ethical issues, and lived experience: how religion and worldview affect individuals, communities, global issues.

KS3: Content & Progression

Core Strands / Questions

Each unit tends to address these strands:

1. Make sense of beliefs and worldviews — identifying core beliefs, key concepts, understanding diverse interpretations.
2. Understand impact & significance — how beliefs shape practice, embed identity, influence behaviour in individuals and communities.
3. Make connections — comparing religions/worldviews; reflecting on how these connect to pupils’ lives, values, ethical questions, global issues.

Religions & Worldviews Studied

• Christianity remains foundational, studied in depth in KS3, including its beliefs, practices, texts, history.

• Other religions – such as Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism – will be studied in sufficient depth to allow comparison.

• Non-religious worldviews (e.g. Humanism, secular perspectives) are explicitly included, not just as “others,” but as worldviews to be understood on their own terms.

Typical Topics / Units

Ways of Knowing

KS3 requires more explicit exploration of how we know what we know in religion & worldviews:

• How sacred texts are interpreted (historically, culturally)

• Role of tradition, ritual, authority

• Role of lived experience, individuals’ testimonies

• Reason, philosophy, logic, ethical reasoning

• Observation of practice (visit to place of worship, video, speaker)

Skills & Assessment Expectations

Pupils are expected not just to know facts but to:

• Use religious vocabulary accurately.

• Compare and contrast beliefs, practices and interpretations across religions/worldviews.

• Evaluate different arguments or viewpoints: what are strengths and weaknesses.

• Develop & express their own informed views (with justification).

• Use sources (texts, teachings, testimonies) critically. 

Assessment includes essays, debates, presentations, perhaps projects, reflections, and tasks that draw on multiple sources or viewpoints.

End-of-Phase Outcomes & What Pupils Should Be Able To Do by End of KS3

By the end of KS3, pupils should be capable of:

• Explaining key beliefs and practices of major religions and non-religious worldviews, including variation and diversity within them.

• Showing how beliefs shape ethical choices, identity, community and world issues.

• Interpreting religious and non-religious sources, understanding different interpretations.

• Critically evaluating religious or non-religious arguments, challenging viewpoints, forming their own thoughtful perspective.

• Making connections between beliefs and worldview questions (life issues, morality, purpose) and their own beliefs/values.