Religious Syllabus
Faith |
Suggested Key Stage / Year Group(s) |
Name of Unit |
Description of Unit |
Number of Sessions |
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Christianity |
Reception |
Who Made The Wonderful World and Why? (Creation) |
What Christians believe about Creation, Harvest, thanksgiving, sharing and caring, Christian living, and places of worship, The Bible, Growth |
6 sessions. |
Christianity |
Reception |
Who Cares For This Special World? (Creation) |
Christians believe God created the world, We are all borrowing the world from God, How everyone can help care for our world. |
6 sessions. |
Christianity |
Reception |
Why Is Christmas Special For Christians? (Incarnation) |
Christmas is a special time for Christians, story of Jesus’ birth, emotions of the characters in the Christmas story.
Why Christmas is a special time for Christians: God came to earth as Jesus, Jesus’ birth brings a message of joy, peace and good news |
6 sessions. |
Christianity |
Reception |
Why Do Christians Believe Jesus Is Special? (Incarnation) |
Jesus’ identity – pictures of Jesus, Stories about Jesus, i.e. Feeding the 5,000, Jesus being lost in the Temple. Jesus teaches people about God, welcoming children. Belonging to a religion, i.e. Christian community, Church school. |
6 sessions. |
Christianity |
Reception |
How Did Jesus Rescue People? (Salvation) |
Who is special to you? God is special to some people, we are special too. |
6 sessions. |
Christianity |
Reception |
What Is So Special About Easter? (Salvation) |
New life in the natural world. The cross as a special symbol for Christians, events of Palm Sunday, Good Friday as a sad day for Christians, Easter Sunday as a happy time for Christians. How Christians remember what happened at Easter.
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6 sessions. |
Faith |
Key Stage / Year |
Name of Unit |
Description of Unit |
Number of Sessions |
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Christianity |
KS1 |
Nativity Characters: Which Character Are You? Why Are You Important? |
What Christians believe about the Nativity, The importance of the Characters, who they were, and how they impacted on the lives of others. Christian living, the Church, Ordinary people. Belonging and the importance of love, respect and faith. |
4 sessions. |
Christianity |
KS1 |
Where Is The Light Of Christmas? |
Christians’ understanding of Jesus as light of the world, the Christingle, light in art to show Jesus as the light of God, the Wise Men being guided by a light, guiding lights in our lives. |
4 sessions. |
Christianity |
KS2 |
How Did Advent And Epiphany Show Us What Christmas Is REALLY About? |
Advent as a time of preparation to Christmas for Christians, Epiphany showing the true impact of Jesus’ birth for Christians. |
4 sessions. |
Christianity |
KS2 |
What Do Christians Mean By Peace At Christmas? |
What is peace? How do we find peace within ourselves? What does the Bible tell us about peace? How does the Church live out its message of peace at Christmas? |
4 sessions. |
Christianity |
KS2 |
How Do Art And Music Convey Christmas? |
What makes a piece of artwork sacred? Images of Jesus from birth to the cross, representation of Christmas through art, Christmas Carols. |
4 sessions. |
Christianity |
KS2 |
How Would Christmas Advertise Christmas To Show What Christmas Means Today?
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How the meaning of Christmas is shown in secular advertising, the biblical narrative and in the life of the church. |
4 sessions. |
Faith |
Key Stage / Year |
Name of Unit |
Description of Unit |
Number of Sessions |
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Christianity |
KS1 |
Why Is Easter The Most Important Festival For Christians? |
The events of the Easter story, as told in the Bible. Palm Sunday, The last supper and Good Friday, Jesus’ death and resurrection, looking at the complete story of Easter. |
4 sessions. |
Christianity |
KS1 |
How Do Easter Symbols Help Us To Understand The Meaning of Easter For Christians? |
This unit covers the different Christian symbols linked to the Easter Story, specifically focusing on the cross and water as symbols of forgiveness and new life. |
4 sessions. |
Christianity |
KS2 |
Who Is The Most Important Person In The Easter Story? |
Role of different people within the Easter narrative. |
4 sessions. |
Christianity |
KS2 |
How Does Holy Communion Build A Christian Community? |
What Jesus said about Communion? How Christians share in the Body and Blood of Jesus at Church. How the act of sharing Communion demonstrates God’s Peace. The legacy of Jesus and how it may help Christians today. |
4 sessions. |
Christianity |
KS2 |
What Happens In Churches during Lent and At Easter? |
Through major services and celebrations, this unit explores the concepts of repentance and salvation. It looks at Ash Wednesday, Palm Sunday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday. |
4 sessions. |
Christianity |
KS2 |
How Does The Christian Festival of Easter Offer Hope? Resources: Bible Verses Resources: Recording Sheet |
Clean slate and forgiveness, forgiving others, Stations of the Cross, Salvation and resurrection. |
4 sessions. |
Faith |
Key Stage / Year |
Name of Unit |
Description of Unit |
Number of Sessions |
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Christianity |
KS1 |
What Responsibility Has God Given People About Taking Care of Creation? |
The Christian story of creation is found in the Bible. Creation refers to humans, animals and the natural world. To identify how to be good stewards. |
6 sessions. |
Christianity |
KS1 |
Why Is it Good To Listen To And Remember The Stories Jesus Told? |
Why Christians believe Stories Jesus told are important; selection of different parables – what they teach about life and about the nature of God. |
6 sessions. |
Christianity |
KS1 |
Why Did Jesus Teach The Lord’s Prayer As The Way To Pray? |
The importance of prayer to Christians, and this particular prayer.
The meaning of each phrase in the Lord’s Prayer: God the “father” as loving and caring figure; trust in God for providing daily needs; forgiveness; temptation; praise. |
6 sessions. |
Christianity |
KS1 |
Why Do Christians Make And Keep Promises Before God? |
Showing belonging to the Christian faith, joining the church, baptism, marriage for Christians. |
6 sessions. |
Christianity |
KS1 |
What Is The Story Of Noah REALLY About? |
What the story is really about, biblical account, Promise, Fall, hope, sin, punishment, salvation, restoration. |
2 sessions. |
Christianity |
KS1 |
What Are The God’s Rule For Living? |
Core Christian belief: Basis of Christian morality. Story of 10 Commandments, Moses, etc. Importance / relevance today? Golden Rule, |
2 sessions. |
Christianity |
KS1 |
Why Are Saints Important To Christians? |
Qualities that make a saint, All Saints Day, |
2 sessions. |
Christianity |
KS1 |
Who Is The Saints Of Our School? / What Is The Story Of Our School Name? |
Story behind the Saint, background, traditions, ritual, history, relevance of saint to school community today. |
2 sessions. |
Faith |
Key Stage / Year |
Name of Unit |
Description of Unit |
Number of Sessions |
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Christianity |
KS2 |
What Is The Bible’s ‘Big Story’ And What Does It Reveal About Having Faith In God? |
Understanding of The Bible as the source of authority for Christians. Background and context to Bible. |
6 sessions. |
Christianity |
KS2 |
How Did Belief In God Affect The Action of People From The Old Testament? |
Christians believe God calls us in different ways. Christians believe that God stands by them at all times.
We have difficult decisions to make in life and the right choices are not always the easiest nor the most popular. |
6 sessions. |
Christianity |
KS2 |
Who Is Jesus? (“I Am,…” Sayings.) Who Is Jesus? Lesson 2 Resource Who Is Jesus? Lesson 5 Resource
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Jesus made statements about himself, describing himself through symbolism About the 7 “I Am” statements of Jesus and their meanings to Christians About how the “I Am” statements relate to our personal lives |
6 sessions. |
Christianity |
KS2 |
What Do The Miracles Of Jesus Teach? |
The miracles Jesus performed, What constitutes a miracle? The importance of faith, Comparing and identifying similarities and differences between faiths. |
6 sessions. |
Christianity |
KS2 |
Liturgy. |
Prayer, psalms, word, silence, music, ritual, symbol, sacrament, etc. structure of liturgy, purpose, place of liturgy, different styles of worship, |
6 sessions. |
Christianity |
KS2 |
How Has The Christian Message Survived For Over 2,000 Years? |
Spreading a message, preventing a message being spread, how the Christian message spread after Jesus’ Ascension? Confirmation, Longevity of the Christian message. |
6 sessions. |
Faith. |
Key Stage / Year |
Name of Unit. |
Description of Unit. |
Number of Sessions. |
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Christianity |
KS2 |
What Can We Learn From Wisdom? |
Concept of wisdom, Proverbs, other Christian wisdom, |
2 sessions. |
Christianity |
KS2 |
How Do Christians Believe Following Jesus’ New Commandment And His 2 Greatest Commandments Make A Difference? |
What Jesus taught and told people to do, how Christians can relate Jesus’ teaching to their own questions of values and attitudes. |
2 sessions. |
Christianity |
KS2 |
What Are The Beatitudes And What Do They Mean To Christians? |
What? Why? Who? Explore meanings, application, individually, collectively; Jesus’ teaching, how it challenged people? Impact on that time and on the life of Christians today? What do they tell us about God, Jesus, humanity, responsibilities? |
2 sessions. |
Christianity |
KS2 |
Do Fame And Christian Faith Go Together? |
The values that Christian people hold. That you can be a Christian and be famous. |
2 sessions. |
Christianity |
KS2 |
Should Every Christian Go On A Pilgrimage? |
Different places for pilgrimage. The difference between sacred and special places. What the experience is like for a Christian before, during and after pilgrimage?
The physical and spiritual journey. Commercialisation of ‘sacred’ places. |
2 sessions. |
Christianity |
KS2 |
Why Is Remembrance Important? |
Importance of remembering conflicts and need for peace; Christians’ response to war and peace; peacemakers; Jesus as the bringer of peace. |
2 sessions. |
Christianity |
KS2 |
What Do The Monastic Traditions Within Christianity Show Us About Living In Community? |
Monastic communities of men and of women within the Church of England; Living in a monastic community is a particular way of living out the Christian faith followed by some people; Different models of monastic life, some active, some contemplative; Living in community with others offers challenges, as well as opportunities; Christian commitment takes different forms for different people. |
2 sessions. |
Christianity |
KS2 |
The Contemporary Anglican Church |
Local / diocesan; - parish, deaneries, bishops and cathedral; National / international: - archbishops, provinces and worldwide Anglican Communion. |
2 sessions. |
Faith |
Key Stage / Year |
Name of Unit. |
Description of Unit. |
Number of Sessions. |
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Judaism |
KS1 |
What Is It Like To Live As A Jew? |
Jewish symbols (Star of David, The Torah, etc) Jewish Sabbath (Shabbat) The Jewish community Jewish place of worship (Synagogue,) Jewish Worship Comparisons between faiths |
6 sessions. |
Judaism. |
KS1 |
Why Are They Having A Jewish Party? |
Key festivals which are important to Jewish people; How they are celebrated with reference to specific symbols; How these are similar to other festivals, both in Judaism and in other faiths.
Understanding of important festivals in own life and life of Jewish people. |
6 sessions. |
Judaism |
KS2 |
What Does It Mean To Be A Jew? |
How the Jewish faith was founded; That the Jewish faith believes in One God; The significance of Passover to Jewish people; The importance of the Seder meal to Jewish people; About the root and significance of the 10 commandments to Jewish people. |
6 sessions. |
Buddhism. |
KS1 / KS2 |
What Is Buddhism? |
Who Siddhartha was and the circumstances that led to him becoming Buddha and achieving enlightenment.
Introduction to Buddhist virtues and beliefs using stories that Buddha told. |
6 sessions. |
Buddhism. |
KS1 / KS2 |
What Does It Mean To Be A Buddhist? |
How Buddhists live their lives through their faith. How the teachings of Buddhism are arranged through the eight-fold path, four noble truths, symbols and five precepts. The sangha (Buddhist community) and Dharma (ultimate truth). |
6 sessions. |
Hinduism. |
KS1 / KS2 |
What Is The Importance Of Symbols, Beliefs And Teaching In Hinduism? |
Diwali; Holi; sacred books; worship – in the home, in the Hindu Mandir; belief in 1 God. |
6 sessions. |
Hinduism. |
KS1 / KS2 |
What Does It Mean To Be A Hindu? |
Key beliefs of Hinduism and how these are applied to daily life for some Hindus. Key practices and how values and ideals influence and underpin behaviour and attitude. |
6 sessions. |
Islam. |
KS1 / KS2 |
What Does It Mean To Be A Muslim? |
Importance of Muhammad (pbuh.) Importance of the Qur’an and how it is treated by Muslims What stories teach about Muslim beliefs Islamic practices (including prayer, birth rites and Islamic art) Significance of the mosque Similarities and differences of worship and ideas about Allah, (God,) between Islam and other faiths. |
6 sessions. |
Islam. |
KS1 / KS2 |
What Is The Best Way For A Muslim To Show Commitment To God (Allah)? |
Importance of the following: The Shahadah: Call to faith
Salah: The role prayer plays in a Muslim’s life
Zakat: Giving to charity
Hajj: The importance of pilgrimage Eid-ul-Fitr Eid-ul- Adha |
6 sessions. |
Sikhism. |
KS1 / KS2 |
What Do Sikhs Believe? |
An introduction to the basic beliefs and practices of the Sikh faith. Pupils are given the opportunity to develop their own understanding of what they believe about belonging and making commitments. |
6 sessions. |
Sikhism. |
KS1 / KS2 |
What Does It Mean To Be A Sikhs? |
What it means to belong to a community; The key teachings of Sikhism; The Gurdwara & Guru Granth Sahib; What is means to be a Sikh and its link to Islam. |
6 sessions. |
Faith. |
Key Stage / Year |
Name of Unit. |
Description of Unit. |
Number of Sessions. |
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Thematic Unit. |
KS2 (Upper.) |
The Journey Of Life And Death |
Investigating beliefs about life and life after death and encouraging pupils to reflect on and express their hopes for the future, share their feelings of loss caused by separation, learn about how faith can provide believers with answers to life’s most challenging and ultimate questions and also how faith challenges our attitudes, values and commitments in life. Consider how important it is to celebrate the lives of those we have lost and how remembering can help the healing process. Examine their attitudes, values and commitments in the light of this learning. |
6 sessions. |
Thematic Unit. |
KS2 (Upper.) |
Understanding Faith In….. |
What can we discover about the faiths and beliefs in our class and school? What can we discover about the faiths and beliefs in the local community and your borough? How have faith and belief communities in your borough changed over the past 50 years? What are the reasons for changes in these communities in your borough? How do faith groups work in partnership with each other and the local community? How has life in your borough been enriched by the diversity of the faiths and beliefs that make up the borough? |
6 sessions. |
Thematic Unit. |
KS2 (End of Year 6.) |
Bridging Unit: Who Decides Version A? Who Decides Version B? |
The implications of rules and responsibilities for belonging to communities and, in particular, of belonging to a faith community. Rules in religions and other sources of authority.
Work on rules, laws and responsibilities in society and in Judaism, Christianity and Islam. |
6 sessions. |