RE

Religious Education at Sheffield Springs Academy helps students understand diverse beliefs and worldviews, promoting respect, critical thinking, and effective communication. Through a sequenced curriculum, students explore major faiths and philosophies, develop reasoned arguments, and connect their learning to their own perspectives.

Curriculum

Religious Education develops many valuable and transferrable skills for our students at Sheffield Springs Academy.

Through studying RE, students will be able to understand how multi-faith, multicultural and secular societies, much like their own in Sheffield and the UK overall, function. RE enables students to understand and show respect for the beliefs and teachings behind the diverse views and practices of individuals and societies. RE allows students to engage in debates in such a way that recognises the right of others to hold different views, which might challenge and change your own personal knowledge, whilst still having the informed conviction to decide on your own viewpoint. Students begin to figure out how the substantive knowledge they learn about other worldviews fits in with their own worldview.

The subject develops clear communication skills in both discussion tasks and in extended writing tasks. Students will develop their ability to construct well-informed and reasoned arguments that can be justified, considering these arguments through the theological, historical, philosophical, or human/social science lenses. RE promotes the use of critical thinking skills to interrogate accepted norms and media output; students begin to question and have a deeper curiosity about the world around them.

The curriculum is thematically sequenced; in each year, students consider the origin of some of the world’s major religious or non-religious worldviews, the identity of these worldviews and what makes them unique and develop their connectivity through understanding people who follow different faiths. RE is a subject in which all our students at Sheffield Springs Academy can academically and personally flourish.

Withdrawal from RE lessons

In England and Wales Parents have the statutory right under Section 71 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 to withdraw their children from RE lessons and acts of Collective Worship in schools. You can also request a withdrawal from any subjects, lessons or assemblies involving discussions on the topic of sex and relationships. As parents you are not obliged to give a reason for requesting the withdrawal. However before exercising any right of withdrawal we would recommend you discuss your concerns with the a member of the Senior Leadership Team here at Sheffield Springs Academy. Should a student be withdrawn from those learning activities/lessons they will be directed to supplementary lessons instead. Requests for withdrawals are made in writing; please see the text below as an example:

As parents of [Child's name] we formally request that he/she is withdrawn from worship/RE/Sex and relationships of any kind in future, without any detriment. Please send requests to: SSA.Admin@sheffieldsprings.org

United Learning Hub

United Learning comprises: United Learning Ltd (Registered in England No: 00018582. Charity No. 313999) UCST (Registered in England No: 2780748. Charity No. 1016538) and ULT (Registered in England No. 4439859. An Exempt Charity). Companies limited by guarantee.
Registered address: United Learning, Worldwide House, Thorpe Wood, Peterborough, PE3 6SB.

Financial Accountability and Freedom of Information

United Learning