At Glascote Academy, we believe in delivering high-quality Religious Education lessons that foster respect, understanding, and curiosity. By the end of primary school, it is our intention that all children have a strong understanding of religious and non-religious worldviews and demonstrate respect towards the beliefs and practices of others.

Religious Education is taught weekly using the Jigsaw RE scheme of work, which is an enquiry-based programme covering world views including Humanism. Each enquiry begins with a "big question," such as "How does a Christian (or, Jew, Muslim, Humanist) live a good life?  Children first explore these themes from their own experiences, then investigate the beliefs of others. This approach helps to develop their personal, social, and moral understanding.

Our RE curriculum aligns with our “Glascote Big Ideas”, with particular reference to Globalisation, Traditions and Significance as our lessons aim to prepare children for life in modern Britain, linking to ‘British Values’, and our own “Glascote Pride Virtues” of Perseverance, Respect, Inquisitive, Duty, and Expressive

In RE lessons, we strive to create a safe and respectful environment where all children feel confident to share their opinions while learning to appreciate those of others.

Collective Worship.

Government guidance to schools makes it clear (here) that the set of shared values which a school promotes play an important part in pupils’ spiritual, moral, and cultural development.

An assembly is not an act of collective worship in its entirety. In large group assemblies, it may form a separate element – allowing time for staff and pupils to leave the room if they do not participate. In others, the act of collective worship can be related to the day-to-day life, aspirations, and concerns of the school and is woven through the assembly. This may include learning about interesting cultural traditions and their meaning, listening to stories with a moral message and reflecting on themes such as neighbourliness, courage, or humility. Collective worship is about the growth of the person, their character and social outlook, whatever their academic aptitudes.

Each pupil must ‘take part’ in a daily act of collective worship unless they have been withdrawn by their parents. Taking part does mean more than passive attendance – the act should generally elicit a response from pupils. That response could simply be a personal reflection, including where the pupil may not feel able to actively identify with the act of worship.

‘Worship’ is not defined in legislation, but in schools it should reflect something special or separate from ordinary school activities. It is, however, concerned with ‘reverence or veneration paid to a divine being or power.’

Although worship in schools is of a different character from worship amongst a group with beliefs in common, legislation states it must be mainly Christian in character. We reflect the religious and non-religious backgrounds represented in our community as well, but much of the provision must still be "broadly Christian".

The right to withdraw from RE and/or collective worship.

Parents have the right to withdraw their children from religious education and/or collective worship. Parents are not obliged to state reasons for seeking withdrawal. Withdrawal could mean physically leaving a room or remaining physically but not taking part. The school continues to be responsible for the supervision of any pupil physically withdrawn by their parent from RE or collective worship.

At Glascote Academy, we find it helpful to avoid misunderstanding if we can establish:

• The elements of worship in which the parent would object to the child taking part.
• The practical implications of withdrawal.
• Whether the parent will require advanced notice of such worship.

Therefore, requests for withdrawal should be made in writing first (by letter or email) and then followed up by the school (in writing or in person) as required.

The right of staff to withdraw from collective worship.

A headteacher has the right to withdraw from an act of daily collective worship, but still has a duty to organise it.  Teachers, Teaching Assistants, and other staff have the right to withdraw from leading or attending an act of collective worship.

What is the law?

The most recent legal statement of the requirements for collective worship (as distinct from assembly) are contained in the School Standards and Framework Act 1998. These build on similar requirements in Section 346 of the Education Act 1996, the Education Reform Act 1988, and Section 25 of the 1944 Education Act, where the law on compulsory collective worship began. Section 70 of the 1998 Act states that, subject to the parental right of excusal or other special arrangements, “…each pupil in attendance at a community, foundation or voluntary school shall on each school day take part in an act of collective worship.

Schedule 20 to the 1998 Act gives more detailed information on the worship requirements. It notes the different practical arrangements that are allowed: “a single act of worship for all pupils or separate acts of worship for pupils in different age groups or in different school groups.” A “school group” is defined as “any group in which pupils are taught or take part in other school activities”.

The law is clarified by non-statutory guidance in the Department for Education’s Circular 1/94 

Exemptions are covered by Section 71 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998.