Primary 1-6 Resources
The intent of this curriculum is to build a strong foundation for understanding Christianity through experience, discovery and questioning.
Primary Religious Education Curriculum
(Kingdom of God)
This curriculum aims to fulfil the requirements for Anglican Schools to teach within the Anglican tradition and doctrine so as to meet their foundational obligations as Anglican Schools.
Many students enter the Anglican Schools network with little previous exposure to church, the Bible, or the Christian faith. It is therefore essential that the backbone of the Primary RE Curriculum provides students with opportunities to learn about, discuss, and think about, the Christian faith, alongside attendance at regular Chapel services.
The curriculum does not exclude teaching about aspects of other major religions. Schools are encouraged to meet the needs of their learners by incorporating learning about different religious beliefs naturally across the school's curriculum. This applies especially to those religions present in their school and community. RE classes alongside the other curriculum areas should provide a safe context that develops tolerance, careful thinking and understanding of religion.
Over time students will become aware of the influence of religion in culture and in their own lives. They should have opportunities to explore and reflect on who God is and connect this with their own personal beliefs and behaviours, as well as what this looks like in communal actions. Bible stories should be a key component of the Primary RE programme, while chapel services and the RE programme together should include opportunities to sense God's presence through prayer.
Year 1 - 2
Key Teaching Strategy & Aim
IMAGINE & WONDER - get a child to imagine and wonder about God
Students' Key Questions
Who is God?
Where is God?
Why did God create me?
How do I connect with God?
Key Learning Theme
GOD LOVES ME
Achievement Objectives (Learning Insights)
1. What I see in the world around me shows a God I cannot see who is actively present.
- God is invisible but here
- The world around us is evidence that God exists (in nature and people)
- God is at work in the world and in people
- God is love. God is all-powerful, all-knowing
2. I am created in the image of God and God loves me
- I am made by God so that I can experience God’s love for me
- Jesus loves me
3. I can connect with God who wants to have a relationship with me
- God is at work in my life to help me know how to love Him
- I can talk with God
- I can care for God’s creation
Year 3 - 4
Key Teaching Strategy & Aim
EXPLORE & DISCOVER - inspire a child to want to know God.
Students' Key Questions
Who am I?
Who are my friends?
How can I grow my connection with God?
Key Learning Theme
GOD’S SPIRIT LIVES IN ME.
Achievement Objectives (Learning Insights)
1. What I see in the world around me shows a God I cannot see who is actively present.
- God is invisible but here
- The world around us is evidence that God exists (in nature and people)
- God is at work in the world and in people
- God is love. God is all-powerful, all-knowing
2. I am created in the image of God and God loves me
- I am made by God so that I can experience God’s love for me.
- Jesus loves me.
3. I can connect with God who wants to have a relationship with me.
- God is at work in my life to help me know how to love Him.
- I can talk with God.
- I can care for God’s creation
4. I can meet God’s family in the world around me.
- I am a member of God’s family (chapel, school, church, community)
- Jesus wants to be my friend.
- We meet God through Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Year 5 - 6
Key Teaching Strategy & Aim
DISCOVER & QUESTION - activate a child to respond to God’s love.
Students' Key Questions
Why am I here?
How does my connection with God guide my actions?
How can I show God’s love?
Key Learning Theme
JESUS’ GOOD NEWS FOR A BROKEN WORLD.
Achievement Objectives (Learning Insights)
1. God is redeeming a broken world. I am here to demonstrate God’s love to a broken world.
- God brings hope.
- God designed me to participate with God in restoring a broken world (nature and people).
- I can care for and help restore God’s creation.
- I am beginning to see and question injustice in the world.
2. I can be faithful to God by showing compassion and care of others.
- I can show God’s love by responding lovingly to others.
- I can pray to God for myself, others and the world around me.
3. God lives in community (trinity). I will value my family and community relationships because God values them.
- God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
- Relationships can be difficult.
- God values my family, my friends, my school, my church and my neighbours.
- I can strive for peace, and seek reconciliation when needed, in my relationships.
- God is at work in my life to help us care for each other and do God’s work together.
4. I can value God’s family in the world around me.
- I am part of God’s family and I can contribute to church and community.
- God has worked in the lives of people throughout history.
- I can value God in the lives of others.
Five Key Competencies
The five key competencies identified in the The New Zealand Curriculum will be evident in the RE learning programme.
They are;
- Thinking Humans have always looked for purpose beyond themselves. The RE programme provides opportunity for students to think critically, creatively and reflectively about ‘Spirituality.’ Students can ask questions and draw on their personal knowledge and intuition to develop an understanding of a spiritual dimension in their own lives and an understanding of faith in others around them.
- using language, symbols, and texts RE gives students the vocabulary to understand and express faith.
- managing self The Christian perspective on values and morality strongly supports the competency of managing self.
- relating to others RE provides a strong programme for active listening, sharing ideas and recognising different points of view of a diverse range of people within religious contexts.
- participating and contributing The RE programme alongside Chapel activities strongly supports involvement in the community at the school, family, local community and global levels. Christianity is of a missional nature.
The overall learning intention of this curriculum is for Year 6 students to have been provided with a strong RE programme that has given them experience, knowledge and understanding of God and the Christian faith. This will provide a solid platform for students to continue to think critically and evaluate Christianity and other religious beliefs. Students can then consider the position of religion and personal faith in their own life. They will also value and appreciate the place religion has in society at large.
Acknowledgements
1. The ideas on child’s learning and faith development in the following book were very useful in the development of this curriculum framework. Recommended reading for RE Teachers and Chaplains.
It’s Just A Phase So Don’t Miss It: Why every life stage of a Kid Matters, and at least 13 things your church should do about it.
Reggie Joiner and Kristen Ivy (2015). Published by Orange, a division of The reThink Group, Inc. (www.ThinkOrange.com)
2. The Five Marks of Mission www.anglicancommunion.org/mission/marks-of-mission.aspx