'Stay alert and hold firmly to all you believe. Be mighty and full of courage. Let love and kindness be the motivation behind all that you do.'

1 Corinthians 16:13-14

Brimscombe CE VA Primary School was founded by the Church of England in 1840 to provide education to children in the area. The original school was housed just below Holy Trinity Church on Brimscombe Hill. The new school was opened in 1997. The facilities here are modern but we hold dear our traditional values and Christian ethos.

Through the high quality teaching of Religious Education at Brimscombe, we aim to: 

• Engage pupils by exploring questions arising from the study of the main world religions to promote their personal, spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.
• Provide children with the knowledge and understanding of Christianity and other world religions to better understand traditions, beliefs and behaviour.
• Encourage children to consider their own beliefs and take small steps on their own spiritual journey, whatever that may look like.
• Encourage children to be understanding of those who hold a different belief system to their own. 
• Prepare children for their next stage in life, academically, emotionally and spiritually. 

Curriculum

At Brimscombe C of E Primary School, Religious Education is taught through the Gloucestershire Agreed Syllabus for RE 2025-2030, following a Religion and Worldviews (RW) approach. Pupils explore a range of religious and non-religious worldviews, including Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism and Humanism, alongside thematic units that encourage reflection on life's big questions. The curriculum is carefully sequenced through a rolling programme, enabling pupils to revisit and deepen their understanding of key concepts as they progress through the school. As a Church of England school, pupils also explore the theological concepts of Creation, God, People of God, Incarnation, Gospel, Salvation and Kingdom of God. Through RE, children develop their understanding of how beliefs and worldviews influence people's lives, while also reflecting on their own values, beliefs and experiences.

Teaching 

Our RE curriculum encourages pupils to think deeply, ask meaningful questions and engage thoughtfully with different beliefs and perspectives. Lessons are structured around key enquiry questions and are underpinned by the syllabus' threefold aim: understanding how worldviews influence people's lives, engaging with these worldviews in thoughtful and scholarly ways, and developing understanding of themselves and others. Pupils are introduced to different "Ways of Knowing", helping them consider how knowledge is gained and interpreted within different traditions. Learning is supported through discussion, visits, visitors, artefacts, stories, texts and reflective activities that bring worldviews to life.

Religious Education is taught weekly and is a core subject at Brimscombe C of E Primary School.

Achievement 

Assessment in RE focuses on pupils' developing knowledge, understanding and ability to engage thoughtfully with religious and non-religious worldviews. Teachers use questioning, discussion, written work and reflective responses to assess pupils' understanding throughout each unit. Regular retrieval activities, learning logs and opportunities to revisit prior learning enable teachers to monitor how well pupils retain and apply key concepts over time. Assessment is informed by the enquiry-based nature of the curriculum and considers pupils' ability to explain beliefs and practices, make connections between different worldviews and reflect on their own ideas and experiences. Through ongoing assessment, teachers ensure that all pupils make progress in their understanding of religion, belief and the diverse communities that make up our local, national and global society.