Our school's RE lead is Miss Bennett

RE at Eastcroft Park is delivered through the Jigsaw RE scheme, an engaging, enquiry-based approach. We encourage children to explore big questions about life, different beliefs, and what it means to be human. This fosters curiosity, critical thinking and compassion for others.

Through studying a wide range of religions and worldviews, pupils develop understanding and respect for different beliefs and cultures. This not only supports spiritual and moral development, but also promotes tolerance and inclusion—key values in our diverse society.

We want our pupils at Eastcroft Park to grow into caring, respectful and tolerant citizens, equipped to contribute positively to the world around them.

How does RE support children with special educational needs?

• Multi-sensory Learning: Use of artefacts, stories, videos, and visits or virtual tours helps children with different learning styles access religious concepts in a concrete and engaging way.

• Scaffolded Enquiry: Enquiry-based learning can be differentiated, with tailored questions, sentence starters, and visual support to help all children, including those with cognitive or language needs, explore big ideas.

• Safe and Respectful Environment: RE offers a space for all children to express opinions and learn from others, helping SEN pupils develop confidence and a sense of inclusion.

• Values and Empathy: Teaching about diverse beliefs and practices nurtures empathy and respect, and helps all pupils—including those with SEN—develop an understanding of their place in a wider, tolerant community.

Jigsaw RE in primary school, aligned with the Wirral Agreed Syllabus, is a rich and inclusive programme that nurtures children’s personal development while deepening their understanding of the world’s diverse beliefs and values. It supports key areas essential to pupils' growth as thoughtful, respectful and well-rounded individuals:

Communication, Language and Vocabulary:

Jigsaw RE is enquiry-based, encouraging pupils to ask big questions and engage in meaningful discussions. Children develop confidence in speaking, listening and debating, whilst being introduced to subject-specific vocabulary (e.g. belief, worship, sacred, morality) in a clear and age-appropriate way. This strengthens their oracy skills and ability to express complex ideas with clarity and respect.

Aspirations:

By exploring the lives, values and practices of a wide range of people—both past and present—children are inspired to reflect on their own beliefs, hopes, and goals. Lessons encourage pupils to think about how people find purpose, meaning and fulfilment, which in turn supports their own personal aspirations and identity development.

Mental Health:

The reflective nature of Jigsaw RE promotes inner wellbeing. Children are given space to explore emotions, values, and life's big questions in a calm and respectful setting. This encourages emotional literacy and self-awareness, helping pupils feel heard, valued and grounded. RE also works towards the 'Connect' aspect of 'The 5 Ways to Wellbeing', where we find common ground with our peers.

Cultural Capital:

Jigsaw RE broadens pupils’ horizons by introducing them to global religions, cultural traditions, festivals, practices, and places of worship. It fosters curiosity and appreciation for the richness of human experience, enabling children to make connections across cultures and deepen their understanding of the world they live in.

Tolerance and Diversity:

At its core, Jigsaw RE teaches respect, empathy and understanding. By learning about a wide range of faiths and worldviews, children develop an inclusive mindset. They are taught to celebrate difference, challenge prejudice, and recognise the shared values that unite us as human beings.

RE goes far beyond learning about religion—it equips children with the language, empathy and critical thinking skills to become open-minded, respectful and compassionate citizens in a diverse and ever-changing world.

At Eastcroft Park, we use the Jigsaw RE scheme to deliver our RE lessons.  Each half-term unit has a question that pupils think about and reflect upon during lessons. Our units fit in with Knowsley's locally agreed syllabus (Wirral).

Each year group completes studies on both Christianity and one other religion. We learn about, and learn from the religion.

Year 1: Christianity and Judaism

Year 2: Christianity and Judaism (builds on Year 1 - see progression documents)

Year 3: Christianity and Sikhism

Year 4: Christianity and Buddhism

Year 5: Christianity and Hinduism

Year 6: Christianity and Islam

In EYFS, pupils learn about a variety of different festivals within a range of religions and cultures, such as Christmas, Chinese New Year, Ramadan and Diwali.