At St James our aim is for Christian values to be at the heart of every aspect of school life, incorporating the school’s ethos of care, share and respect.

Through a wide exploration of religious beliefs and practices we hope children will gain deepening insight into other religions as well as their own. 

We aim for our Religious education to:

• encourage pupils to explore their own beliefs (whether they are religious or non-religious), in the light of what they learn, as they examine issues of religious belief and faith and how these impact on personal, institutional and social ethics; and to express their responses. This also builds resilience to anti-democratic or extremist narratives.
•  know about and understand a range of religions and world views so that they can recognise diversity between communities and individuals and appreciate and appraise the nature, significance and impact of different ways of life.
• enable pupils to build their sense of identity and belonging, which helps them flourish within their communities and as citizens in a diverse society
• teach pupils to develop respect for others, including people with different faiths and beliefs, and helps to challenge prejudice
• prompt pupils to consider their responsibilities to themselves and to others, and to explore how they might contribute to their communities and to wider society. It encourages empathy, generosity and compassion.
• develop a sense of awe and wonder for the world