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THEOLOGY, PHILOSOPHY & RELIGION CURRICULUM

Theology, Philosophy and Religion (TPR) provides children with the opportunity to think about the “Big questions” in life and to consider the answers that have been given to these by people of different religious faiths through the centuries. From the earliest years, children are naturally curious about questions concerning life, death, and belief and TPR gives them another vocabulary with which to express, discuss and develop their views.


TPR at South Lee aims to:  

  • Develop in children a reflective understanding of values. TPR helps children to think critically and to understand the moral values and choices that they make.

  • Provoke challenging questions about the meaning of life and give children an opportunity and language with which to explore these questions.

  • Help children to understand different viewpoints and to respect each other, showing kindness and interest in the beliefs of others. It helps children to understand religion as an important way of expressing and understanding human experience.

  • Enable children to explore their own sense of identity and belonging.

  • Help children to understand the world in which we live.

  • Foster a range of learning skills, including philosophical thought, decision making skills, collaboration, independent working skills, the search for compromise and conflict resolutions that work, skills of dialogue, interpretation, and analysis in a coherent context. ​

Year 1 

Key Skills Include: 

  • Know and respond to religious stories 

  • Talk about special objects, places, people and festivals 

  • Understand some simple religious vocabulary 

  • Recognize some religious symbols 

  • Know some key Christian beliefs 

  • Develop a sense of curiosity and interest in the world 

  • Develop awareness of right and wrong 

  • Describe things that are important to them, including relating their experiences to characters in religious stories 

  • Ask a range of questions about puzzling aspects of life and experience and suggest answers 


Topics Include: 

  • Christianity 

  • Churches 

  • Harvest 

  • Christmas 

  • Jesus’ Stories 

  • The Last Supper 

  • Celebrations 


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Year 2 

Key Skills Include: 

  • Know and respond to religious stories 

  • Talk about special objects, places, people and festivals 

  • Understand some simple religious vocabulary 

  • Recognize some religious symbols 

  • Know some key Christian beliefs 

  • Develop a sense of curiosity and interest in the world 

  • Develop awareness of right and wrong 

  • Describe things that are important to them, including relating their experiences to characters in religious stories 

  • Ask a range of questions about puzzling aspects of life and experience and suggest answers 


Topics Include: 

  • Christianity 

  • The Early life of Jesus 

  • The Parables of Jesus 

  • To learn what miracles are 

  • Hinduism 

  • Buddhism 


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Year 3 

Key Skills Include: 

  • Examine reasons for happenings in religious stories and discuss the emotions of the characters 

  • Relate religious stories to their own experiences and feelings 

  • Discuss and describe key religious ideas from stories and some basic religious beliefs, teachings and events 

  • Describe some religious people using religious words 

  • Ask questions to which there are no universally agreed answers and suggest possible answers, including religious ones 

  • Understand that people have different opinions and beliefs and treat all beliefs and opinions with respect 

  • Identify the effects of actions on others 


Topics Include: 

  • Hinduism / Nativity 

  • Islam / Easter 

  • Sikhism / Judaism

Year 4 

Key Skills Include: 

  • Examine reasons for happenings in religious stories and discuss the emotions of the characters · Relate religious stories to their own experiences and feelings 

  • Discuss and describe key religious ideas from stories and some basic religious beliefs, teachings and events 

  • Describe some religious people using religious words 

  • Ask questions to which there are no universally agreed answers and suggest possible answers, including religious ones 

  • Understand that people have different opinions and beliefs and treat all beliefs and opinions with respect 

  • Identify the effects of actions on others and understand that personal beliefs and experiences can influence their attitudes and actions 

 

Topics Include: 

  • Buddhism / Christianity 

  • People of Faith / Food & Fasting 

  • Pilgrimage / Bible 

 

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Year 5 

Key Skills Include: 

  • Discuss the significance of some religious beliefs, practices, teachings and events for members of faith communities  

  • Ask questions and suggest own answers about the significant experiences of others, including religious believers 

  • Explain their own ideas and beliefs in relation to a range of ultimate questions, explaining what inspires and influences them 

  • Show respect for the different opinions and beliefs and treat all beliefs and opinions with respect 

  • Compare and contrast different religious beliefs, practices and opinions 

 

Topics Include: 

  • Expressions of faith 

  • Faith in Action 

  • Pilgrimage 

 

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Year 6 

Key Skills Include: 

  • Develop understanding and tolerance of the beliefs and opinions of others 

  • Ask questions and suggest own answers about the significant experiences of others, including religious believers  

  • Explain their own ideas and beliefs in relation to a range of ultimate questions and explain why there are differences between their own and other people’s ideas 

  • Express their own and respond to other people’s values and commitments in the light of their learning  

  • Discuss what is involved in belonging to a faith community in terms of practices and lifestyles 

 

Topics Include: 

  • Living a Faith – Christian and Buddhist beliefs and practices 

  • Ideas about God: One God, Many gods, no gods,  

  • Easter 

  • Pentecost 

 

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Year 7 & 8 

Key Skills Include: 

  • Relate the content of passages to contemporary issues  

  • Express opinions about religious stories, beliefs and practices  

  • Use religious texts to help to answer ultimate questions  

  • Consider and discuss the influence of religious beliefs, values and traditions  

  • Discuss and consider religious and other responses to moral questions  

  • Use specialist religious vocabulary in discussion and argument  

  • Describe, analyse and explain the relevance and application of religious ideas and practices, and issues arising from the study of religion and foundational texts;  

  • Be able to give a written argument that reflects an understanding of different opinions and leads to a conclusion  

  • Give reasons and examples, including religious ones, for opinions expressed 

 

Year 7 Topics Include: 

  • God's Relationship with the World  

  • Human Responses to God 

  • Christian Practices and Ceremonies 

 

Year 8 Topics Include: 

  • Philosophy 

  • Ethics 

  • The New Testament 

  • Theology – God’s relationship with the world