Year 3

Year 4

Year 5

Year 6

Our curriculum in action

Year 3 - What can we learn about Christian worship and beliefs by visiting churches?

In this unit of work, Year 3 pupils had the opportunity to ask and respond to questions whilst visiting a local Christian place of worship (Bishop Auckland Methodist Church). Throughout this visit, pupils found out different features of a church and learn their purpose. They learnt about the significance of using colour during special events in the Christian calendar and what this means to Christians and their beliefs.

Pupil Voice:

What is a Christian place of worship called? The Christian place of worship is the church. 

What do Christians do when they go to church? They pray and sign hymns.

What is the colour white used for in church? Christmas and happy events.

Year 3 - How and why is Advent important to Christians?

In this unit of work, Year 3 pupils have been recalling the Christmas Story and know that celebrating the birth of the son of God at Christmas is important to Christians. In the events leading up to Christmas Day, children have learnt that this time is called preparation and the name of this preparation time is Advent. They have considered the importance of Advent as both a Christian and a non-religious person; making links between their own feelings, beliefs and values connected to Christmas and how other people celebrate this event. Children enjoyed making their own Christingle whilst making strong links to Advent.

Pupil Voice:

Who do Christians believe was born at Christmas? Jesus - the son of God. 

What does preparation mean? Preparation means getting ready for the festival. 

What do Christians call the time before Christmas? Advent 

Which colour will you see in Church during Advent? Purple 

What might children make during Advent? Children might make a Christingle. The orange representing the world, 4 toothpicks for the seasons, red ribbon to represent Jesus’ blood, white candle to represent Jesus light of the world. 

Year 3 - How do Hindus worship?

In this unit of work, Year 3 pupils have learnt about Hinduism and the importance of worship (Puja). They explored what a shrine is and that most Hindu homes have these while they worship their many different gods and goddesses. Children can explain why they remove their shoes as a sign of respect when taking part in worship. They also learned that a Mandir is a special holy place of worship for Hindus to meet together as a community. A visit to the Faith Museum in Bishop Auckland enriched their learning experiences; recognising key religious symbols and the sacred book.

Pupil Voice:

How many gods and goddesses do Hindus worship? They worship many gods and goddesses and they pray every day in front of the pictures of the gods – shrine. 

What is Puja? Puja is when Hindus worship and they use a tray with lots of different items to celebrate. 

Why do Hindus take their shoes off before worship? They take their shows off because they don’t want to get anything dirty and to show respect. 

Year 3 - Why is Palm Sunday important to Christians?

In this unit of work, Year 3 pupils have learnt about the Easter story and this is an extremely important festival in the Christianity calendar. They know that Palm Sunday is the beginning of Holy Week and that Jesus was welcomed by people to the city of Jerusalem by waving palm leaves which symbolises goodness and well-being. Children compared this to how they would react if they were welcoming a hero to their town. They understand how Christians celebrate Palm Sunday in churches and why this is special to the events leading up to Easter Sunday and the resurrection of Jesus.   

Pupil Voice:

Why is Easter important to Christians?  This is the time that Christians believe that Jesus was resurrected. It tells us the story about what happened at Easter. 

What does the word resurrection mean? Resurrection means come back to life.  Jesus had risen from the dead. 

Who arrived in Jerusalem on Palm Sunday? Jesus arrived on a donkey in Jerusalem. 

Year 3 - What do Hindus believe?

In this unit of work, Year 3 pupils built upon their prior learning of Hinduism to explore how Hindus worship. They recognised that there are many gods and goddesses in Hinduism. However, there is one true god – Brahman. Children learnt that there are many important beliefs that Hindus share; in particular, they believe in reincarnation and karma. Hindus believe that they must take responsibility for their actions and if they do good things then good things will happen to them (good karma), if they make poor choices then this may lead to negative consequences (bad karma). Children linked this learning to how they could experience karma in their own life.        

Pupil Voice:

What is reincarnation? It is when someone is reborn – if you come back to life you don’t know what you will come back as. You could be a human or animal. 

Do Hindus believe that humans can be reborn as animals? Yes – it could be a sheep, a cow or even a cat! 

What do Hindus believe will happen if you make good choices in your life?  You will become a better human or animal when you are reborn but if you do bad things in your life you might not even come back to life at all or perhaps as a bad animal!

Year 4 - What do we know about the Bible and why is it important to Christians?

In this unit of work, Year 4 pupils had the opportunity to ask and respond to questions which are raised through learning about Christian beliefs in scripture (Bible). They learnt that the Bible is the sacred book for Christians in their everyday lives, explored the different sections and why they are important, understood the significance of parables (stories told by Jesus) and why they are still used today to inspire and support the beliefs of Christians.

Pupil Voice:

What is the Bible? The Bible is a sacred and holy book that Christians read. 

What are the 2 main sections that make up the Bible? The Old Testament and The New Testament make up the Bible. 

What is a parable? A story with a moral at the end.

Why did Jesus tell parables? Jesus told parables because He wanted the world to be a better place. Jesus told them stories to teach them a lesson.

Year 4 - Why do Christians call Jesus the light of the world?

In this unit of work, Year 4 pupils learnt that light represents hope and that darkness represents feelings of being lonely and lost. They know that Christians call Jesus ‘The Light of the World’ and understand that light is used during Advent to represent Jesus. Pupils understand the significance of light to Christians during Advent and know why candles are used to represent this. Children made an advent wreath and know the meaning of the 5 candles represented. 

Pupil Voice:

What do Christians sometimes name Jesus? The light of the world. 

What do the 4 candles on the Advent ring represent? They represent love, peace, hope, joy (Christ – the white candle). 

What does the candle in the middle of the Advent wreath represent? The middle candle, which is the white candle, represents Christ. 

Year 4 - How and why do people show care for others?

In this unit of work, Year 4 pupils have explored how Christians can demonstrate various acts of kindness. They understand that this is often a selfless act – whether they are part of their own family or even demonstrating this to complete strangers. Using the parable of The Good Samaritan, Jesus taught the people the importance of caring for one another so that they would continue sharing this message and demonstrate this to others. Children can identify the important virtues that Christians use in everyday life to show that they care; visiting churches, donating to food banks and giving money to charity.    

Pupil Voice:

What is the most important message that Christians want to share?  To help, support and be kind to others – by showing care and respect.  

Name a parable that Jesus told to share the message that Christians should help others even if they do not get along. The Good Samaritan is about a poor man got attacked but some people just ignored him dying in the street.  Luckily a good Samaritan came and rescued him – took him to an inn and cared for him. 

Why are the commandments from God important to Christians? To make sure they get a spot in Heaven – a set of rules so people will obey them and treat people kindly with respect.   

Name one way that charities show care for others. They give food to the homeless and poor. They can also come to your house and comfort you when you have lost a loved one. 

Year 4 - Why is Lent an important time for Christians?

In this unit of work, Year 4 pupils learnt why the preparation of Lent is so important to Christians and what this symbolises in their faith.  They know that Lent is a period of 40 days, it starts on Ash Wednesday and ends during Holy Week. Children have a deeper understanding of what Jesus experienced during his 40 days in the desert and they compare this to something that they might give up for Lent and how difficult this might be. They can reflect on how Jesus inspires Christians today to not give into temptation and follow fasting over the period of Lent. Their visit to the Faith Museum further enhanced their learning about Christianity and Easter.      

Pupil Voice:

What is the preparation time called before Easter? Lent 

How long does this time last? 40 days   

What happens on Shrove Tuesday? People eat pancakes to get rid of the fats and sugars in their house ready for Lent. 

Why did Jesus fast when he was in the desert? Jesus fasted in the desert because He refused even when the devil tempted Him. He wanted to prove Himself to God. 

Year 4 - Why do people visit Durham Cathedral today?

In this unit of work, Year 4 pupils learnt what a saint is and why they are so important to the Christian faith. They studied St. Cuthbert’s life and how he carried on the work of God even though Christianity was not popular in this country. They explored the work of The Northern Saints and how important they were to our area. The visit to Durham Cathedral enhanced their learning and experience of the saints, St. Cuthbert and explained the reasons why so many Christians make a pilgrimage to the Cathedral each year.

Pupil Voice:

What is a saint? A saint is a very special person who is peaceful, kind and grateful who is really close to God. They believe in Him and they want to be part of His family. A saint devotes their life to God and lives their whole in solitary praying lots throughout the day.  

Who were the group of saints with links to our local area? The Northern Saints. 

Name one of the saints who is laid to rest at Durham Cathedral. St. Bede, St. Oswald, St. Cuthbert. 

What is the special journey called that a pilgrim may take? A pilgrimage is a holy journey that people take once in a lifetime. 

Why do people make a pilgrimage to Durham Cathedral? To visit a saint of their choice (St. Cuthbert), to pray to Him and perhaps get healed and blessed. 

Year 5 - Why is Moses important to Jewish people?

In this unit of work, Year 5 pupils had the opportunity to ask and respond to questions which are raised through learning about Judaism and why Moses was so important to the Jewish people. They explored the meaning of the Ten Commandments and how some of these rules linked to our own school values. Pupils learnt the importance of Jewish events such as Passover and Shabbat, how Jewish people celebrated as a family and the significance of these celebrations.

Pupil Voice:

Why did God choose Moses to help him? God chose Moses to help him because he was trustworthy and God knew he was be doing good things.

Why do Jews celebrate Passover? Jews celebrate Passover because Moses saved the Jews from slavery and brought them to a safe place.

What are the Ten Commandments? Ten rules that God gave Moses to teach the Jews. 

Why are the Ten Commandments important to Jewish people? They teach the Jews to be loyal and be good people.

How do Jewish people prepare for Shabbat? They set the table ready on Friday evening, they wear nice clothing, they prepare a special meal and they are not allowed to do any work.

Year 5 - What message do Christians share at Christmas?

In this unit of work, Year 5 pupils learnt that a tradition is a special activity that is repeated over time with family and friends. They understand that Christmas traditions are celebrated by Christians and non-Christians. At Christmas time, Christians spread love and kindness to others and children can name different ways in which this is shown to loved ones. Pupils understand the significance of a kind message expressed to others at Christmas time and how they can support others by showing this love and kindness. They demonstrated this in their visit to the local care home to share messages with residents and sing for them. 

Pupil Voice:

What is a tradition? ​A tradition is something that is built up over the years that we share with our family. 

Name 1 Christmas tradition that Christians share at Christmas. They go to church, give presents, sing carols and spend time with family. 

Who inspires Christians to spread love and kindness? Jesus and God inspire Christians to spread love and kindness.

Year 5 - Why do Jewish people go to the synagogue?

In this unit of work, Year 5 pupils learnt that a synagogue is a Jewish place of worship where people can get together to feel closer to God, and each other, where they study and also where local Jewish people can meet and take part in different activities and events. Children explored the important features of a synagogue and they compared these with features in a Church by naming various similarities and differences. They know that the Torah Scrolls is the holy book of Judaism and that it must not be touched by human hand as this is deemed disrespectful. Their learning was enhanced by a visit to the Faith Museum in Bishop Auckland to explore Jewish artefacts. 

Pupil Voice: 

What is a synagogue? A special holy place of worship for Jews. 

Why is the synagogue important to the Jewish community? This is the place where they feel the closest to God. 

Name 1 similarity between a church and a synagogue. Both have a place to keep the holy book. 

Name 1 difference between a church and a synagogue. The Torah Scrolls have to use a yad and Christians can touch the Bible with their hands. 

Year 5 - Why is the Last Supper so important to Christians?

In this unit of work, Year 5 pupils learnt about the events of Holy Week and how important the last meal was to Jesus and his disciples. They looked deeper in what a disciple is, what it meant to be a disciple of Jesus and what qualities they would need in order to be a trusted and faithful friend. Children learnt about the events of the Last Supper and then replicated these events in class whilst considering how Jesus and the disciples would have been feeling. Children understand the importance of the bread and wine offered at the Last Supper and how this is symbolised through Holy Communion offered in churches each Sunday.     

Pupil Voice:

What is a disciple? Disciples are the closest friends to Jesus. They helped Him and supported Him.

How many disciples did Jesus choose?  12 

What was the last meal called that Jesus ate with his disciples? The last meal was called The Last Supper. 

True or false – Jesus refused to wash the feet of his disciples.  False – it was Peter who refused.  

What do the bread and wine represent at the Last Supper? The wine represents the blood of Jesus. The bread represents the body of Jesus.   

Year 5 - What do Christians believe about God?

In this unit of work, Year 5 pupils learnt that Christians believe that everything in the world was created by God as part of the ‘Creation’. Children used their prior learning of the Bible to confidently explore the first book – Genesis – which explained how God created the world in six days. Children used the 3 verses from Genesis to identify the instructions and advice that God gave to humans – encouraging them to think about how they live and how God wanted them to live. Comparisons were made as to how humans should behave from God’s instruction and what characteristics they personally show towards others.  

Pupil Voice:

What does creation mean? Creation is 2 types – natural and manufactured; where you put someone into reality. God made the world and everything in it.  

Who do Christians believe created all things? Christians believe God created all things.

What is the book in the Bible called that tells the creation story? Genesis 1: verses 27 – 29.  

How many days do Christians believe it took to create all things? 6 days because He rested on the 7th day.  

Why did God tell humans how to live once they were created? God wanted humans to be like Him – kind, brave, respectful and helpful and show this to others.

Year 6 - What can we learn about religious diversity in our area?

In this unit of work, Year 6 pupils had the opportunity to ask and respond to questions which are raised through learning about religious diversity in our local community and what diversity means in the wider world. Pupils also explored what prejudice means and how this affects people in the local community, whilst linking this to respecting diversity for religious beliefs. They were introduced to a census of Bishop Auckland and what religions are represented.

Pupil Voice:

What does diversity mean? Diversity means a difference in ability, in the way people live, appearance, race, physical or mental difficulties.

When someone thinks negatively about another person because they are different, what is this called? Prejudice

How can we respect the religious diversity of the school community around us? We can respect religious diversity by having no judgement and show respect.

Which religions are represented in County Durham? County Durham has Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam and Atheism.

Year 6 - What do the gospel stories tell us about the birth of Jesus?

In this unit of work, Year 6 pupils explored what ‘interpretation’ means and how this can differ from other people. They understand that Christmas is an important time for Christians because it celebrates the birth of Jesus and that this is represented by two different gospels – Luke and Matthew. Children know that even though the two gospel stories tell us different things about the events of the first Christmas, this story is still extremely special to Christians. They had the opportunity to discuss, give their views and reasons to think about the question, “Are the Christmas stories true?”

Pupil Voice:

What does interpretation mean? Interpretation means when something can be seen in different ways.

Name the books in the Bible that tell the story of the birth of Jesus. Matthew and Luke. 

Are the Gospels in the Old or the New Testament? New Testament 

Are the two Gospels that tell the story of the birth of Jesus the same? No. Matthew’s version tells us about the star and the Wise Men’s gifts.  Luke’s account is more about being poor and staying in a stable and that Jesus will be a good King and will help the poor. 

Year 6 - What can we find out about a local Muslim community?

In this unit of work, Year 6 pupils have learnt that a follower of the Islam religion is a Muslim and that Islam is the second most popular religion in the world. Children learnt that Mohammed is an inspirational figure to Muslims and that they also have one god called Allah. They know that their special place of worship is a mosque and that there are strict rules and regulations that people must follow when praying there. Through their research, children have a better understanding of what life is like as a Muslim in our community and they respect the views and beliefs of a follower of Islam. Their learning was enhanced further with a visit to the Faith Museum.

Pupil Voice:

What is the name of the Muslim holy book? The Qur’an 

Name the place of worship for Muslims. The place of worship is the mosque.

Who is an inspirational figure to Muslim? Muhammad 

Name one challenge that Muslims face in the local community. Most people are Christians and they don’t understand what it’s like to be a Muslim. 

Year 6 - Why are Good Friday and Easter Day important days for Christians?

In this unit of work, Year 6 pupils recapped the events of the Easter story and learnt that Holy Week is very important to Christians because it reminds them of Jesus’ death and his resurrection. Children understand that Good Friday is the day that Jesus died on the cross and that this came about because some of his disciples betrayed him. They use their knowledge of what it is like to be a disciple from their Y5 learning, to fully understand how devastating the betrayal would have been for Jesus – breaking his trust and how this betrayal led to the arrest of Jesus. Pupils explored the importance of Easter Sunday and how Christians celebrate the resurrection of Jesus.

Pupil Voice:

What important event happened on Good Friday? Jesus died on the cross. 

Why was Jesus arrested? Jesus was arrested because He supported the Jews and the disciples betrayed Jesus to the soldiers who were jealous and didn’t like Jesus. 

What did Jesus sacrifice when he was crucified? Jesus sacrificed Himself and he died on Good Friday. 

When was Jesus resurrected? He was resurrected on Easter Sunday.

What does the resurrection of Jesus teach Christians? This encourages Christians to support others and show kindness and care. 

Year 6 - What do we know about Christianity?

In this unit of work, Year 6 pupils built upon their learning of the Bible, stories told from the Old and New Testament and why it is so sacred for the Christian faith. Children learnt how to use bible references to locate stories that show Christian virtues – comparing these to how they live their own life.  Children considered how our actions are guided by what we believe and why this is important when interacting with others in our daily lives. They also explored how Christians expressed their beliefs – praying to give thanks, ask for help or forgiveness. This linked to our own school prayer and a reflection of what this means in our lives.  

Pupil Voice:

Why is the Bible important to Christians? The Bible is important to Christians because it teaches them how Jesus lived in those times, how to have a good life and what rules they have to follow. 

Who is an important teacher within Christianity? Jesus – tried to teach respect and to love your neighbour. 

Name 3 Christian values that help Christians to make good life choices. Trust, generosity and compassion.  

What is the most important festival to Christians and why? Easter because it is the time when Jesus (son of God) sacrificed His life for our sins and when He was resurrected.  

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