Curriculum Intent

At St Nicolas CE Combined School, our RE curriculum is deeply rooted in our Christian vision: "I am the vine and you are the branches." We intend for RE to be the theological nourishment that empowers our unique children to grow, thrive and reach out to the wider community.

Our intent is to build high religious literacy by offering a rich, enquiry-based curriculum where pupils explore a diverse range of religious and non-religious world-views. Through progressive, high-quality units, we equip pupils to hold balanced, informed conversations about faith, question deeply, and build resilience. Ultimately, we intend for pupils to discover the relevance of RE in today’s modern world and understand how beliefs shape personal choices, actions, and values.

Implementation

Our theologically rooted vision guides how RE is taught. We follow the Oxford Diocese RE Scheme of Work alongside Understanding Christianity, using an enquiry-based methodology centred on core questions.

Our six distinct Christian values—respect, honesty, love and friendship, peace, thankfulness, and courage—serve as lenses through which we examine complex religious concepts. Pupils are encouraged to challenge their thinking, explore their learning journey and grow from mistakes. This classroom learning is enriched and brought to life through our strong, organic branches within the Taplow community, including weekly interactive sessions with the 'Open the Book' team and regular visits to local places of worship such as St Nicolas’ Church, Maidenhead Mosque, GMG Gurdwara, Maidenhead Synagogue and Slough Hindu Mandir. Please see our photographs section.

Impact

The impact of our RE curriculum is seen in pupils who are empathetic, respectful, and globally-minded citizens. Our children develop a sophisticated vocabulary and the critical thinking skills needed to navigate differences in a multi-secular society.

Progress is monitored dynamically through our detailed and carefully planned live feedback sheets specifically tailored for RE lessons and learning. This responsive approach allows teachers to capture immediate evidence of deep thinking and address misconceptions in real-time, focusing on the depth of theological understanding rather than just factual recall. The true impact of our RE curriculum is reflected outside the classroom, as our pupils confidently step out into the world as flourishing individuals who live out our school values and display a lifelong curiosity for the world around them.