Religious Education
R.E. and Collective Worship
The School follows the Birmingham Agreed Syllabus for R.E. issued in 2022.
On average there is one session of R.E. every week.
Assemblies for Collective Worship are held every day. We call then 'Thinking and Reflection Time'. These, by law, reflect Christian traditions. They also take into account the traditions of other Faiths represented in the School.
The Education Act of 1988 allows parents to withdraw children from R.E. lessons and/or Acts of Collective Worship (when they are of a religious nature). Should you wish to do so, please make an appointment to speak with the Headteacher.
Values Education
A carefully chosen list of values help develop the whole child and they are a key part of building our ethos and expectations. They are a focus for Thinking and Reflecting Time, RHE and Module Work.
Results of an RE / Act of Collective Worship monitoring visit by SACRE on behalf of Birmingham Local Authority
(autumn term 2015)
Schools are getting monitoring visits to check that:
safeguarding concerns in Birmingham are being met in RE and Acts of Collective Worship (ACW)
'British' values are being addressed
RE and ACWs contribute to the broad and balanced curriculum
What was said about our School:
'HGJS is aspirational and is a place where the children self-evidently all get on well....There was a disciplined and purposefully working atmosphere in the school aiming to get the best out of everyone'.
On our new expectations:
'What was particularly impressive was its commitment to respect and whilst the school was happy to set out the rights and entitlements of pupils, they clearly linked each right to a corresponding responsibility on the part of pupils to themeselves and others. In this the school is wholly correct in that philosophically there can be no rights without corresponding duries. This conceptual connection is not often recognised in the modern world that all too quickly resorts to the language of rights'.
On our Acts of Collective Worship:
'This was a particularly impressive event....the theme was on sharing....there was some refelction on local issues...an atmosphere was created by music but also learning about the composer....participation by the pupils.....sharing was thoroughly and practically explored....led to connections with Eid celebrations in the community...ended with relection and commitment that enhanced the moral and spiritual dimensions.
The whole activity was a paradigm of its kind.'
On our RE lessons:
'lesson was around 10 commandments....it examined their character in detail as well as analysing their relationship to British law and utlimately to the school rules...it was an impressive lesson that made good bridging links for pupils to the different religious traditions....generally excellent input....good questioning and explanations provided from an accomplished teacher.'
On safeguarding:
'One can confidently say that there are absolutely no safeguarding concerns in the delivery of these areas of the curriculum. The school might consider taking active steps to share its good practice'.
It's always nice to know that we are getting it right!