HTL is a Church of England Primary School. As such, the teaching of RE is given significant importance. The Governors have adopted the Rochester Diocese Agreed Syllabus which is taught by class teachers from Reception to Year 6.

Religious Education at HTL is just that, education in religion. It is not religious instruction or an attempt to convert pupils. HTL follows the 'Understanding Christianity' scheme of work, a widely praised program which is essentially theology for primary aged children. Pupils study and critically explore core concepts within the faith such as creation, salvation, the gospels and the Kingdom of God through big questions. Children are taught higher-order skills such as questioning, evaluating and critically reviewing set in a context of understanding the whole Christian narrative. The scheme is modern, vibrant, highly academic and is widely enjoyed by pupils of all ages. Throughout the years, children also learn about all of the world's main religions to ensure that they are ready to be members of our diverse society.  

To learn more about Church Life at HTL, please click on the "church life" icon at the top of the page.

Why do we teach RE? According to NATRE:

"Religious Education contributes dramatically to children and young people's education in schools by provoking challenging questions about meaning and purpose in life, beliefs about God, ultimate reality, issues of right and wrong, and what it means to be human. In RE, they learn about and from religious and world views in local, national and global contexts, to discover, explore, and consider different answers to these questions. They learn to weigh up the value of wisdom from different sources, to develop and express their insights in response, and to agree or disagree respectfully.

Teaching, therefore, should equip pupils with systematic knowledge and understanding of a range of religious and worldviews, enabling them to develop their ideas, values, and identities. It should develop in pupils an aptitude for dialogue so that they can participate positively in our society with its diverse religious and world views. Pupils should gain and deploy the skills needed to understand, interpret, and evaluate texts, sources of wisdom and authority, and other evidence.

Pupils learn to articulate clearly and coherently their personal beliefs, ideas, values, and experiences while respecting the right of others to differ."

At HTL, we enhance and enrich our curriculum with an education in love, courage and wisdom to ensure that our pupils, Christian or not, are empathetic people, ready to take on the challenges of their generation as part of a local and global community.

Our School Vision:

“They are like trees planted by streams of water, which yield their fruit in due season, and their leaves do not wither. In all they do they prosper.” Psalm 1:3