Religious Studies 

Context 

• We deliver Religious Studies (RS) in line with the Leeds agreed RE syllabus, 'Believing and Belonging'. 
• We deliver OCR GCSE Religious Studies(RS) short course.
• Leeds West Academy recognises the educational value of Religious Education in the school curriculum
• Leeds West Academy also recognises the excellent contribution RE makes to Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural (SMSC) development across the school. 

Legal Requirements  

 The National Curriculum states that: 

Every state-funded school must offer a curriculum which is balanced and broadly based, and which: 

• promotes the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of pupils, and 
• prepares pupils at the school for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life … 

All state schools …must teach religious education 

DfE, The National Curriculum in England: Framework Document, September 2013, p.4 

Right of Withdrawal 

 Parents (or students who are over 18) have the right to withdraw their children either partly or wholly from RE. In addition, teachers have the right not to teach the subject. Our approach to RE, however, has been constructed in the hope that parents and teachers will rarely, if ever, wish to exercise their right of withdrawal.  Please contact Mrs Boakye, Acting Associate Curriculum Leader of Religious Education (boakye.c@whiteroseacademies.org).