This agreed syllabus, the first by Bournemouth, Christchurch, and Poole local authority, following the unification of Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole into one council in 2019 and reflects the importance that Religious Studies has for children’s and young people’s understanding of the world in which we all live.

Central to the syllabus’s aim is the belief that excellent teaching of Religious Studies supports children and young people to have respect for themselves and others, whilst also supporting and developing a fundamental appreciation of the significance of belief(s) in people’s lives.

Our syllabus develops a ‘worldviews’ approach to the teaching of this subject, in a deliberate attempt to raise awareness of unconscious bias and discrimination, treating all worldviews, including religions, as of equal relevance and significance.Schools are asked to consider the different ‘ways of knowing’ that they could choose to build into their schemes of work to enable pupils to understand beliefs from different perspectives, using a range of approaches, from philosophy to theology.

The development of this syllabus has taken account of the previous syllabi for Bournemouth, Poole and Dorset, and has been written in consultation with, teachers, children and young people, Religious Education and Diocesan advisers, BCP SACRE members and worldview communities; all of whom have given their time freely to ensure the syllabus is not only up to date in its pedagogy but is also mindful of the challenge a new syllabus creates for busy teachers.Bournemouth, Christchurch, and Poole Council welcomes all schools situated in its boundaries to use our REfocus syllabus freely. 

To support schools to implement the new syllabus, there will be sample materials available for teachers to download, use as they are or tailor for their classrooms. It is hoped that these sample materials will give guidance and examples of how to successfully translate the agreed syllabus into a workable and meaningful scheme of work for your school.