Devon SACRE – Early Years R.E.
Syllabus Guidance
Juliet Doswell
Early Years Consultant
Gerry Winnall – St Thomas
Primary School, Exeter
Jodie White – Hazeldown Primary
School, Teignmouth
Our Brief 
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To write guidance on Religious Education for
Early Years Practitioners working with
children in the Foundation Stage in Devon
County schools
To draw from the current curriculum
legislation and promote good early years
practice
The EY RE Project
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Started from the children’s perspectives
Drew from teacher observation
Followed the children’s learning journeys from
children’s points of interest or WOW moments
Supported and facilitated sustained learning
opportunities
Reflected on the process of the children’s journey
and of any new experiences and discoveries for
them
Cycle of a learning journey from a
WOW Moment!
Experiential
learning, play,
discovery, asking
questions,
exploration……
Retrospective
Planning &
Filling the
gaps
WOW!
First Moments
Adult initiated
or Child
initiated
Next steps – Dev
Matters or RE
Curriculum for
individual child or
group of children.
Cycle of a learning journey
Facilitate children’s
learning
opportunities
WOW!
First Moments
What Development
Matters, and what
learning from, and
learning about, RE have
been covered in this
learning journey?
Adult initiated
or Child
initiated
At the end of every
week reflect on
learning to identify
next steps and
learning
opportunities and
link back to
evidence for each
child’s profile.
Are there windows of
opportunity to cover specific
elements of the Development
Matters and next steps for the
individual child or group of
children?
Examples of Cycles
Colour coded key of children’s experience and
Learning: WOW moment
 Adult guided
 Child initiated
 Adult Facilitated/Child continued
We would like to thank
Sheena Wright, Early Years Adviser for Devon
for her wisdom and support.
How do children learn?
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Children learn by being, doing, talking and
listening, exploring and discovering, having
fun, sharing………
Children learn through touch, smell, taste,,
feel, sound, sight, experience……..
Now it is your turn!
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We have brought some natural materials that
are part of the resources that are available to
the children in a stimulating enabling learning
environment.
We invite you to create a special ‘place’ or
environment using the materials provided. You
can work on your own or with someone else.
Just enjoy the experience! Reflect on your
response to the materials and the activity