Oak Class 2025-2026

RE Autumn Term 2: Why Does Christmas Matter to Christians?

This term in RE, we continued our journey learning about Christianity by exploring the theme of Incarnation.

What is Incarnation? We learned that “Incarnation” means God coming to earth as a human being. Christians believe that Jesus is God’s Son, and that at Christmas we celebrate His birth. A child-friendly way to understand this is: God wanted to be close to people, so He came into the world as Jesus to show His love.

Starting with the big question: We began our unit by reflecting on the question “Why does Christmas matter to Christians?” to see what we already knew and to share our ideas.

Pupil Voice

Augustin: I don’t know

Jaxon: I love Christmas and presents

Rapha: Jesus was born

Signs and symbols of Christmas: We explored how people know Christmas is on its way. We noticed decorations appearing, TV adverts beginning, colder weather setting in, animals hibernating, and cards being sent — all signs that the season is approaching.

Preparing for a new arrival: Next, we thought about how families prepare for the arrival of a new baby. We had lots of ideas, from buying toys and learning how to change a nappy, to talking about the feelings new arrivals bring — excitement and happiness, but also a little nervousness too. This helped us connect with how Christians see the birth of Jesus as a very special arrival.

RE Autumn Term 1: Who made the world?

Term 1 focused on the big question: Who made the world?

Exploring nature: We began by looking at the beauty of the natural world around us. Pupils created artwork using natural materials, helping us to appreciate the wonder of creation.

Pupil Voice

Rapha: God made lots of animals.

Thomas: God is kind. I like flowers

Thinking about the Creator: Together, we reflected on what the Creator must be like to design such a beautiful world. We decided that God is clever, kind, and generous.

 Learning the Creation Story: We studied the story of creation from the book of Genesis. “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). We learned that Christians believe God made the world in six days and rested on the seventh.

Prayers of thanks: Children wrote their own prayers to thank God for all His wonderful creations.

Josie: God made everyone and everything.

Augustin: God created fish and birds.

Harvest connections: We linked our learning to the celebration of Harvest, thinking about how Christians thank God for the food we receive. Pupils created Harvest artwork which was proudly displayed in church during our Harvest Service, brightening the space beautifully.

 Reflecting on the big question: Throughout the unit, we returned to our guiding question: Who made the world? Pupils recorded their thoughts and showcased their learning in their Express Books, before completing end-of-unit reflections.

Pupil voice

Thomas: God made the world. He made animals.

Casi: God made the world. God made the sun and the moon. It took his 6 days.

Rapha: Christians believe God made the world.

This unit gave us the chance to combine creativity, reflection, and faith, while deepening our understanding of Christian beliefs about creation.

 

Autumn 1 and 2 Collective Worship

Our Value this term is Generosity.

Acts  20:35:  Remember  the  words  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  how  he  himself  said,  it  is  more   blessed  to  give  than  to  receive.

2  Corinthians  9.7:  God  loves  a  cheerful  giver

Generosity means sharing what we have with others — not just things like toys or food, but also our time, kindness, and friendship. It’s about thinking of others before ourselves and giving without expecting anything in return.

We have explored generosity through a range of themes and activities, including:

Caring for creation – thinking about how we can look after the world God made

“The Lord God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and look after it.” — Genesis 2:15

We learned that we are Earthkeepers and we are responsible to protecting the Earth.

Casimir: Save the world

Jaxon: Keep the world safe

Finn: Take care of the environment

Rapha: Throw rubbish in bins- recycle

Fairness – discussing what it means to seek the good of others

“Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others.” — 1 Corinthians 10:24

We linked this to Luke 12: 13-21 and explored what we have extra and what we could give away.

Augustin: My mum gives eggs away from our chickens

Jaxon: I gave away some toys.

Arlo: I gave some toys to Ivy.

Giving our time – reflecting on how we can be generous with our attention and care

“Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.” — Philippians 2:4

Each week, we’ve enjoyed songs, stories, scripture, and creative tasks that help us understand how generosity can make our school and community a kinder place

Prayer Space – Autumn Term 1 and 2

This term, we have enjoyed spending time in our Prayer Space — a calm and welcoming area where children can pause, reflect, and explore big ideas through quiet activities.

A Prayer Space is a special place set up in school that helps children think about themselves, others, and the world around them. It gives everyone a chance to be still, say thank you, ask questions, or simply enjoy a peaceful moment.

Children took part in activities such as:

Exploring the wonders of nature — looking closely at natural objects through magnifying glasses and hunting for them with binoculars

Creating leaf prayers — writing thoughtful messages of thanks and reflection on autumn leaves

Bubble breathing — using slow, mindful breathing to help us feel calm and focused

Still time — enjoying quiet moments both in the classroom and in our outdoor reflection area

Prayer Space helps children grow in confidence, develop empathy, and build emotional wellbeing — all while deepening their understanding of faith and values in a gentle, personal way.

Pupil Voice

Rapha: I liked creating unique hand monsters because we are all unique

Casimir: I liked making finger print oak tress- a one off like our fingerprints. There is no one like me

Thomas: I like to close my eyes