RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
Intent
As a Catholic school, we believe that we are all called to be disciples of Christ and stewards of creation. The aim of our creative curriculum is for the children to grow in their own spirituality and faith, through their love for God and one another, their learning about and from God and their praise of God and his creation.
Through their lived out experiences in school, we aim to nurture an understanding that the children are part of a global community united through the values of the Gospel. With the Gospels and Catholic Social Teaching as our inspiration, the children develop an understanding of their role in caring for our common home and caring for one another.
We develop children’s understanding and knowledge of other faiths and cultures, respecting and appreciating alternative viewpoints. We recognise the social, moral, spiritual and cultural diversity of our communities, and encourage curiosity, tolerance and respect, inspiring pupils to understand how life in Britain and the wider world is changing around them.
Implementation
Religious Education is at the centre of everything we do as a Catholic school. We ensure that a minimum of 10% of Curriculum time is allocated for RE teaching across all key stages. The requirements of the RE curriculum are met through the scheme ‘Come and See’ which in turn meets the requirements of the Religious Education Curriculum Directory set out by the Bishop’s Conference of England Wales.
Through the high standard and exceptional teaching of RE, pupils are inspired to become critical thinkers and to reflect deeply upon their own faith journey. They are challenged through the topics taught, to think about how they put the teachings of the church and Jesus into practise in their own daily lives.
The process for delivering the topics in ‘Come and See’ has three stages – Explore, Reveal and Respond which enable the pupils with the development of knowledge, understanding, skills and the fostering of attitudes.
Running alongside the ‘Come and See’ programme are a series of ‘Big Questions’ which are relevant to each RE topic. They demand a more active and engaging approach and encourage child lead enquiry and learning.
The scheme covers the topics:
- Domestic Church
- Baptism/Confirmation
- Advent/Christmas
- Local Church
- Eucharist
- Lent/Easter
- Pentecost
- Reconciliation
- Universal Church
OTHER FAITHS and RELIGIONS
Twice each year there is a study on other religions (Judaism, Hinduism or Islam)
Impact
As a result of our RE provision, children at St. Mary’s:
- Are well prepared for the next stage of their education as confident and enthusiastic learners.
- Produce good quality work which they are proud of.
- Achieve consistently well in all areas of Religious Education
- Are happy, well rounded individuals who have developed a deep-rooted relationship with God and understanding of their Catholic faith.
- Understand that they are part of the family of God and know how they can play their part in this Global family united by Christ.
