Religious Education Curriculum                          

Our Mission Statement

Celebrating Excellence through our Faith and Learning

Our Core Values

St Mary’s is a Catholic school which seeks to live out the values of Jesus Christ. We promote these values by our words and deeds; Catholic doctrine and practice therefore permeates every aspect of the school's activity. We follow the Jesuit Values which are a vision of what a good and virtuous person should be, rooted in the gospel of Jesus Christ. The values are listed in the tree image and are arranged in pairs (colour coded). The concept is that the tree symbolises the growth of our young people and that we are all responsible for helping their formation in these respects. The pairs of values will form part of our Collective Worship timetable but more importantly will be modelled and encouraged through our daily lives at St Mary’s.

Values Timetable

Intent:

At St Mary’s, we believe that our children need a curriculum that allows them to become enthusiastic and engaged learners. We provide a RE curriculum that is broad and balanced, recognising that every pupil is unique and created in the image of God (Gen 1:27).

Our curriculum is designed to enable every pupil to discern their vocation and be well-equipped to follow it as active citizens serving the world. Catholic Religious Education is the 'core of the core curriculum' (Pope St John Paul II) and the foundation of the entire educational process.

Religious Education is, therefore, central to our school's life and permeates the whole curriculum. Through our RE Curriculum, we aim to inspire awe, wonder, reverence, and spirituality within every child. When designing the RE curriculum, we search for purposeful, meaningful opportunities to extend and deepen the pupil’s learning; we endeavour to make strong links with the diverse multi-cultural backgrounds of the pupils and staff and utilise the local community and places of other interest. We also provide a wide range of extra-curricular activities and strong pastoral support. We incorporate democratic principles, value the rule of law, support individual liberty, and foster a community in which all are respected. Pupils will learn about other World religions to increase their knowledge, respect, and understanding of everyone in our society. We aspire for all children to be their best and make a difference in our world by building strong foundations within God’s loving hands.

As children learn about God’s love, they discover their Christian responsibilities and how to pray and care for others. RE teaching will give pupils the knowledge, understanding, and appreciation of the Catholic faith and its traditions. It will deepen the child’s knowledge of God through the experience of prayer and develop and encourage a personal response to God and the recognition of awareness of moral responsibility through the development of conscience. Skills taught will cover reflection, empathy, investigation, interpretation, evaluation, analysis, synthesis, and expression.

At St Mary's, a theologian can further explore and engage with the theological aspects of our curriculum, delving into the rich traditions and teachings of the Catholic faith to deepen their understanding and connection with God.

Implementation:

RE is a core subject, constituting 10% of the curriculum time at St Mary’s. Our chosen topics, informed by the Curriculum Directory for Catholic Schools, are designed with a sequential progression of skills. Children follow the RE Curriculum using the updated version of the ‘God Matters’ scheme of work. Each class explores the following topics:

1. Creation: This unit delves into the Creation story, emphasising the importance of caring for God’s creation and being stewards of the Earth.

2. Prayer, Saints & Feasts: Explores our relationship with God and how we celebrate our Saints.

3. Advent: Examines the season of Advent and its significance in preparing for the birth of Jesus.

4. Christmas: Explores the story of Christmas and its meaning to individuals.

5. Revelation: Develops understanding of how God reveals Himself through the life of Christ and the Holy Bible.

6. Lent: Children learn how to prepare for Easter during the Lenten period.

7. Holy Week: Reflection on the week's events, empathising with Jesus and the disciples.

8. Easter: Exploration of the sacrifice made by Jesus and God during this time.

9. Pentecost & Mission: Explores the events of Pentecost and the importance of the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

10. Sacraments: Develop a deeper understanding of the seven sacraments in the Catholic Church.

This approach helps children understand how Gospel values relate to their lives, encouraging them to live as moral citizens in today's world.

St Mary’s also hosts a multi-faith week, providing opportunities for children to study other world religions, including Sikhism, Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, Judaism, and Christianity.

Within classrooms, diverse teaching strategies are employed, and provision is made for prayer, reflection, and celebration. Collective worship experiences, such as Masses, assemblies, and reflections, are approached at a whole-school level or within Key Stages.

Catholic Social Teaching, aligned with Pope Francis’ encyclical - Fratelli Tutti, is incorporated to instil a sense of rights and responsibilities, fostering a strong sense of identity and the ability to make positive contributions to society. Children are encouraged to be resilient, make well-informed decisions using their learning as a moral compass, be respectful and tolerant, and uphold British and Gospel values.

Leaders in Faith, a Clifton Diocese program, supports children in becoming leaders in RE by developing critical skills in leading prayer, worship, and reflection and enhancing their knowledge of the Catholic Faith.

The school's relationship with the parish of Holy Family and the Clifton Diocese provides experiences of the church, Catholic traditions, and opportunities for real-life learning, including visits to places of worship and participation in spiritual reflections and retreats.

Cultural capital is enriched through learning about important figures and locations in the Catholic faith, including Saints and the Clergy, as well as significant individuals and places from other religions. Children are thus equipped to appreciate and understand diverse cultural and religious perspectives. This approach not only imparts knowledge but also fosters a deep connection with spirituality, encouraging children to embody the role of theologians in their exploration of faith and morality.

Impact:

We aim to nurture confident and enthusiastic learners engaged in Religious Education (RE). The curriculum is designed to provide children with a foundational knowledge and understanding of the Catholic faith, empowering them to develop a living and personal relationship with Jesus Christ and fostering a deep connection with God.

As theologians in the making, the children are encouraged to:

1. Live their Faith:

   • Be active and positive in living out their faith, always conscious of the presence and love of Christ guiding them.

2. Understand Gospel Values:

   • Recognise and internalise Gospel values, relating them to their personal lives and understanding their connection to British Values.

3. Demonstrate Compassion and Virtues:

   • Exhibit compassion, honesty, respect, love, and forgiveness in their relationships with others.

4. Make Links to Jesus’ Teachings:

   • Connect Jesus’ life and teachings to their own lives and the lives of others.

5. Reflect and Consider Important Questions:

   • Develop the ability to reflect and contemplate important questions related to RE.

6. Possess a Good Understanding of the Catholic Faith:

   • Acquire a comprehensive understanding of the Catholic Faith.

7. Develop a Well-formed Conscience:

   • Cultivate a well-formed conscience, enabling them to make sound moral judgments aligned with their commitment to God.

8. Prepare for Life in a Multi-faith Society:

   • Foster respect for and understanding of rich cultural diversity, preparing them for life in a multi-faith society.

9. Acquire Analytical and Evaluative Skills:

   • Develop skills to make links and connections, engage and respond, analyse and evaluate using sources of evidence.

The impact of our curriculum is evaluated through various methods:

Pupil Achievement and Progress:

• End-of-unit assessments, focusing on a child's ability to learn about Religion (AT1), learn from Religion (AT2), and analyse and evaluate (AT3 – KS2 only).
• Regular curriculum monitoring by the RE subject lead and RE link governor.
• Ongoing teacher assessments based on questioning, observations, and pupil outcomes.
• Learning walks, scrutiny of progress in books, and pupil conferencing.

Pupil Attitudes:

• Feedback during pupil conferencing.
• Pupil and parent/carer surveys.
• Observation of attitudes and behaviour in lessons across the curriculum.
• Assessment of the quality of work produced, including pride in presentation.
• Attendance and punctuality.
• Participation in Collective Worship and Prayer.
• Encourage older children to reflect on and self-assess their learning regarding enjoyment, relevance, inspiration, and creativity.

The impact of our curriculum is consistently assessed through assessment at the end of every unit, children's engagement in discussions and activities, actions and reasons behind those actions, pupil voice, moderation of work at staff meetings and between schools, and marking of written work in books, as well as through creative and practical tasks.

Download more information:

• Yearly Planning
• Whole School Prayer Plan Guidance

Religious Education Curriculum                          

Our Mission Statement

Celebrating Excellence through our Faith and Learning

Our Core Values

St Mary’s is a Catholic school which seeks to live out the values of Jesus Christ. We promote these values by our words and deeds; Catholic doctrine and practice therefore permeates every aspect of the school's activity. We follow the Jesuit Values which are a vision of what a good and virtuous person should be, rooted in the gospel of Jesus Christ. The values are listed in the tree image and are arranged in pairs (colour coded). The concept is that the tree symbolises the growth of our young people and that we are all responsible for helping their formation in these respects. The pairs of values will form part of our Collective Worship timetable but more importantly will be modelled and encouraged through our daily lives at St Mary’s.

Values Timetable

Intent:

At St Mary’s, we believe that our children need a curriculum that allows them to become enthusiastic and engaged learners. We provide a RE curriculum that is broad and balanced, recognising that every pupil is unique and created in the image of God (Gen 1:27).

Our curriculum is designed to enable every pupil to discern their vocation and be well-equipped to follow it as active citizens serving the world. Catholic Religious Education is the 'core of the core curriculum' (Pope St John Paul II) and the foundation of the entire educational process.

Religious Education is, therefore, central to our school's life and permeates the whole curriculum. Through our RE Curriculum, we aim to inspire awe, wonder, reverence, and spirituality within every child. When designing the RE curriculum, we search for purposeful, meaningful opportunities to extend and deepen the pupil’s learning; we endeavour to make strong links with the diverse multi-cultural backgrounds of the pupils and staff and utilise the local community and places of other interest. We also provide a wide range of extra-curricular activities and strong pastoral support. We incorporate democratic principles, value the rule of law, support individual liberty, and foster a community in which all are respected. Pupils will learn about other World religions to increase their knowledge, respect, and understanding of everyone in our society. We aspire for all children to be their best and make a difference in our world by building strong foundations within God’s loving hands.

As children learn about God’s love, they discover their Christian responsibilities and how to pray and care for others. RE teaching will give pupils the knowledge, understanding, and appreciation of the Catholic faith and its traditions. It will deepen the child’s knowledge of God through the experience of prayer and develop and encourage a personal response to God and the recognition of awareness of moral responsibility through the development of conscience. Skills taught will cover reflection, empathy, investigation, interpretation, evaluation, analysis, synthesis, and expression.

At St Mary's, a theologian can further explore and engage with the theological aspects of our curriculum, delving into the rich traditions and teachings of the Catholic faith to deepen their understanding and connection with God.

Implementation:

RE is a core subject, constituting 10% of the curriculum time at St Mary’s. Our chosen topics, informed by the Curriculum Directory for Catholic Schools, are designed with a sequential progression of skills. Children follow the RE Curriculum using the updated version of the ‘God Matters’ scheme of work. Each class explores the following topics:

1. Creation: This unit delves into the Creation story, emphasising the importance of caring for God’s creation and being stewards of the Earth.

2. Prayer, Saints & Feasts: Explores our relationship with God and how we celebrate our Saints.

3. Advent: Examines the season of Advent and its significance in preparing for the birth of Jesus.

4. Christmas: Explores the story of Christmas and its meaning to individuals.

5. Revelation: Develops understanding of how God reveals Himself through the life of Christ and the Holy Bible.

6. Lent: Children learn how to prepare for Easter during the Lenten period.

7. Holy Week: Reflection on the week's events, empathising with Jesus and the disciples.

8. Easter: Exploration of the sacrifice made by Jesus and God during this time.

9. Pentecost & Mission: Explores the events of Pentecost and the importance of the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

10. Sacraments: Develop a deeper understanding of the seven sacraments in the Catholic Church.

This approach helps children understand how Gospel values relate to their lives, encouraging them to live as moral citizens in today's world.

St Mary’s also hosts a multi-faith week, providing opportunities for children to study other world religions, including Sikhism, Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, Judaism, and Christianity.

Within classrooms, diverse teaching strategies are employed, and provision is made for prayer, reflection, and celebration. Collective worship experiences, such as Masses, assemblies, and reflections, are approached at a whole-school level or within Key Stages.

Catholic Social Teaching, aligned with Pope Francis’ encyclical - Fratelli Tutti, is incorporated to instil a sense of rights and responsibilities, fostering a strong sense of identity and the ability to make positive contributions to society. Children are encouraged to be resilient, make well-informed decisions using their learning as a moral compass, be respectful and tolerant, and uphold British and Gospel values.

Leaders in Faith, a Clifton Diocese program, supports children in becoming leaders in RE by developing critical skills in leading prayer, worship, and reflection and enhancing their knowledge of the Catholic Faith.

The school's relationship with the parish of Holy Family and the Clifton Diocese provides experiences of the church, Catholic traditions, and opportunities for real-life learning, including visits to places of worship and participation in spiritual reflections and retreats.

Cultural capital is enriched through learning about important figures and locations in the Catholic faith, including Saints and the Clergy, as well as significant individuals and places from other religions. Children are thus equipped to appreciate and understand diverse cultural and religious perspectives. This approach not only imparts knowledge but also fosters a deep connection with spirituality, encouraging children to embody the role of theologians in their exploration of faith and morality.

Impact:

We aim to nurture confident and enthusiastic learners engaged in Religious Education (RE). The curriculum is designed to provide children with a foundational knowledge and understanding of the Catholic faith, empowering them to develop a living and personal relationship with Jesus Christ and fostering a deep connection with God.

As theologians in the making, the children are encouraged to:

1. Live their Faith:

   • Be active and positive in living out their faith, always conscious of the presence and love of Christ guiding them.

2. Understand Gospel Values:

   • Recognise and internalise Gospel values, relating them to their personal lives and understanding their connection to British Values.

3. Demonstrate Compassion and Virtues:

   • Exhibit compassion, honesty, respect, love, and forgiveness in their relationships with others.

4. Make Links to Jesus’ Teachings:

   • Connect Jesus’ life and teachings to their own lives and the lives of others.

5. Reflect and Consider Important Questions:

   • Develop the ability to reflect and contemplate important questions related to RE.

6. Possess a Good Understanding of the Catholic Faith:

   • Acquire a comprehensive understanding of the Catholic Faith.

7. Develop a Well-formed Conscience:

   • Cultivate a well-formed conscience, enabling them to make sound moral judgments aligned with their commitment to God.

8. Prepare for Life in a Multi-faith Society:

   • Foster respect for and understanding of rich cultural diversity, preparing them for life in a multi-faith society.

9. Acquire Analytical and Evaluative Skills:

   • Develop skills to make links and connections, engage and respond, analyse and evaluate using sources of evidence.

The impact of our curriculum is evaluated through various methods:

Pupil Achievement and Progress:

• End-of-unit assessments, focusing on a child's ability to learn about Religion (AT1), learn from Religion (AT2), and analyse and evaluate (AT3 – KS2 only).
• Regular curriculum monitoring by the RE subject lead and RE link governor.
• Ongoing teacher assessments based on questioning, observations, and pupil outcomes.
• Learning walks, scrutiny of progress in books, and pupil conferencing.

Pupil Attitudes:

• Feedback during pupil conferencing.
• Pupil and parent/carer surveys.
• Observation of attitudes and behaviour in lessons across the curriculum.
• Assessment of the quality of work produced, including pride in presentation.
• Attendance and punctuality.
• Participation in Collective Worship and Prayer.
• Encourage older children to reflect on and self-assess their learning regarding enjoyment, relevance, inspiration, and creativity.

The impact of our curriculum is consistently assessed through assessment at the end of every unit, children's engagement in discussions and activities, actions and reasons behind those actions, pupil voice, moderation of work at staff meetings and between schools, and marking of written work in books, as well as through creative and practical tasks.

Download more information:

• Yearly Planning
• Whole School Prayer Plan Guidance