Religious Education Curriculum

'THE WAY, THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE'

JOHN 14:5-7

“Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”

Intent

At Ss. Peter and Paul Catholic Primary School (Ss. PP), we are committed to our Catholic Faith and provide a nurturing environment that reflects the teachings of the church. Our children are taught by example to grow as happy, responsible, independent, creative and adaptable young people, showing tolerance among themselves and towards others. We seek to develop an ethos whereby the spiritual, moral, social and cultural needs of all within the school community are supported.

The ‘Way, the Truth and the Life’ is the RE scheme recommended by the Shrewsbury Diocese and used at here Ss. PP.  It is firmly rooted in scripture and presents Catholicism as a world Church, open to the truth in other religions and it encourages learners to engage with and discuss the big issues in our world today.

The centrality of the Mass in the lives of Catholics is present throughout the teaching and learners can explore this together in ways that are appropriate for each age group. The scheme of work presents children with meaningful activities, requiring a wide range of skills, which help to develop their religious understanding and knowledge and encourage their appreciation of Christ’s most wonderful gift to us.

Implementation

RE is taught individually but plays a central role in all areas of school life. Discrete R.E. lessons are time-tabled weekly and include whole class teaching, group activities and individual work. In that way, children can develop their own knowledge and expertise as well as share experiences with others. They also learn about other faiths and religions which helps them understand and respect other beliefs within our local and wider community. A variety of sources such as religious stories, scripture, religious artwork, songs, music, dance and religious signs and symbols are used to engage children in their RE lessons.

The Way, the Truth and the Life scheme is implemented from Early years through to Year 6. Each year is split into 6 topics, one per half term and is organised to coincide with major events in the liturgical year. Each year group studies a different topic. The units are developmental, building on previous knowledge and experience and take into account the children’s age and understanding. The topics covered by each year group are as detailed on the curriculum overviews.

Each half term we produce a newsletter to let parents know what we will be learning in Religious Education.  This can be found on the Faith Life section under RE Newsletters

R.E. underpins every aspect of our daily lives. Children continue to develop their faith life and their strong sense of spirituality through assemblies, class Collective Worship and other liturgical celebrations. These include Mass, feast days, and celebration of the sacraments. Children learn the traditional prayers of song and worship and play an active part in preparing and leading reflective acts of celebration to which parents and governors are invited. We are committed to our Catholic social teaching and invite guest speakers from Catholic charities, such as CAFOD, our Parish Priest, to further enhance the RE curriculum and faith life. 

Impact

Impact is evident through our pupil voice and the school environment which reflects and celebrates our Catholic faith.

• Children gain knowledge and understanding of the Catholic faith, develop their moral and spiritual nature and deepen their faith.

• They talk enthusiastically about their knowledge and understanding of religion and know how people of different religions may express themselves

• They reflect on how the Catholic values can be translated into their daily lives and through their actions, demonstrate their continued commitment to Catholic Social Teaching. They are confident, resilient and actively engaged in the wider society and global community.

• They treat people equally regardless of background or beliefs.

• They show compassion, justice, love and forgiveness in their relationships with others

• Children of all abilities and backgrounds achieve well in RE and make good or outstanding progress. They talk enthusiastically about their learning in RE and are able to reflect and consider important questions about RE.