Religious Education at St. Anne's Catholic Primary School
Religious Education Lead: Mr Cassidy
Religious Education is at the heart of our whole school curriculum and school life at St. Anne’s Catholic Primary School. It is about the development of a way of living which improves the quality of life for all. It is also underpinned by our mission statement: ‘With Christ at the centre of our lives, we live out our call to serve the young. It is not enough to love children; they must know that they are loved’. Within Religious Education, our primary intent is to develop knowledge, understanding, reflection skills and religious experiences - developing the next generation of religiously literate children.
We aim that children will:
- Grow in religious literacy and understanding.
- Gain a wide range of experiences to build their sense of belonging.
- Be active participants in RE as well as our whole school worships, Masses and celebrations.
Religious Education is at the core within our curriculum and we currently teach the following:
Early Years Foundation Stages (EYFS), Years 1, 2, 5 and 6
The Early Years Team and Years 1, 2, 5 and 6 have implemented the new Religious Education Directory (RED) produced within the Diocese. It has been prepared by the department for Catholic Education and Formation.
The new R.E.D. is intended to help parents, priests and teachers to hand on the Deposit of Faith in its fullness to a new generation of young people so that they may come to understand the richness of the Catholic faith and thereby be drawn into a deeper communion with Christ in His church.
Within the new R.E.D. each half-term covers a theme:
- Autumn 1- Creation
- Autumn 2 - Prophecy and Promise
- Spring 1 - Galilee to Jerusalem
- Spring 2 - Desert to Garden
- Summer 1 - To the Ends of the Earth
- Summer 2 - Dialogue and Encounter
Years 3 and 4
Year 3 and 4 continue to use the Come and See Scheme of Work, which we supplement as appropriate to ensure coverage of current events and liturgical celebrations. At St. Anne’s, we have mapped out current Come and See topics to ensure a smooth transition to the new R.E.D.
Come and See is developed through three topics, three distinctive starting points which are based on the Second Vatican Council. This means that a theme can be explored through a different topic. The content is structured so that there is cohesion and progression in what children do and learn. For each topic, there are clearly stated learning outcomes, achievable learning objectives and a variety of experiences and activities for each of the learning objectives.
- Explore: by exploring their life experience to discover value and significance
- Reveal: by hearing, understanding and reflecting on the Christian message
- Respond: by bringing it to mind, by celebrating and by applying it
Following the stipulation of the Bishop’s Conference of England and Wales, St. Anne's school spends 10% of the teaching week on Religious Education. In Key Stage 1 (KS1), RE is allocated 2 ¼ hours per week and in Key Stage 2 (KS2), RE is allocated 2 ½ hours per week.
Other world views are studied through one of the six curriculum branches called 'Dialogue and Encounter', where children have the opportunities to understand different faiths and perspectives. We also have World Faiths Week, which provides the opportunity for deeper learning in this area, celebrating all members of our local and wider community.
The teaching of Religious Education at St. Anne’s Catholic Primary School supports children in living as responsible young Catholics, who feel confident in themselves to be able to make a difference. Through exploring the curriculum, they will be able to consider their role within the local and wider community.
Assessment against the intended learning outcomes is ongoing and formally recorded termly.
Children at St. Anne’s will:
- Achieve their full potential in Religious Education and, each year, make progress in their learning journey.
- Be able to communicate their learning in Religious Education and identify their next steps.
- Be able to make links between Jesus’ teachings and his life and link them to their own lives, developing them as young Catholics, making a difference in our world.
- Be able to explore Catholic Social Teaching and explain how they can use these seven principles to influence their daily lives.
- Develop their knowledge and understanding of a range of religious traditions and consider comparisons between religions.