Religious Education
Why is RE important to us as a school?
We are a Catholic school and we are committed to the Catholic Faith, recognising and valuing every individual as special and unique in the image and likeness of God. As Pope St John Paul II stated, RE is the “Core of the curriculum.” Therefore in St Joseph’s RE underpins all that we do throughout the curriculum.
The children are taught through the whole curriculum to aim high and this is particularly important in Religious Education lessons and prayer experiences. Religious Education at St. Joseph’s respects and promotes each child’s innate capacity for wonder, awe, reverence and spirituality. The children are taught about the teachings of Jesus and how they can follow him.
Our Religious Education the children are taught about God’s love and how to share it with others; they learn about their Christian responsibilities and how they can support others; children are provided with experiences of church, Catholic and Christian traditions, as well as being taught to be respectful and understanding of people and traditions from other faith backgrounds.
They are taught that everyone should be welcomed. Through Religious Education our children learn about their unique place within the home, school and parish community.
The children at St Joseph’s learn simply how to be Stars. They follow the example of Pope Francis who said, “We want our school communities to be alive.”
What are the aims of RE?
We aim to:
• Take inspiration from the Gospel teachings and to aspire not to have more, but to be more;
• Help children learn about God’s love;
• Teach children about their Christian responsibilities;
• Provide children with experiences of church, Catholic and Christian traditions, as well as being taught to be respectful and understanding of people and traditions from other faith backgrounds.
How is RE taught?
RE is taught discretely for 10% of the timetable (2½ hours a week) using the ‘Come and See’ scheme and other resources. The RE curriculum is extremely important and as such is given high importance in the weekly timetable. The curriculum ensures that the children grow in faith and belief. It helps them to understand and interpret their faith for themselves.
Lectio Divina is part of RE teachings, ensuring that children from Year 1 to Year 6 are given the opportunity to explore scripture during a theme.
Through the ‘Come and See’ scheme children are given the opportunity to explore some of other world religions: Judaism, Sikhism, Hinduism, and Islam.
Foundation stage and Key Stage 1 study Islam and Key Stage 2 taking a major world faith each which is taught in the summer term.
Caritas is taught during a separate session in a day once a half term. This session develops the children’s spiritual and moral teaching and throughout the year is linked to British Values.
Although RE is taught discretely through RE sessions, it is also taught through the ethos and values of everyday school life, including prayer and worship
Prayer and reflection play an important role at Saint Joseph’s and we ensure that all children are given the opportunity to take part in daily worship, assemblies and masses. We ensure that we celebrate important religious celebrations through school masses and special assemblies, and ensure that children understand why these celebrations are important.
At Saint Joseph’s, we support our Year 3 children on their spiritual journey. They are supported through school as they prepare for their Reconciliation and First Holy Communion. Through this preparation, children continue on their spiritual journey and develop into stronger more confident Catholics.
At Saint Joseph’s the spiritual and moral wellbeing of all stakeholders is vitally important, with assemblies, caritas and the ethos around school supporting this. We enjoy celebrations and reflection days in which parents and parishioners are invited. These are an important way of showing our children that they are supported at home, in the parish as well as at school.
What do we hope children will get from RE?
Pupils at Saint Joseph’s are religiously literate and engaged young people, who use their knowledge, understanding and skills to think. They develop a good knowledge of scripture and the key figures in the history of the people of God. They are beginning to relate this to themselves and express points of view. They understand about the signs and symbols and the steps involved in religious actions and worship in particularly those used in the celebration of the sacraments. They able to express their knowledge about actions of believers and why they do what they do.
They have a secure understanding of Gospel values and try to incorporate these values into their learning and behaviour in and around school.
Through their learning in RE, the children can make links between their own lives and those of others in their community and the wider world.
The children develop an understanding of other people’s cultures and ways of life, which they are then able to communicate to the wider community.
The children are eager to contribute to Collective Worship and Catholic Life through their liturgy planning and charity work. In Religious Education at Saint Joseph’s, pupils are shaped and nurtured to become people who are confident in themselves and tolerant of others in the wider world.
What we teach across the school in this subject:
|
Domestic Church - family |
Baptism/ Confirmation - belonging |
Advent/ Christmas - Loving |
Local Church - Community |
Eucharist – relating |
Lent/ Easter – giving |
Pentecost - serving |
Reconciliation –Inter -relating |
Universal Church - World |
Nursery |
Myself |
Welcome |
Birthday |
Celebration |
Gathering |
Growing |
Good News |
Friends |
Our World |
Reception |
Myself |
Welcome |
Birthday |
Celebration |
Gathering |
Growing |
Good News |
Friends |
Our World |
Year 1 |
Families |
Belonging |
Waiting |
Special People |
Meals |
Change |
Holidays & Holydays |
Being Sorry |
Neighbours |
Year 2 |
Beginnings |
Signs and Symbols |
Preparations |
Books |
Thanksgiving |
Opportunities |
Spread the Word |
Rules |
Treasures |
Year 3 |
Homes |
Promises |
Visitors |
Journeys |
Listening & Sharing |
Giving All |
Energy |
Choices |
Special Places |
Year 4 |
People |
Called |
Gift |
Community |
Giving & Receiving |
Self-discipline |
New Life |
Building Bridges |
God’s People |
Year 5 |
Ourselves |
Life Choices |
Hope |
Mission |
Memorial Sacrifice |
Sacrifice |
Transformation |
Freedom & Responsibility |
Stewardship |
Year 6 |
Loving |
Vocation & Commitment |
Expectations |
Sources |
Unity |
Death & New Life |
Witnesses |
Healing |
Common Good |
Other Religions:
Each year group is taught about a specific aspect of the World Religion:
Foundaton Stage |
Year 1 |
Year 2 |
Year 3 |
Year 4 |
Year 5 |
Year 6 |
Islam Special days/ritual objects |
Islam Stories |
Islam Prayer/ home |
Judaism Places of worship |
Islam Holy books |
Sikism Belief and festivals |
Budasim Belonging and values |