As a Catholic school, we allocate 10% of curriculum time to Religious Education. This is taught separately from daily prayer and collective worship, including assemblies, liturgies and class prayer, which take place in addition to curriculum time. This equates to 2.5 hours per week for pupils in Reception to Year 6 and 1.5 hours per week for Nursery children.

Religious Education is taught in accordance with the Religious Education Directory (RED) Model Curriculum To Know You More Clearly (June 2023), which reflects the expectations of the Bishops’ Conference for Catholic schools in England and Wales. Pupils are assessed against the expected end-of-phase outcomes outlined in Section 2.3 of the RED, ensuring learning is engaging, well-pitched and appropriately challenging.

The revised RED provides a rich and meaningful programme that supports pupils’ spiritual development and deepens their understanding of Catholic faith, beliefs and values. Through well-planned lessons, reflection and active participation, pupils are encouraged to explore their faith personally and develop a lasting relationship with God. Scripture is at the heart of each branch of learning, underpinning the development of knowledge, understanding, skills, empathy and a sense of awe and wonder.

Each half term, learning is rooted in a key theme of Catholic Social Teaching. These themes not only shape Religious Education lessons but also permeate the wider life of the school, influencing worship, assemblies, charitable action and relationships, and helping pupils to live out Gospel values in practical and meaningful ways.

To support this, we follow Rooted in Love, the Catholic Social Teaching programme from Caritas England and Wales. Rooted in Love places the dignity of every human person at the centre of school life and helps pupils to understand how faith calls them to love, serve and act justly. It encourages children to see themselves as agents of change, responding to the needs of others locally, nationally and globally through compassion, action and prayer.

As part of the RED, pupils also learn about other world religions, fostering respect and appreciation for different beliefs and traditions and supporting them to become responsible members of a diverse, multi-faith society.

Although preparation for the Sacraments of Reconciliation and First Holy Communion takes place within the parish, the Year 3 Religious Education curriculum supports children in their preparation and participation in the life of the Church.