Religious Education

Intent, Implementation & Impact

Intent – What we are trying to achieve?

 At St Cuthbert’s we will:

• Enable each child to develop a deeper understanding of the Catholic faith, promote respect for religious and moral values and tolerance of other races and religions
• Foster the growth of each child’s potential through the development of respect for self and others
• Promote the individual talents and abilities of pupils to ensure that each child fulfils his or her full potential.
• Promote an understanding and care of the environment in which each child finds him or herself.
• Promote a close and co-operative relationship between home, parish and school.

In the school community:

• Our principal aim is that children leave St Cuthbert’s School with a wide range of happy and rich memories in RE formed through interesting and exciting experiences driven through an engaging and comprehensive curriculum which is the basis of knowledge and understanding of the Catholic faith, enabling them to develop a living and personal faith in Jesus Christ and allowing them to know and love God.
• RE is the foundation of the entire education process and permeates all areas of the curriculum and school life.
• Children will meet the Diocesan Standards for Primary Religious Education, which will be taught by highly qualified staff who will engage children’s intellect, heart and imagination, inspiring enthusiasm and interest in RE.
• Children will develop an awareness of God’s presence in their lives and the lives of others, developing the spiritual life of each child through prayer and reflection.
• Children will develop a well-formed conscience allowing them to make sound moral judgements in the light of personal commitment to God.
• Parents, family members, friends of whatever faith and parishioners will attend Masses and religious celebrations within the school and pupils will participate in parish activities outside of school time, promoting good links with the Parish of St Cuthbert’s.
• Children, and their parents, will develop the knowledge, understanding and appreciation of the Sacraments.
• RE will play a central role in the school’s work on spiritual, moral, vocational, social and cultural education.
• Children will be prepared for life in a multi faith society by fostering respect for and understanding of rich cultural diversity – our alternative faith topic areas are important to support this.
• A programme of family life education, which conforms to the teaching of the Catholic Church and follows Diocesan guidelines, will be provided.
• RE is a core subject of the curriculum and all children will study RE across all key stages. RE for 2hrs 15 mins per week in Key Stage 1 and 2 hrs 30 mins per week in Key Stage 2.  
• Opportunities will exist for children of all ages to experience learning beyond the classroom.  This will allow them to enrich their knowledge by, for example, visiting different places of worship, local parish church, St Mary’s Cathedral, Holy Island etc. including other faiths visitors and visits.
• Children will develop a deep understanding of the RE unit they are studying. They will increasingly use their prior knowledge to develop into religiously literate young people.
• In RE, children will develop the skills to make links and connections, engage and respond, analyse and evaluate using sources of evidence.
• Skills in other subjects will be applied in RE and children will be encouraged to investigate the faith with enthusiasm and rigour.
• Children will develop a real understanding and appreciation of the world learning from a range of sources and experiences.
• Children will follow a programme of study to fulfil the RSHE guidelines.

Implementation – How do we do that?

Inclusion

At St Cuthbert’s Catholic Primary School, inclusion in religious activities means that all children have access to learning opportunities regardless of race, gender and ability. We aim to create an environment in which all children learn to respect and value each other and each other's interests. This is achieved by employing the following strategies:

• Having equal expectations of boys and girls – not letting girls opt out or boys dominate team organisation for example.
• Teaching mixed gender/ability groups and pairs.
• Structuring activities so that all are fully involved.
• Providing opportunities for children to present their work to others.
• Recognising the need to extend more able children and targeting them for school clubs/signposting to borough clubs.
• Anticipate needs and provide support as required. This could be the provision of specialist equipment, adult support or modified teaching programmes.
• Targeting particular children during playtimes and supporting them in physical play.

Additional provision

At St Cuthbert’s Catholic Primary School, we offer a wide range of supporting activities:

• Chaplaincy
• Visits to Church and our school chapel
• Priest and congregation visits into school
• Liturgical prayer – class and school
• Spiritual retreats to Holy Island
• Charitable work through our student council, Y6 coffee morning for MacMillan, sponsored events (linked to physical activity) and ‘special’ dress-up days
• Continue our spiritual journey by undertaking two Sacraments: Reconciliation and First Holy Communion
• Celebration of feast days including Advent, Easter and Ash Wednesday

Resources

All resources are appropriate to the range of ages, abilities and needs of children in order to enhance learning.

Children are encouraged to:

1. Look after resources

2. Use different resources to promote learning – especially Bibles or Bible extracts

3. Return all resources tidily and to the correct place (Staff to supervise)

4. Be told of any safety procedures relating to the carrying or handling of resources.

Each phase has access to Bibles. Other resources can be found with the RE lead.

Planning, Assessment and Recording

At St Cuthbert’s Catholic Primary School, planning is to be done following the progression of key concepts on our curriculum map. Teachers will be making continual assessments of the children’s abilities throughout their school life.

Overall progression in RE is acknowledged through an annual written report to parents. Concerns or issues which may arise regarding RE will be dealt with in consultation with parents/carers where appropriate and on an ad hoc basis.

Special Educational Needs

At St Cuthbert’s Catholic Primary School, RE activities are particularly effective in the education of children with learning difficulties of any kind, ranging from physical to social to emotional problems. RE is broad and ‘open-ended’, providing opportunities to solve problems, to work independently, to work as a group and to be responsible for self-regulation and spiritual growth. Most RE activities work well as class lessons and are appropriate for all children of any ability.

Impact – What is the impact of our curriculum on the students?

•  Children are happy learners within RE. They experience a wide-ranging number of learning challenges in RE and know appropriate responses to them.
• Through RE, children deepen their appreciation of their faith and fulfil their God-given talents.
• Visits within RE have enriched the lives of the children and they are able to discuss how the experience impacted their knowledge and understanding.
• Children of all abilities and backgrounds achieve well in RE, reflected in outstanding progress that reveals a clear learning journey.  Children talk enthusiastically about their learning in RE and are eager to further their learning in the next stages of their education.
• There is a proven track record of success in assessments that reflects the impact of deep learning.
• Clear outcomes focus and guide all RE development plans and drive improvement.
• Fundamental British Values are evident in RE and children understand how RE can celebrate difference.
• Children will understand the Catholic virtues which will be focussed on each half term and how these relate to their personal life and to British Values
• The children will grow to know and love God, develop their moral and spiritual nature and deepen their faith.
• Children will live their faith in an active and positive way, always aware of the presence and love of Christ guiding them.
• Children will develop their relationship with God and become religiously literate.
• Through religious practice, the church’s traditions of prayer and worship will be upheld.
• Faith plays a central role in the lives of the children and the decisions they make.
• Children are confident, resilient and actively engaged in the wider society.
• The school environment will reflect and celebrate our Catholic faith.
• Children will be able to define, describe and discuss areas of RE. They will confidently use skills such as retelling, describing, comparing, giving reasons, explaining the meaning of biblical stories and considering the impact of beliefs on a Christian lifestyle.
• Children will be able to reflect and consider important questions about RE.
• Through wider reading in RE, children will know about a wide variety of Saints, how we can learn from their example, and historical religious events and figures. They will be able to make links between Jesus’ life and teaching and link it to their own lives, making links between different forms of Christian action, such as in rituals and charitable acts.