RE
We use ‘Come and See’ which is the syllabus agreed with the Diocese of Arundel and Brighton as the basis for our Religious Education Curriculum.
Currently a new national curriculum for Catholic Religious Education is being introduced, starting with Early Years in 2022-23. It is designed to be rolled-out to other Year Groups in the next two year (Years 1,3 and 6 in 2023-24 and Years 2,4 and 5 in 2024-25)
Religious Education has a significant role for the development for the children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. At St Wilfrid’s we put our spirituality and Religious Education at the heart of our school curriculum in order to develop the Catholicism and spirituality of our pupils.
Through our learning in RE we aim that the children will:
Not just learn about Jesus but how to have a relationship with Him.
Not just hear scripture and teaching but live out scripture and teaching.
Not just learn about spirituality but embrace it in day-to-day living.
Not just learn our Mission Statement but act on out.
We believe that God created us to be curious, engaged, caring and thoughtful beings. Through a creative, sensory approach to RE, we try to help all children to engage with scripture and tradition and to begin to ask those ‘so what?’ bigger questions:
What does this mean to me today, in my life now?
How will it change me?
How will this experience shape and mould me?
How will it nurture my relationship with Jesus?
INTENT
Our curriculum allows the children to acquire and deepen their knowledge and understanding of Catholicism, Christianity in general and other principal religions that are represented in Britain and the world. It also encourages children to grow a respectful, open-mindedness and positive attitude towards other people, which enables them to live in a diverse society. Religious Education enables children to ask challenging questions about the world around them, thus gaining high quality experiences that prepare them for their futures. We aim to offer the children opportunities to grow in knowledge, faith and spirituality through a range of experiences, prayer and cross-curricular activities.
IMPLEMENTATION
Early Years Foundation Stage
The children develop a positive sense of themselves and will learn how to have positive and respectful relationships with peers and adults around them. Through RE lessons, children gain an understanding that we are all have similarities and differences and these can be found amongst families, communities and traditions. Children are supported to achieve this by encountering religious and non-religious worldwide views through experience of special people, books, places and objects. They will have opportunities to listen, talk about and role-play stories that are important to different people. In Early Years, the children will be able to ask questions and reflect on their own experiences, feelings and beliefs. They will have the opportunity to spend time with our priest when he comes to visit the school, helping them to understand more about the Catholic faith.
Key Stage 1
In Key Stage 1, the children’s knowledge and understanding are further developed. With specific focus on their own personal responses and experiences, children learn more about the Catholic faith and Christian symbolism and traditions. They are encouraged to retell stories, specifically about Jesus, and begin to make some links between their own lives and stories they experience. We encourage children to take part in discussions and role-play stories they have learned about. The focus is largely on Christianity, Judaism and Islam, though other faiths are referred to, particularly if there are members of other faiths in a class or if specific worldwide celebrations are taking place. Children have an opportunity to learn about the traditions and beliefs of people with different faiths. Within Christianity, they learn about Bible stories, celebrations and symbols that express religious meaning.
There are opportunities for children to reflect upon their own beliefs and experiences based on their own beliefs, values and traditions. Through Christian Meditation and Collective Worship, we encourage children to reflect on and experience God within the school community. Pupils are encouraged to become involved in Collective Worship and each class prepares a Whole Class Liturgy once a year. Some children later in the key stage, will have the opportunity to go to Mass at church and to speak to our local priest when he visits. Many children enjoy asking him ‘Big Questions’ that are difficult to answer.
Key Stage 2
In Lower KS2, children will build on KS1 knowledge of Christianity, the children will also be taught about Judaism and Islam. They develop their skills, knowledge and understanding through deeper enquiry. Children will also have opportunities to further their understanding of any other religions that are believed in their class and make comparisons. They are encouraged to use their knowledge of religions taught in KS1 to refer back to these so that they can make links or identify differences based on their new learning. The children will continue to have opportunities to share their personal experiences of their religion.
In Upper KS2, Children will deepen their understanding of the religions of Christianity, Judaism and Islam. The children will consider the impact of beliefs and practices in greater detail and respond to more philosophical questions. They will be encouraged to make comparisons and links between what they have learned on all the religions taught in the previous key stages. Children will be encouraged to analyse scripture in more detail and consider how the life of the People of God influences Christian living and their own beliefs and actions. There will be opportunities for the children to reflect, consider, analyse, interpret and evaluate issues of truth, belief, faith and ethics and to effectively communicate their responses in a variety of different ways. More time will be given to ethical and moral discussions in the light of Catholic teaching and current issues in the world. An RE Council, chosen from Years 5 & 6, will play an important role in developing liturgies and raising money for charities. The expectation is that the pupils will gain independence and new skills as they plan their own activities.
Collective Worship
At St Wilfrid’s we come together as a community to worship on a daily basis. This promotes the spiritual development of our whole school community and offers pupils time to hear liturgies and reflect in prayer. Most of our worship is centred round the Catholic liturgical calendar and reflects Gospel Values and readings heard at Mass. Although the worship is based on Christian values and will involve prayer, some assemblies are shared when the focus is on a different faith or an important moral message. Children are invited to take part by saying prayers, setting up a prayer focus and leading liturgies.
IMPACT
As children progress through St Wilfrid’s Catholic Primary School, they are encouraged to grow in respect for and sensitivity to others. They develop their own faith and beliefs and their sense of identity and belonging. They learn about the Catholic faith and the importance of respecting people whose faiths and beliefs are different from their own. They learn to value time for quiet reflection and prayer. Children learn to live peacefully alongside others. They are given the opportunity to flourish spiritually and individually within their communities and as citizens in a diverse social and global community.
The mission of schools and teachers is to develop an understanding of all that is true, good and beautiful.
Pope Francis