Religious Education

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”

 

As a Catholic Primary School, Sacred Heart RC Primary and Nursery School is committed to the Catholic faith. We acknowledge that our faith is the cornerstone to our curriculum and aim to provide our pupils with a broad, balanced curriculum which is underpinned by our Mission Statement, ‘Let the love of Christ show in all that we do.’ We recognise all children as individuals who are unique and built in the image of God. We believe that RE teaching should promote awe and wonder and stimulate children to ask ‘Big questions’ about the world in which they live. Our Religious Education curriculum leads our children to aspire not to have more, but to be more; children are taught about God’s love; they learn about their Christian responsibilities; 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. Through Religious Education our children learn about their unique place within the home, school and parish community.

 

At Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School, Religious Education is at the heart of the curriculum and central to the life and mission of our school. Guided by our mission statement, “Let the Love of Christ show in all that we do,” we strive to create a nurturing Catholic community where every child is valued, respected and encouraged to grow in faith, knowledge and service. Rooted in the teachings of Jesus Christ and following the Salford Diocesan Religious Education Syllabus, we aim to help children develop a deep understanding of the Catholic faith and recognise their God-given dignity and vocation within the Church and wider world.

Our Religious Education curriculum follows the Lighting the Path programme, which is fully aligned with the Religious Education Directory and provides a progressive and engaging curriculum from EYFS to Year 6. Through the study of scripture, Catholic doctrine, prayer, liturgy and the traditions of the Church, children are encouraged to make meaningful links between faith and everyday life. ‘Lighting the Path’ is firmly rooted in scripture. As a school, we use St Mary’s Press Children’s Bibles to support this learning and provide children to explore scripture deeper and in a more meaningful way. Religious Education is taught with the same rigour and importance as other core subjects and promotes high expectations for all learners.

 

“…Religious Education is not one subject among many but the foundation of the entire educational process. The beliefs and values it communicates should inspire and unite every aspect of school life. It should provide the context for and substantially shape the school curriculum and offer living experience of the life and faith in its practical experience”.

(Statement by the Bishops of England and Wales – 1988)

 

Lighting the Path

 

At Sacred Heart RC Primary School and Nursery School, we follow ‘Lighting the Path’ Religious Education Curriculum in line with the guidance from the Diocese of Salford. This programme is followed throughout school from EYFS to Year 6. This programme provides:

 

 • Opportunities for celebration, prayer and reflection in implicit and explicit ways.

• children with the language of religious experience - a 'literacy' in religious activities, places, stories, symbols and rituals, people and objects.

• A 'systematic presentation of Christian event, message and way of life' in ways appropriate to the age and stage of development of the child.

• That for its implementation and production it requires the adults involved to understand the underlying theological as well as educational principles.

 • Appropriate materials about other faiths.

 • Academic respectability as in other curricular areas – utilising appropriate stages from the National Curriculum.

·       A deep insight into Scripture and references from the Bibles

 

The programme explores the religious dimensions of questions about life, dignity and purpose within the Catholic tradition. Links are made with the children's own experience and with universal experience. It will raise questions and provide material for reflection by the children on their own experiences. It will enable them to explore the beliefs, values and way of life of the Catholic tradition and where appropriate other faith traditions.

 

Other Faiths and Religions

Other world faiths including Judaism, Hindsduism, Islam and Sikhism are taught across the school as part of the RE curriculum. One week in the autumn term is spent on Judaism, a week in the spring term on Islam and we then alternate in the summer term between Sikhism / Hinduism – one year Sikhism, the next year Hinduism.  Each year group has a theme, for example Year 3 look at places of worship for each faith, Year 4 holy books etc so. Whole School Interfaith Weeks are also planned regularly – the religion focus is carefully selected with consideration given to the most relevant and appropriate in light of each class and current local, national or world-wide events. We visit places of worship during each Key Stage and invite visitors into school to enhance the pupils’ experiences, knowledge and understanding. Our After School Club also incorporate a calendar of religious celebrations into their offering of themed sessions, for example Chinese New Year with Tiger crafts (Year of the Tiger) and food tasting, Eid Celebrations with mendi patterns, eid card making and cultural dancing. All children are invited to attend these sessions.

Assessment

Assessment in Religious Education is carefully linked to the expected outcomes within the Lighting the Path curriculum. Teachers use a progressive diocesan assessment tracker to monitor pupils’ knowledge, understanding and skills, ensuring continuity, challenge and progression across all year groups. Through discussion, reflection and opportunities for independent thinking, pupils are encouraged to respond thoughtfully to questions of meaning, purpose and belief while developing confidence in expressing their own faith journey.

---

Annual Plan of Provision (APOP)

At Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School, the Catholic life and mission of the school are central to all that we do and are continually developed through our Annual Plan of Provision (APOP). Guided by our mission statement, “Let the Love of Christ show in all that we do,” the APOP supports the strategic development of Religious Education, Prayer and Liturgy, Catholic Life and pastoral provision across the school community.

The APOP identifies priorities for development and ensures that opportunities for faith formation, spiritual growth and Catholic Social Teaching are carefully planned throughout the academic year. It includes the development of Prayer and Liturgy, pupil leadership through our GIFT Team (Growing in Faith Together), sacramental preparation, charitable outreach, parish links and staff professional development. The plan is regularly monitored and reviewed by school leaders, governors and diocesan advisors to ensure that the Catholic mission of the school remains visible, lived and effective.

Through our APOP, we aim to provide rich opportunities for children, staff and families to grow together in faith, strengthen links between home, school and parish, and actively live out Gospel values within the local and wider community.

 

As a Roman Catholic Primary School, we deliver a minimum of  of 2 1/2 hours of RE every week. We use Lighting the Path programme as the main resource to support the teaching of religious education. This is supplemented by other resources and by regular professional development on creative and engaging approaches to the teaching of religious education.

Please see the document below to view our curriculum map, outlining the units covered from Nursery to Year 6.

Worship/ RE

There are 5 acts of worship a week:

 

In each daily act of worship a range of prayers are said that reflect the Catholic Teachings. Collective worship is an integral part of the school day and should be is carefully planned like any other part of the curriculum and is educational in all aspects. There is always room for flexibility and immediate response to school, local and national events. The classrooms provide an area in which Collective Worship can take place which is more intimate and personal to the children.

There are many ways in which pupils can be involved in Collective Worship.  They feel included and have an opportunity to contribute if they wish to.  This contribution should make a difference to the value that pupils place on the time and content of Collective Worship.

Pupils can:-

• Lead the delivery of Collective Worship
• Write prayers
• Read prayers/stories/the Bible
• Give ideas for content
• Ask/answer questions
• Bringing artefacts for the focus table
• Choose the music and songs
• Take part in evaluation of Collective Worship
• Hold visual aids
• Create power points
• Be an assistant
• Manage technical equipment

Pupils are not to be withdrawn from Collective Worship for any reason other than it is the wish of their parents. Prayer, like anything else in school, should be taught and experienced. There are a range of resources available. Prayer is both a public and a private act. It should go beyond saying the morning, lunch and end of day school prayers.

RE: