Statement
On this page, you will find relevant information about the RE Curriculum at St Matthew’s.
“Love, Learn and Shine together with Jesus.”
View our Moral Development Policy on our Policies page
View our Prayer and Liturgy Policy on our Policies page
View our RSHE Policy on our Policies page
View our Spiritual Development Policy on our Policies page
View our P4C Policy on our Policies page
View our RE Handbook on our Curriculum Policies page
Download: RE – Overview 2024-2025 [PDF]
Download: RE – Vision 2024-2025 [PDF]
Download: RE on a Page [PDF]
Download: RE – Curriculum Progression 2023-2024 [PDF]
Download: RE – Vocabulary Overview 2023-2024 [PDF]
Download: PSHE – Curriculum Overview 2023-2024 [PDF]
Download: Come and See – Curriculum Overview 2023-2024 [PDF]
Download: Come and See Topics [PDF]
Download: A Journey in Love Parent Guide [PDF]
Intent
At St Matthew’s Catholic Primary School 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 and foster the growth of each child’s potential through the development of respect for self and others.
We will promote the individual talents and abilities of pupils to ensure that each child fulfils his or her full potential.
We will promote an understanding and care of the environment in which each child finds him or herself.
We will promote a close and co-operative relationship between home, parish and school.
Our principal aim is that children leave St Matthew’s Catholic Primary 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 Mary’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.
Opportunities will exist for children of all ages to experience learning beyond the classroom. This will allow them to enrich their knowledge.
Implementation
The curriculum hours in RE are non-negotiable and will be followed by all staff in the school. Fixed timetables will be set before the academic year and monitored by the Senior Leadership Team of the school.
The Subject Leader for RE will meet the Senior Leadership Team on a regular basis to evaluate provision in order to ensure that teaching and learning in RE is outstanding. Where necessary, staff will receive coaching and training in RE.
Carefully designed schemes of learning in RE ensure consistency and progress of all learners. We follow the agreed syllabus from the Archdiocese of Liverpool ‘Come and See.’
Each year group will study a number of units over the year. The units are developmental, building on previous knowledge and experience and taking into account of the children’s age and understanding.
The topics covered by each year group are as detailed on the curriculum overview.
RE is taught individually but plays a central role in all areas of school life.
Success criteria in every RE lesson are set in order to guide children to achieve their potential. This ensures work is demanding and matches the aims of the curriculum.
High quality teaching responds to the needs of children. Spiral learning is a key focus of all formative and summative assessment with teachers actively marking work in lessons in order to identify misconceptions early.
Children will be highly engaged in RE lessons through the use of a variety of sources such as religious stories, scripture, religious artwork, songs, music, dance and religious signs and symbols.
The life and work of key figures in the History of the people of God will be studied for example, lives of the saints.
Approaches will include whole class teaching, group activities and individual work. Children will have opportunities to work individually as well as cooperatively and collaboratively, developing their own knowledge and expertise as well as sharing experiences with others.
High quality input from experts and educational resources complement the delivery of specialist learning admirably. The idea of vocation will be developed in all year groups.
Pupils will participate in Mass, feast days, Holy days collective worship which will involve religious actions and worship including the celebration of the sacraments.
The use of visits and visitors in school will enhance the RE curriculum.
Impact
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.
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.
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.
Come and See
Religious Education is taught using the ‘Come and See’ programme. We cover 9 topics throughout the year, and whilst the theme behind the topic is the same for all the children, the topics are different for each year group – allowing the children to explore new aspects of the same theme. Each year we also study other faiths including Judaism, Islam, Hinduism and Sikhism.
Come and See’ is an invitation to exploration and a promise of life for everyone.
Come and See offers the opportunities for children to explore, reveal and respond to church teachings and Scripture at an age-appropriate level. Lessons are practical and engaging.
Come and See aims to raise questions and provide materials for children to reflect on their own experience. For all children the programme will raise questions of meaning and purpose and enable children to think critically, providing materials for reflecting on their own experience.
It will help them to explore the beliefs and values and the way of life of the Catholic traditions, and of other faith traditions, developing good attitudes and dispositions so that children are instilled with a ‘love of learning’ and a desire to go on learning.
Children will be offered a sense of self-worth through experience of belonging to the family community of St Matthew’s Catholic Primary School.
Children come and see the wonder of all that is within them and beyond them.
The Process
Explore – 1 week – This is the introduction to the topic where the children’s life experience is explored, the question(s) it raises are wondered at, shared, investigated and their significance reflected upon.
Reveal – 2 weeks -This is the heart of the programme where knowledge and understanding of the Catholic faith is revealed through the Word, in Scripture, Tradition, doctrine, prayers, rites and Christian living.
Respond -1 week- This is where the learning is assimilated, celebrated and responded to in daily life.
Daily Prayer Time
Whilst church is still closed here are some great resources to help you pray together as a family.
At 7pm each evening, we invite you to join us in prayer. This means that the families of St Matthew’s can stay united through the days and months ahead.
Select an area in your home where you can pray in comfort. You may wish to light a candle.
External Link: Daily Prayer Resources
External Link: Sunday Liturgy for Families
Download: Prayer Time [PDF]
Heavenly Father, You are the God of peace and love and we pray that Your perfect peace would fill our hearts and our home and that Your gracious love would surround our family so that we may be united together in love – and one with You.
Bind us together we pray and may Your joy unite us in sweet fellowship with one another and with You. Give us Your hope in our hearts and bless all who visit this home.
Thank You for providing all that we need, according to Your riches in glory, and keep us from holding on too tightly to the material things of this world – knowing that You have prepared a heavenly home for all that are in the family of God. May Your blessing rest upon us and upon our home not only today but in the days to come, until You come to take us to be with Yourself, forever – in Jesus name we pray,
Amen
Useful Resources
Download: Big Questions 2022-2023 [PDF]