Mrs Brown is our contact for this curriculum area.
St Francis Catholic Primary School
RE Curriculum Intent
The Catholic life of our school and the teaching of RE is rooted in the belief that every child is unique and made the image of God, RE in our schools is not only taught as a curriculum area but as a way of life, promoting the gospel values, giving praise and reverence to God. It is an opportunity for everyone to develop their own personal faith through encounter with God through prayer, scripture and missionary discipleship in the footsteps of Jesus and St. Francis.
This is achieved through collective worship, assemblies, RE lessons, cross curricular activities, charity work and roles and responsibilities throughout the school which deepen our Catholic life and our belief that Christ is at the centre of everything that we do.
Pope Francis on Prayer: ‘Let us keep the flame of faith alive through prayer and the sacraments: let us make sure we do not forget God. Prayer, humility and charity towards all are essential in the Christian life: they are the way to holiness’
Aims
- To nurture our children and staff in the Catholic Faith
- To develop the children’s knowledge and understanding of the Catholic Faith andother religious traditions, through a rich and engaging RE provision and by following the Gospel values and providing opportunities for prayer, worship and spiritual growth
- To provide a living example of Gospel Values in our relationships with one another
- To provide a high quality education rooted in Gospel values where each child develops to their full potential and enable them to become responsible, respectful and faith-filled members of society.
Implementation
RE
RE is a core subject in our school and as such, all year groups devote 10% of teaching time to the teching of RE. This comprises 2 hours of curriculum time in KS1 and 2.5 hours of curriculum time in KS2. This time is in addition to liturgies, masses, acts of worship and prayer.
The school teaches RE using the Come and See RE programme.
The aim of this programme is to explore the questions about life, dignity and purpose within the Catholic faith. Links are made with the pupil’s own experiences and the experience of other faith traditions.
The scheme is divided into four key areas:
• The Liturgical Year
• Scripture – both Old and New Testament
• The Sacraments
• Living as Christians, including prayer.
Inclusion
The dignity of the human person and the belief that all humans are made in the image and likeness of God underpins our SEND provision. All children have equal access to the RE curriculum, regardless of religion, gender, culture or special educational needs. RE lessons and collective worship are designed so that the whole school community, as the body of Christ, are able to fully participate.
Leadership
The Head Teacher and RE coordinator are responsible for leading and developing the teaching of RE and the development and enrichment of the Catholic life of the school. The Head Teacher leads Catholic life and Collective Worship, and the RE coordinator leads the teaching of RE.
Assessment
The progress of children is assessed using formative and summative assessment. RE is the first subject discussed during pupil progress meeting to ensure that all groups of pupils are supported to make at least expected progress.
Assessments are made using the Attainment Target framework set out by the NRCDES.
All pupils complete three assessment tasks each year , based on each of the three strands of Attainment Target 1, on a three year rolling programme set out by the Nottingham Roman Catholic Diocesan Education Service (NRCDES). These are used by teachers to inform their judgements of attainment in addition to formative assessments, as well as evidence gathered pertaining to AT2 and AT3.
The RE subject leader attends moderation meetings led by the NDCDES to ensure that our assessments are validated at a diocesan level, and are accurate.
Monitoring and Evaluation
The RE subject leader and SLT monitor the effectiveness of teaching through regular learning walks, and book scrutinies. Strengths and areas for development are identified so that targets for improvement are supportive in driving the effectiveness of teaching and learning.
Peer coaching is used to foster the improvement of teaching, so that teachers reflect on, and develop their own practice.
Sacramental Preparation
Preparation for the Sacraments of Reconciliation and the Eucharist currently takes place in Year Three but is open to all KS2 children who are baptised Catholics. This is led by catechists from the parish community and the parish priest.
Personal Development and Safeguarding Curriculum
Our ambition at St Francis, through our Personal Development Curriculum, is to develop knowledge, skills and attributes that children need to manage their lives now and in the future. We want to help children to stay healthy and safe while preparing them to make the most of life and work, and to help children achieve their academic potential.
PSHCE
PSHCE requirements are cross referenced and fulfilled through the RE programme, and other aspects of school life as documented within a supporting mapping document (see below). Those objectives which are not covered by the RSE and RE programme are taught using the Cambridge PSHCE scheme of work, supplemented by whole school assemblies.
Assessment of PSHCE is formative using the National Curriculum statements.
RSE
The school uses the Ten Ten scheme of work to deliver the RSE curriculum. We follow the guidance set out by the DFE, the CES (Catholic Education Service) and the NDRCES.
Assessment of RSE is formative using the National Curriculum statements.
RSHE Resources
For more information and resources about how we teach RSHE at St Francis’, please see our dedicated RSHE page.
