RE Curriculum - The Big Picture
Intent
Religious Education is central to our education journey within Christ the King Catholic Academy. With Christ at the heart of our schools, RE underpins every element of our school life: social, moral, spiritual, cultural and academic.
Pupils will learn that they are created in the image and likeness of God, created to love and be loved. Pupils will also come to understand the importance of living as a global citizen through an appreciation for the world, knowing that this is a gift from God that we must care for. These two premises will form the foundations of every child’s religious educational journey.
Religious Education incorporates knowledge and understanding of the Catholic faith whilst providing social, moral and spiritual guidance for children to become the best version of themselves using their God given talents.
Embedded within RE teaching, our staff encourage children to discuss, develop and deepen their faith in God, issues of right and wrong and ultimately what it means to be human.
Implementation
Every pupil will develop knowledge and understanding of the Catholic faith rooted in the Gospels, and the doctrines of the Church as they are presented in the Youth Catechism of the Catholic Church.
Our scheme of learning reflects the liturgical year and closely correlates with the Diocesan RE curriculum guidance. The scheme of learning for each year group features detailed knowledge organisers, inspired by YOUCAT, the Youth Catechism of the Catholic Church.
The whole experience of religious education is enriched by regular engagement with the parish priest. This allows children to form an appreciation of the sacraments, in particular the priesthood, through exposure to the disciplined lifestyle of an ordained priest. Within the school, children regularly celebrate Mass and spend quality time with the priest.
Knowledge and understanding of scripture themes and sacraments will be developed through the use of: varying media, artefacts, spiritual music, artwork and icons allowing children to embrace and or develop a holistic view of the faith.
Pupils will learn about other religions (in particular the Abrahamic faiths of Judaism and Islam) and develop skills for asking and answering challenging questions.
Impact
Teachers use ongoing formative assessment opportunities through prayer, class discussions and debates, whereby children are able to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding. We believe that each child is an individual with varying strengths and abilities, therefore we take a holistic approach to assessment, capturing evidence through role play, music and art alongside written work.
Teachers also use data from summative assessments, which have been designed and implemented in line with the RE scheme of learning. These interim assessments are completed three times a year. Following the completion of an interim assessment, teachers will analyse the data and reflect on the outcomes, which will inform future planning, teaching and learning. As part of the analysis of summative data, an evaluation form is completed whereby teachers identify areas for re-visiting or re-teach, to support the retention of knowledge and ‘plug’ any gaps that children may have. This can be in small focus groups or as a whole class; as a spaced retrieval session or as a whole lesson.
Curriculum Map
EYFS
Autumn 1
Form and experience good relationships with peers and with adults in the school community
Know that they are special within their family and community
Know ways in which a Christian family and parish share and celebrate life and show care for one another
Autumn 2
Hear the story of Christmas
Come to know that Mary is the Mother of Jesus
Experience liturgical celebrations in a variety of simple settings
Spring 1
Come to know that Jesus is God the Father’s Son
Come to know that Sunday is a special day for the Church family who come together to celebrate
Spring 2
Hear the story of Easter
Know ways in which a Christian family and parish prepare for, and celebrate Easter.
Summer 1
Experience and recognise that prayer is talking and listening to God
Be able to join in simple prayers and hymns
Experience and become familiar with the Sign of the Cross
Summer 2
Experience that a church is a special place where God’s people gather to pray
Year 1
Autumn 1
The love shown to them and how they show love to others
Relationships of love and love received and given
Neighbours and Jesus’ call to love your neighbour as yourself
Relationships they have in the family, at school, in the parish, neighbourhood and world
Autumn 2
The role of Mary and her ‘yes’ to God’s word
Hear and re-tell the story of Christmas
Spring 1
The main rites and symbols of Baptism
Spring 2
Hear and retell the story of Easter
Hear and re-tell about the Good News of Pentecost
Celebrate the ways in which Jesus invited men and women to friendship and discipleship
Summer 1
Jesus praying to God as his Father
Jesus’ prayer to the Father
Scripture passages which reveal God’s love
Summer 2
The church as a ‘house of God’ where God’s people gather with Jesus
Roles in the communities to which they belong (e.g. children, parents, parishioners, priest, bishop, pope.
The role of the priest in the love and service of God’s family
Year 2
Autumn 1
Gospel accounts which show the love and complete self giving of Jesus
How the school community has opportunities to be Good News for others
Autumn 2
The main events, characters and place in the life of Jesus: The Nativity (travelling to Bethlehem etc)
Spring 1
The main aspects of the Eucharistic celebration and prayers used at the Eucharist.
The story of the Last Supper.
Spring 2
The main events, characters and places of Jesus: Palm Sunday
The story of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost
The Holy Spirit as the helper Jesus promised his Church
Summer 1
Prayers of the Mass/and the Eucharist
Use of the Psalms/ Hymns (these were the prayers that Jesus knew as a Jew)- the Psalms are being honest with God (anger, disappointment) You can be yourself with the Psalms
Summer 2
The church buildings and furnishings and how people show respect and reverence in church.
Signs and symbols used by the Church
Year 3
Autumn 1
Gospel accounts which show the love and
complete self-giving of Jesus
Jesus’ commandment- ‘love one another as I have loved you.’
Ways in which Jesus showed love and respect for others, especially the unlovable.’
Ways of belonging to the community
Autumn 2
The role of Mary as the Mother of Jesus as the first disciple and the Mother of the Church
Spring 1
Reconciliation (Sin as a failure of love, and the love and mercy of God which calls people to repentance and forgiveness)
Sacrament of the Eucharist
The significance of the Church’s names for the Sacrament of the Eucharist – the Mass, the Lord’s Supper, the Breaking of Bread
Spring 2
The main events, characters and places of Jesus: the Last Supper
Gospel accounts of the coming of the Holy Spirit and the transformation of the Apostles
Summer 1
The prayer Jesus taught friends, Our Father, and its significance
Summer 2
The ‘Church’ as the People of God made one by Jesus, a community which shares love and life
Year 4
Autumn 1
How the local church is Good News for people and how everyone can have a part in it
Gospel message that Jesus brings fullness of life for all people
Autumn 2
Gospel accounts of the key events in the life of Jesus- THE NATIVITY
Spring 1
Baptism
The Rites of Baptism and Confirmation and the response they invite.
Confirmation
Spring 2
The suffering, death (Good Friday) as a sign of love, sacrifice and the source of new life
The story of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost
Summer 1
Community prayer (the need to come together after a traumatic event) or for joyful occasions
Pope’s prayer- pray for the same thing universally
Prayer in the life of Jesus
Summer 2
The life of the Church in other parts of the world.
Key images of the Church used in Scripture and Tradition, the implications of this imagery for community life
Year 5
Autumn 1
The joy and challenge of, and the giving and receiving, in relationships
Human gifts and qualities and the physical world as a gift and sign of God’s love; how such gifts may be used, neglected or abused.
Autumn 2
Gospel accounts of key events in the life of Jesus:
God’s call to individuals and their different responses
Spring 1
Reconciliation (The practice of examination of conscience and its significance for Christian living), Conscience as a gift to be developed through the practice of examination of conscience.)
Sacrament of the sick
Spring 2
The Resurrection (Easter Sunday) as a sign of love, sacrifice and the source of new life
The story of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost
Gospel accounts of the coming of the Holy Spirit and the transformation of the Apostles
Summer 1
Variety of prayers and prayer forms, formal and informal, used for personal and community prayer
Summer 2
Ways of taking part in the life and worship of the domestic and local Church
Being ‘Church’ in the parish, diocese and universal Church
Year 6
Autumn 1
The ways in which love of neighbour can be shown at home, at church, locally and globally
The gift of the Holy Spirit which are given to individuals and groups for the service of the whole community
The Christian values which inform love of neighbour and oneself
Autumn 2
Key imagery that speaks of Jesus in Old and New Testament
Spring 1
Holy Orders
Be able to name the Sacraments of Holy Orders and Matrimony and to explain their significance in their own words
Matrimony
The Eucharist
Spring 2
The Resurrection (Easter Sunday) as a sign of love, sacrifice and the source of new life
Gospel accounts of the coming of the Holy Spirit and the transformation of the Apostles
The life and growth of the first Christian communities – Responsibility to do good.
Summer 1
Use of Scripture in prayer
Lectio Divina-
- what does it say?
- what is the passage saying to you?
- What phrase will you remember?
- what do I want to say to God based on this?
- Contemplation- see as God sees
- What now?
Consciousness Examen (or ‘Examen’)
Our relationship with God to be developed through the practice of the Examen
Summer 2
Ways of taking part in the life and worship of the domestic and local Church.
