Intent
At St Cuthbert’s Catholic Primary School, we ‘Live the light, Share the light, Be the light!’ Our Motto always reminds us that it is our mission to follow in the footsteps of Jesus in the way we live our lives and in the decisions we make.
At St. Cuthbert’s School we provide an inclusive and welcoming atmosphere where the needs of the individual are both recognized and well supported and we encourage and nurture the faith of each individual. We strive to provide a deeper understanding of the Catholic faith, scripture and sacraments while promoting respect and tolerance for the religious and moral values and the belief of others.
RE is the core of our learning and is intertwined into all areas of the curriculum being at the heart of school life. Our intention is that children leave St Cuthbert’s with the knowledge and understanding of the Catholic faith enabling them to go out and ‘Live the light, Share the light, Be the light’.
We follow the religious program ‘Come and See’, which covers a range of religious themes from EYFS to Y6. Children will therefore meet the Diocesan Standards for Primary Religious Education, which will be taught by experienced teachers who will engage children’s interest and nurture their faith in RE.
Prayer and reflection will form an integral part of daily life. Children will develop a deep awareness of God’s presence in their own lives and the lives of others. Their Religious Education will underpin work on spiritual, moral, vocational, social and cultural education across the curriculum.
Implementation
At St Cuthbert’s, children have discrete Religious Education lessons that equates to 10% of the curriculum time. The whole school use a Catholic Primary Religious Education programme called 'Come and See'. It is based upon the theological foundations of the Second Vatican Council, the Catholic Catechism and the revised RE Curriculum Directory and includes the Catholic attainment levels.
Within RE, topics are based around themes where children can build upon previous learning. Each topic begins with an 'Explore' element where children relate the topic to their everyday lives and experiences. Key vocabulary is shared with the children during each lesson. Children are given the opportunity to explore, retell and discuss different Scripture passages, Christian belief and how it shapes our lives today. Children are involved in various different styles of worship including whole school, teacher led and also liturgies prepared by themselves or peers linked to their current topic. This gives them the opportunity to 'Respond' to their learning. The liturgies they prepare themselves are then carried out within class.
Children are given the opportunity to reflect and pray whenever they feel it is important.