RE Curriculum

The outcome of Religious Education is religiously literate young people who have the knowledge, understanding and skills – appropriate to their age and capacity – to think spiritually, ethically and theologically, and who are aware of the demands of religious commitment in everyday life.

[Religious Education Directory - To know You more clearly 2023]

The Way, The Truth and The Life

The Vine and The Branches

Religious Education is a fundamental part of our school life and is taught as a core subject. We ensure that each class fulfils the Diocesan recommendation of 10% teaching time and we follow the Bishop’s chosen scheme of “The Way, The Truth and The Life” in a creative way. RE is so much more than just lessons at St Mary’s as our faith permeates everything that we do.

What is 'The Vine and The Branches'?

From September 2025 a new RE curriculum will be implemented across all classes. “To Know you more clearly, The Religious Education Directory” sets out the new curriculum following a pattern where Children hear, believe, celebrate and live out the Gospel. Over the next two years, there will be a transitional phase where we move from the old to the new curriculum.

From September 2024, we will begin teaching the new Curriculum following the Year 1, Year 2, Year 3 and Year 4 objectives. To support in teaching this new curriculum teachers will use a resource called “The Vine and the branches” supplemented with other resources.

The Programme is divided into Six Branches:

1: Creation and Covenant                      2: Prophecy and Promise

3: Galilee to Jerusalem                           4: Desert to Garden

5: Ends of the Earth                                6: Dialogue and Encounter

For each of the six branches there are five or six units. Each unit begins with Scripture and the whole scheme is based around listening to and becoming familiar with the Word of God. 

The pupils in EYFS, Y5 and Y6 will continue to follow ‘The Way the Truth and the Life’ syllabus.

Cultural Capital

The rich, creative and cross-curricular nature of RE enables all the children at St Mary’s to develop the cultural capital they need to succeed in later life. The cultural experiences and knowledge the children gain through the RE curriculum will enable the children to play a full and active part in society in later life. Their tolerance, deep sense of social justice, stewardship and care and concern for their global neighbours means that children leave St Mary’s with a deep-rooted faith and willingness to serve and put others needs before their own. The many and varied opportunities the children have been given through all their cross-curricular work enables the children to have a deep appreciation for the arts as a whole.

British Values

Christ is at the centre of all we do at St Mary’s and the children’s learning is rooted in the Gospel values set out at the beginning of this document. Our children, through Gospel values and British values, have a deep-rooted sense of what is right and wrong. They have an understanding of democracy, the rule of law and individual liberty. They are taught to understand that God has given them the freedom to choose to make the right choice in terms of how they behave. Our Catholic faith is built on love, respect and tolerance and by following in the footsteps and guidance of Jesus our children show respect of one another. Our work on Judaism and other faiths means that our children are tolerant of others. They know that they are unique and made in the image and likeness of God and they appreciate the rich and diverse world that they are part of.