St Winifred’s Catholic Primary School

 

Click on the link below to see our curriculum for each year Group:

RE Statement of Intent

RE Curriculum

Religious Education Statement of Intent

Intent

At St Winifred’s Catholic Primary School, Religious Education is a vital part of our school community, and thus key values and beliefs of our faith always permeate throughout the day-to-day life of our school. It is also fundamental to the purpose of St Winifred’s, as our Catholic faith informs all aspects of our life as we walk in the footsteps of Christ together. Taught so that pupils are encouraged to explore, develop and affirm their own faith, it at once provides both an environment in which the children can strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the Faith – developing their own relationship with Jesus – and afford a respect for the faith, belief and the values of others.

The R.E. Curriculum Directory 2012 states that “The outcome of excellent Religious Education is religiously literate and engaged young people who have the knowledge, understanding, and skills – appropriate to their age and capacity – to reflect spiritually, and think ethically and theologically, and who are aware of the demands of religious commitment in everyday life,” and it is that key aim that we purpose to achieve with all of our children.

Implementation

Our core values under-pin our curriculum. Our broad and balanced curriculum enables all children to experience opportunities that develop and promote positive well-being, strengthening their resilience.  We ensure that children learn how to love and protect our God-given planet.  We follow the National Curriculum and in R.E. pupils follow the curriculum set out by the Bishops of England & Wales. Our key curriculum resource is, ‘The Way, The Truth and The Light’ produced by the Teachers’ Enterprise in Catholic Education.  The curriculum is planned and delivered sequentially, building on skills, with knowledge becoming embedded in pupils’ long-term memory. This is checked using rigorous assessment practices and quality assurance methods.

Impact

Within Religious Education at St Winifred’s, we aim to provide the appropriate setting and opportunity for our children to:

  • Grow in the love of God.
  • Develop both their knowledge, and understanding, of the Catholic Faith.
  • Respect and promote their innate capacity for wonder, awe, reverence, imagination, mystery, and spirituality.
  • Expand their positive attitudes of appreciation, care, and respect for others, nature, and property.
  • Grow in maturity in their use of prayer, in all its forms, to develop a personal relationship with God.
  • Encourage independent study, investigation and reflection.

 

Religious Education Policy

RE and collective worship policy 2022

RE and Collective Worship Policy

Introduction

At St. Winifred’s Catholic Primary School, we believe Religious Education (hereafter RE) to be the ‘core of the core curriculum’. It is not to be seen as one subject among many, but the foundation of the whole educational process.  Children learn about God’s unbounding love for them.  We believe the values Christ imparted, which we endeavour to follow and teach, will help the children to lead more fulfilled and happier lives.  Such an approach will help the children in their spiritual, emotional and intellectual well-being and help to provide a foundation for true moral values and a sense of justice.

Our mission statement highlights the school’s role in providing a synthesis of faith and culture. We hope that God is experienced as reality in the school and Christ’s gospel comes to life. The school ensures all the children know the mission statement. We foster love for each other through the teachings in the Gospel.

 

Learning objectives and intentions

By following ‘The Way the Truth and the Life’ the teaching of RE will:

  • encompass the formation of the individual responding to God’s action in his/her life,
  • encompass instruction into the truths of our faith,
  • focus on revelation.

 ‘A Catholic School which promotes the best possible teaching of religious education is fulfilling its true purpose.’

Bishops’ Statement Jan 2000

 

 The elements of RE will be reinforced through:

  • doctrine
  • scripture, saints and feast days
  • prayer                                                                                                                                    
  • liturgy (including the format of the mass with the parish priest and liaison with the First Holy Communion catechesis)
  • moral values (refer also to policies on PSHE, SRE, Bullying, Inclusion, Race Equality, Gifted and talented).

 

We strive to:

  • help the children establish a personal, living relationship with Jesus and the Father;
  • provide an ethos within the school that enhances the spiritual and religious life of the children.
  • nurture in our children the same convictions and values that animated Jesus as he proclaimed the Father’s kingdom;
  • provide opportunities which promote children’s innate capacity for awe, wonder, joy, reverence, imagination and sense of ritual;
  • develop ways of leading our children to be reflective, open and enquiring;
  • encourage in our children a recognition of their own value and importance as individual regardless of gender, ability, ethnic origin, and respect the uniqueness of others in their lives;
  • prepare our children for life in a multi-racial community and actively to promote tolerance, understanding and harmony among all ethnic groups whether Christian or non- Christian.
  • assess the progress of the children so that our teaching can adjust to their needs.

 

Context

 

At St. Winifred’s, we endeavour to implement our learning objectives within the context of

HOME-SCHOOL-PARISH

  1. Home – parents are the first educators of the faith of their children.

We seek to support and develop the primary task of parents who are the first teachers of their children in the way of the faith.

  1. School

Governors, priests and parishioners are invited to support and come together to celebrate the experience of the children as they move through each stage of their catholic education.

  1. Parish

RE will be taught in the light of the church’s liturgical year and takes into consideration the fact that growth in faith is related to the children’s age, mental, psychological and emotional development.

 

RE is taught for 10% of the teaching time, which is approximately 2 hours. The children are grouped according to age in mixed ability classes. Their religious experience and background vary considerably. The governors strive to appoint Catholic staff (non- Catholic staff are fully supported) so their example and instruction can bring the life of Christ into every aspect of school life.

 

Provision for the Spiritual Development and Prayers

 

Through the teaching of religion, teachers will provide opportunities for the spiritual development of the children.  They will extend opportunities for prayer in a variety of forms of adoration, thanksgiving, intercession, meditation, as well as learning formal prayers.  Children will learn about the person of Christ through reading the Gospels.  Children will be encouraged to explore their relationship with God through their senses (e.g. use of music) and the prayer areas in classrooms.  Children will be given opportunities to experience the traditions of the church in each of the liturgical seasons attending Mass at Our Lady of Lourdes Church (COVID restrictions permitting).  The children will be taught about and encouraged to celebrate the sacraments.

  • Each class has a reflection and prayer area.
  • Children have a daily collective worship in the hall or in their classes
  • Children gather for a Headteacher’s assembly, singing assembly and merit assembly weekly.
  • Children are encouraged to sit and pray in the Peace Garden.
  • Children’s own prayers are shared in collective worship and special prayer promises are displayed in Advent and Lent.

 

                                                                                                                     

Multi-faith RE

To provide a broader approach to multi-faith teaching, the whole school will focus on a non -Christian faith each year and, to acknowledge that Jesus was a Jew, Judaism will also be studied each year.      

                                       

The children will explore history of religion, historical figures, festivals, religious ceremonies and rites of passage. This will encourage empathy and respect within a multi-faith society and ‘address the need to promote equality of opportunity and good relations between people from different racial groups’            The Commission For Racial Equality, Guide for schools

 

Classrooms

Each class should have a prominent area of the classroom where RE is clearly identified. The display should show the term’s RE topic’s key words and multi-faith religion or themes of the liturgical year.

 

There must be an accessible area for individual reflection containing a candle and prayer box.

 

Curriculum and planning

Medium term RE plans, showing learning objectives and clear differentiation, are available for teachers on the curriculum teachers planning folders and in the shared area- RE. Class teachers are expected to share and discuss plans using in year group planning meetings and build in assessment opportunities.  Medium term and weekly plans are saved in each individual class planning folders on the teachers shared area.

 

Parents are informed of RE topics each term in class newsletters.                                                                                             

   

Record Keeping and Assessment

 

All RE work should be:

  • of the highest standard demonstrating a range of teaching and learning activities.
  • marked in accordance with the school’s marking policy.

 

RE is not to be marked as a piece of Literacy: key words may be highlighted; the main focus should be on pupil engagement and response to the key learning objectives.

 

Teachers should pose challenging questions to extend pupil’s thinking and probe greater understanding.

 

Assessment happens all the time and is integrated into teaching and learning and using the End of Year Progress Descriptors. Teachers are supported in their summative assessment of the children through the use of TWTL.  Formal teacher assessment is carried out termly and in line with The Education Commission guidelines.  Children’s knowledge and understanding is assessed as being ‘on the way to meeting’, ‘met’, ‘greater depth’ in RE, on the tracker sheet, which is to be found at the front of each child’s RE book (yr1-6). These are shared with the RE coordinators and SLT.

 

End of year attainment is agreed, recorded and updated by the RE coordinators for tracking purposes.

Professional development

Any member of staff seeking support in the teaching of RE is given the opportunity to attend suitable courses when they become available. This is arranged with the RE coordinator and Head teacher. ECTs should attend special INSET provided by The Education Commission. RE coordinator will model RE lessons for inexperienced colleagues. The RE coordinator and Head teacher will arrange regular INSET including staff meetings.

                                               

The Role of the RE Coordinator

  1. To oversee and develop the RE policy within the school and review it every year.
  2. To oversee the teaching and learning of RE across the school: conduct learning walks, oversee assessment of RE, working with the SLT to monitor RE work through regular sampling of work, observing displays and lessons.
  3. To lead and organise INSET in RE and worship
  4. Organise whole school liturgies and liaise with the Parish Priest.
  5. To lead and support staff through good practice and team teaching.
  6. To be responsible for resources.
  7. To keep informed of new ideas and changes in RE curriculum with the School Development Plan and to attend coordinator meetings at the Education Commission.
  8. Meet and share good practice with coordinators in the Lee Cluster.
  9. Attend coordinator meetings arranged by the Education Commission.

 

Resources

All planning and assessment materials can be found on the curriculum teachers shared area> shared RE

 

In each classroom there should be:

TWTL children’s text books (appropriate to the age of the class), God’s Story, Bibles (including Children’s bibles, Graphic Bible) age appropriate story books, cloths in liturgical colours (green, purple, red, white). Key words for the current RE topic should be visible.  The termly values displayed.

 

A focal area for prayer containing items to stimulate quiet reflection using the correct liturgical colour. Try to keep the area un-cluttered eg rosary beads in Oct/May but include hand held crucifix, class prayer (including the prayer book taken home), candle, and prayer box.

 A worry box may be placed in another part of the classroom.

 

RE resource area (Cupboard in the hall)

A class set of Good News Bibles for the use of yr 5/6 classes

Liturgical coloured cloths/runners- to go on the class display

green=ordinary time, purple=Lent/Advent, White=Easter/Feast days, red=Pentecost

Advent wreaths and candles, rosary beads and other appropriate items which will be distributed by the coordinator.

Harvest festival, feast days etc resources.

Hymn books and music for worship with singing

Topic books posters, DVDs

Artefacts boxes for Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism, Christian Initiation, Lent/Easter

A2 Prayer posters kept in a plan chest, Multi -faith posters kept in a plan chest (outside the main hall)

Computing.

There are several hyper-links to www.tere.org  on the medium term plans for teachers to use in their lessons. All new TWTL (2016 onwards) come with power point presentations and are found in the shared RE folder. Other PPT resources made by the coordinators can be found here also.

CAFOD web site, www.cafod.org.uk  links LGFL web site.  We also have weekly TENTEN prayer and liturgy resources sent weekly.   A subscription to RE Today for use of online resources.

 

Visits

It is desirable for class teachers to arrange RE visits to places of worship once a year. The RE coordinator swill liaise with staff and religious leaders in the local community.   

  • Judaism = Catford and Bromley united Synagogue, Jewish museum, Camden
  • Hinduism = Sivan Kovil Temple, Lewisham
  • Islam = Lewisham Islamic Centre, Lewisham
  • Sikhism = The Gurdwara Sahib, Woolwich 
  • Buddhism = London Diamond Way Buddhist Centre, Lambeth

Prayer and Liturgy

  • There will be an act of collective worship every day in which each pupil can participate. (From Foundation Stage to Y6)
  • Collective worship may take place at any time of the school day.
  • Schools may decide on the age or grouping of pupils and these may vary from day to day.
  • It should generally take place on school premises. However, we may have collective worship in Church on any particular day.
  • All pupils are required to attend unless their parents have contacted the Headteacher and agreed that they want their child withdrawn.
  • Teachers may withdraw from Collective worship.
  • Collective worship will be “wholly or mainly of a broad Christian Character, reflecting the broad traditions of the Christian belief”.
  • The content should always have regard for the family backgrounds, ages and aptitudes of pupils.
  • The responsibility for managing the provision of collective worship is with the head teacher after consultation with the governing body.

 

Purposes and Aims of Collective Worship in St Winifred’s:

  • To ensure all children attending the school have the opportunity to worship as a collective body with staff and as individuals.
  • To celebrate God’s word through prayer and a caring attitude to each other, based on the gospel values of faith, hope, love and forgiveness.
  • To celebrate and affirm the values and ethos of our school: Everyone should feel included, valued, listened to and able to contribute with confidence. To develop a sense of belonging to the school and Parish Community.

 

 

 

 

Management Responsibility

Head Teacher and SLT

RE coordinators

 

Places of Worship:

Classrooms

Church

School halls

Peace Garden

Classroom

Prayer Area

Homes

Playgrounds

                                                                       

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Children’s Participation:

Every opportunity is made to include children in preparing for and participating in worship. From yr2-6, class teachers organise their pupils into groups who prepare worship in class each week. Pupils are given time to write prayers to be shared each day.

 

Collective Worship:

RE coordinator and Headteacher meet to discuss content of collective worship in the halls and planned Masses

 

Teacher led

Teachers follow the termly plan which has a theme. They use the Bible as the core though other spiritual materials can be used. Teachers make use of CAFOD planning resources, and encourage pupils to participate reinforcing Gospel values and school rules, celebrating individual achievement both in and out of school.

 

Collective Worship

PSHE themes, CAFOD, Saints, Famous people Bible stories – parables/miracles, Liturgical Calendar are used to inspire collective worship. Merit and Golden Achiever assemblies, which celebrate the successes and achievements all children are structured to include both the academic curriculum and Religious Education.

 

Class based act of Worship

Each class has a prominent prayer area, decorated with liturgical coloured cloths, and, prayer box/book, The Bible etc.

 

Prayers are said throughout the day (formal, and those written by the children) at the start of the day, before lunch, at the end of the day and during RE lesson. Candles are lit and prayer from the prayer box are shared. Liturgy, story, drama or music are prepared in class by the children using CAFOD planning materials.

  

 

Masses:

Each year the Head/RE coordinator liaise with parish priest a timetable of liturgies and formal masses throughout the school year.

 

The Music coordinators also plans with RE coordinator, so that pupils are involved with performing and singing.

 

Masses are prepared by the RE Coordinator with the involvement of pupils, in line with Liturgy of the day/ feast days. Pupils are given time prior to the liturgy to prepare hymns, Gloria, Alleluia, bidding prayers, offertory procession, and the readings. Children have access to printed mass booklets to learn responses.

 

Children attend masses at the parish church, Our Lady of Lourdes.

 

Liturgical Services:

These follow the Liturgical year. Staff prepare collaboratively. Children form their liturgy through, prayer, music, drama, dance and good works.

 

Parents are invited and depending on the liturgy are sometimes asked to help with preparations at home – learning lines, providing costumes etc.

 

The Parish Priest is present and depending on the service will usually lead the liturgy for Holy Days of Obligation and themed Masses throughout the year.

 

Pupils who have been trained in any of the parish churches may serve during mass and a rota is kept to ensure fairness.

 

RE Lessons

Children learn how to pray and Teacher’s encourage the children to develop their own spirituality. Prayers are used within   RE lessons.  

                       

The Way, The Truth, The Life Scheme is supplemented with additional teaching through Bible stories, RRS work, teaching of world issues through organisations such as CAFOD.

 

Prayer focus area

This is focal point of every class and must be accessible to all pupils. It should contain a candle, a prayer box and provide some stimulation for reflection (picture, poem, rosary, crucifix, flowers etc.) The children leading class-based act of worship during the week may dress the focal area or make a new focal area for their act of worship.

 

Prayers

These are shared daily at beginning and end of day and Grace before meals. (see attached)

 

Resources: Liturgical coloured cloths for each class (to show the season of the church) are distributed by the coordinator when necessary. Altar cloths, cruets, chalice and paten and candles are kept in a mass box: in the RE resources in the hall.

 

 

Liturgical worship

Through worship we aim to .join the work of home and parish in developing the Spirituality of the children and to develop the concept of worship as an integral part of School life.

 

We also aim to develop an understanding of different forms of worship and to reflect the multi­cultural nature of our children in various acts of worship.

 

Key Liturgies and Masses:  

New school year liturgy

Harvest Festival

Mass for Feast of St Winifred

Service of Remembrance

Advent reflection

Carol service

Ash Wednesday Liturgy

Penitential liturgy + reconciliation

Stations of the Cross display and each class walk the stations

Collective worship led by classes in Holy Week

Marion Mass

Ascension of Jesus

Mass celebrating First Holy Communion

Leaver’s mass

Ways in which we provide opportunity for different forms of worship:

  • Careful preparation of and involvement in class and school masses.
  • Special liturgical services to celebrate feasts of the Church’s year.
  • Classroom Worship supported by focal areas where the children can reflect and pray.

 

Conclusions

Acts of worship provide children and adults with opportunities to:-

  • gain a deeper knowledge of God;
  • appreciate their own talents and to respect the talents of others;
  • join together in a prayerful atmosphere with other children;
  • experience the wider worshipping Community of the St Winifred’s School.