Teaching Our Faith

Religious Eduction

Intent

We are a Catholic school with faith at the heart of everything we do. We value every child as unique, created in the image of God. Our Religious Education (RE) curriculum fosters wonder, awe, and reverence, encouraging children to explore their own faith while developing respect and understanding for the beliefs and traditions of others.

Through the study of the Bible, Catholic teachings, and the lives of inspiring role models, children learn about God’s love, their Christian responsibilities, and how to live with Christ at the centre of their lives.

RE at St. Joseph’s provides opportunities for children to engage with Catholic and Christian traditions, reflect on their spiritual development, and grow in moral awareness, empathy, and compassion.

Implementation
Religious Education underpins everything we do at St. Joseph’s, providing a framework for children to grow in faith, morality, and understanding.

• Early Years & Key Stage 1 follow the Lighting the Path programme.

• Key Stage 2 follows The Way, The Truth and The Life.

RE is taught as a core subject across the school, in line with the Bishop’s Conference recommendations. Each year group follows a structured long-term plan, with half-termly units that build progressively on prior learning. Themes such as Creation and Covenant, The Church, Eucharist, and Resurrection run throughout the curriculum, ensuring continuity and depth.

Children are encouraged to engage creatively, ask questions, and express their understanding in a variety of ways. As they progress, pupils learn key scripture, retell Bible stories, and make connections between Church teachings, Catholic social values, and the lives of saints. 

The curriculum also includes teaching about other faiths. In addition to topics covered within the main schemes, pupils study Judaism for one week in the Autumn Term and another major world faith in the Spring Term, developing respect and understanding for diverse beliefs. Practical experiences, class saint studies, and charitable projects reinforce their learning of Catholic social teaching.

Teachers use adaptive strategies to ensure all children can access learning, including stretch and challenge opportunities for the most able.

At St Joseph’s, we actively try to make links to Catholic Social Teaching (CST) across our curriculum wherever possible, helping our children to see how faith inspires action and responsibility in the world around them.

Through every subject, we encourage pupils to live out the values of dignity, solidarity, and stewardship caring for one another and for God’s creation. For example:

• In Geography, children explore how caring for the environment reflects our call to be stewards of the Earth.

• In History, they learn about people who have worked for justice and the common good.

• In PSHE and RE, they reflect on how they can make a difference in their own lives and communities.

Impact

Through RE at St. Joseph’s, children develop a deep understanding of Catholic teachings and the values of other religions. They are inspired to think critically, reflect spiritually and morally, and apply their knowledge to real-life situations. Pupils leave the school equipped to articulate their beliefs, make informed judgements, and live out their faith in everyday life, demonstrating empathy, compassion, and responsibility towards others.

Others Faiths

At St Joseph’s, our Catholic faith is at the heart of everything we do but our school family is wonderfully diverse, made up of children and families from many different faiths and backgrounds. Guided by the teachings of Jesus, especially his call to love one another “Love one another as I have loved you” (John 13:34) we seek to create a community where every person is valued, respected, and supported in their own beliefs.

Through our Religious Education curriculum, we not only learn about the richness of our Catholic tradition but also explore other world faiths, helping our pupils to understand and appreciate the beauty of different religious practices and values.

We also take great joy in recognising important festivals from the faiths represented in our school, such as Diwali, Eid, and others.

In doing so, we help our children see how faith, in all its forms, can unite us in kindness, compassion, and mutual respect living out Jesus’ message that “You are all children of God through faith” (Galatians 3:26), and showing that love and understanding are at the heart of our shared mission.

Religious Education Newsletters

Please see this half term's newsletter below. You can see what your child is learning and how you can help support their learning across the RE curriculum. If you need a paper copy please ask at School reception office. Thank you for helping the environment by saving paper.