The Gospel of Jesus Christ invites all who follow its teaching to the fullness of life, which is our school mission statement. RE is embedded in all subjects taught and the teachings of Jesus is seen throughout the school in our daily actions and activities.

This educational mission entails the ongoing development of the entire potential of every person. It seeks to promote the well-being and freedom of every person, to give them a voice knowing that they are made in the image and likeness of God and finding fulfilment in God alone.

This is the vision which shapes the daily life of a Catholic school as a community in which faith is expressed and shared through every aspect.

Religious Education

As a Roman Catholic School, Religious Education is at the heart of the curriculum. We endeavour to ensure that all students receive an entitlement of 10% of the taught curriculum in key stages 2 to 4 and 5% in key stage 5. This may be in the form of discrete RE lessons, as well as the regular PSHE programme, and other areas into which RE is integrated. We also have 3-year cycle which prepares students to receive sacraments.

The RE curriculum is based on the Directory of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, including the Diocesan Come and See programme and employs a range of teaching methods appropriate to the student’s level of understanding. Pupils are assessed using level descriptors which we have adapted for our students based on P levels, and on assessment criteria provided by the Come and See descriptors. The areas of study include learning about religion including other faiths, celebrations and rituals as well as developing engagement with their own belief and value systems and those of others. We fully endorse the importance of developing British Values and believe that RE teaching and learning is a key component of this process.

Curriculum

At Pield Heath School RE lessons follow Come and See Programme with strong emphasis on Bible Stories and Godly Play,  Sacramental and Liturgical Celebrations as well as other World Faiths.

RE lessons follow a three-year cycle outlined in Long Term Plan. RE themes are thought at the same time in all three Pathways, with some differentiation of the topics according to students’ abilities. This is to ensure students full participation and engagement from the first step of exploration, leading to new discoveries and prompting student’s personal response in the adventure of their faith.

The whole school approach to RE themes allow students experiencing liturgical aspects of learned topics within the community of the school.

RE lessons are enriched by elements of prayer and simple meditation and delivered in a variety of settings including the Peace Garden, chapel, , Mary’s Grotto, The Well café and school playgrounds. Visits to local church as well as other places of worship. 

Pathway 1                 EXPLORERS Functional Skills Curriculum

Students are learning about RE themes through sensory exploration supported by repetition of visual and auditory media chosen specifically for the topic which would create unique spiritual and multi-sensory settings helping students to concentrate, explore and experience religious and spiritual aspects.

RE lessons are taught in a multi-sensory environment created within the class as well as in a variety of settings around the school, especially prepared for particular topics with sets of artifacts representing whatever religious tradition students are learning about. This approach is based on Symbolic Catechesis – Symbols of Faith.

Planned activities are aimed at practising fine motor skills,  functional skills and daily living skills which will be linked to RE topics at the required levels. RE themes are approached by a range of preferable activities based on personal Sensory Passport’s and Communication Profiles.

As Explorers students are learning to recognise and explore some aspects of religious celebrations.

Liturgical events and religious celebrations within the school are joined by students in a small groups and at their own peace to enable their participation.

                               

Pathway 2                 DISCOVERERS Semi Formal Curriculum

Students are learning about RE themes through exploration and practical hands-on experiences related to particular topics which leads to reflexion and encourage students’ personal discoveries related to faith, religion, spiritual and moral aspects of life.

Planned activities are based on experiential learning which is linked to RE topics at the required levels. By engaging in hand-on experiences and reflection students connects theories and knowledge learned in the classroom with real world situations, discovering religious aspects of traditions, spiritual meaning of symbols and starting to recognise emergent links between the topics.

Activities are aimed to encourage and initiate emergent communication leading students to express their personal discoveries and practice social and interaction skills within the group of peers.

As Discoverers students are learning to recognise religious celebrations, discovering God’s presence in our everyday life. Students are encouraged to fully participate in liturgical events and religious celebrations within the school, deepening their experience of religious celebrations within the school community.

 

            

                                                           

  

Pathway 3                 ADVENTURERS        Formal Curriculum

 Students are learning about RE themes through topic based approach combined with experiential learning which leads to reflexion, encourage students’ personal discoveries and prompts their engagement and response related to faith, religion, spiritual and moral aspects of life and their own personal everyday choices.

The adventure of faith starts with practical activities during RE lessons, promoting communication, social interactions and student’s independence preparing for life as a responsible member of wider community.

Students investigate religious topics form National Curriculum through a variety of activities and experiences aimed to develop higher order thinking skills; critical thinking and problem-solving. Activities planned for RE lessons are aimed to encourage students’ engagement in research and discussion on religious and moral topics.

Students take active part in religious celebrations, learning how to become an active witness of their faith.

They are encouraged to take an active role in planning, preparing and leading liturgical events and religious celebrations within the school.