Religious Education

Our Vision

Mission Statement:

Learning to Love, Pray and Grow Together as a Community in the Light of Jesus Christ.

Religious Education is the Core and Foundation of the entire educational process. Because of this, each child is valued for what he/she is rather than for what he/she can do and every child is given equal opportunity for development to the highest potential. Through Religious Education we communicate the beliefs and values which should inspire and unify every aspect of school life and the Curriculum. This gives St Bridget’s its distinctive nature as an outstanding Catholic School.

Children who become part of St Bridget’s School are enabled to be in touch with God, to know his Church and to know the meaning of Discipleship. We believe that Religious Education is not a subject among many but the foundation of the entire education process. In addition to studying the Life and Teachings of Jesus, the children study a variety of World Faiths. This enables our children to understand more about the larger community outside home and school

Our Aims

The whole aim of the school is the Christian growth of the children, not simply their growth in Faith but their growing awareness of the world as a maturing Christian. The school will foster in children respect for the value of their own culture and the culture of others and help them to live harmoniously in society. We guide our children to become religiously literate young people who have the knowledge, understanding and skills to think spiritually and theologically and who are aware of the demands of religious commitment in everyday life. Religious Education is a core subject. The primary purpose of Catholic Education is the step by step study of the mystery of Christ, the teaching of the Church and its application in daily life, therefore the principal aims of the school in terms of the Religious Education which it provides are:

to lead the children to a deepening knowledge and understanding of the Catholic Faith.
to provide opportunities for the children to develop a loving relationship with God and their neighbour.
to encourage children to respect and be fully aware of the needs of others as equal members of God’s creation.

There are many opportunities for all children to explore their faith and deepen their relationship with Christ. This includes daily acts of worship, weekly assemblies, regular classroom/parish based liturgies and celebration of Mass. Our Parish Priest, Father Peter Groody, works in full partnership with the school in supporting and enhancing the education and formation of our children

Father Peter Groody

Our Curriculum

At St Bridget’s, all RE teaching is based on the Curriculum Directory for Religious Education and we follow the ‘Come and See’ programme. 10% of curriculum teaching time is spent on religious education and it is taught discreetly and developmentally. Each term the pupils will cover three themes: Christian Traditions, Sacraments and Christian Living. Each theme is returned to over the year and explored each time at greater depth.

At St Bridget’s teaching focuses on the understanding of key theological ideas and their application to life. Ample opportunities are offered for children to apply and use their knowledge and skills in cross-curricular studies to deepen their understanding of religious truths and think creatively. We provide rich resources for children to be immersed in their learning and to regularly provide opportunities for children to meet with and learn from our parish priest, as well as ministers from other religions

Early Years:

Our pupils in Nursery and Reception will follow the curriculum as set out in Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum. We will encourage the children to begin making sense of the world that God has created, their place within it, their family, relationships with others and a knowledge that God loves them; we are all part of his family. Later, they identify special times within the Liturgical year such as Christmas, Lent, Easter and Pentecost. This is taught through bible story, circle time, art, visitors, games, use of props and drama.

Key Stage 1:

During Key Stage One, we will enable our pupils to develop knowledge about themselves, as part of a family at home, in school, the church community and as part of God’s family. They will learn about the Sacrament of Baptism, special times within the liturgical year such as Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter and Pentecost. We will teach them about their Class Saint, gospel values and Judaism. This is taught through bible story, circle time, art, use of props, visitors, use of the internet, writing lessons and drama.

Key Stage 2:

During Key Stage Two, we will enable our pupils to develop knowledge about themselves and their relationships with others and God; in love, hope, faith, friendship, promises and expectation. They will learn about the significance of special times of the liturgical year such as Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter and Pentecost. We will teach them about their Class Saint, gospel values and Judaism. This is taught through bible stories, direct reading from references, art scrutiny and examination, artefacts, visitors, writing lessons, discussion, internet research, videos and drama.

Our RE Curriculum Lead is Jane Summerson who teaches in Y3; please feel free to contact us in school if you would like any more information about any aspect of our RE curriculum.

RE Curriculum Overview

Updated: 17/10/2023 50 KB

Click the link to visit the 'Come and See' Website

https://www.comeandseere.co.uk/

Other useful websites to support your child’s RE teaching at home:

https://cafod.org.uk/

http://catholic-kids.com/

http://www.reonline.org.uk/learning/

Enrichment

Our teaching of Religious Education is enriched with visitors in school such as Father Groody our Parish Priest, who visits regularly to support learning in various lessons such as Baptism and general spiritual well-being. Muslim Iman also and visited to raise awareness of other beliefs and traditions, carrying out workshops throughout the school. Regular visits to Church also enrich children’s understanding of Catholic beliefs, familiarity with the mass and the functional parts of the church, developing an understanding of symbolism. We hold special themed days around certain times of the Year, such as Class Saint Feast days, where the day is devoted to our Class saint. Artwork is produced, prayers written and heard, the life story of the Saint is understood and retold as well as research and hymns sang, specific to our class saint. During May and October special devotion is made to Our Lady and the Rosary is prayed throughout school during Class Prayer and Liturgy. We also support the learning and preparation for children making the Sacrament of Holy Communion by hosting a venue in school for their sessions, after school.