Religious Education

Religious Education is at the heart of our Catholic curriculum and plays a central role in the formation of every child.

As a Catholic school, we dedicate at least 10% of curriculum time to Religious Education. This reflects the importance we place on helping children develop a secure knowledge and understanding of the Catholic faith while also encouraging them to think deeply about meaning, purpose, morality, relationships and the world around them.

Our Religious Education curriculum is ambitious and academically rigorous. Children encounter Scripture, learn about the life and teachings of Jesus, explore the beliefs and traditions of the Catholic Church and develop an understanding of how faith is lived in the world today.

RE gives children the opportunity to ask important questions, reflect on their own beliefs and experiences, listen respectfully to others and make thoughtful connections between what they learn and the way they live.

How Catholic RE Builds Character

Catholic Religious Education is about more than knowledge. It plays an important role in shaping children’s character and helping them understand the kind of person they are called to become.

Through Scripture and the teachings of Jesus, children learn about love, compassion, forgiveness, courage, justice, honesty and service. They encounter examples of people who have shown faith, hope and resilience in difficult circumstances and are encouraged to consider how these qualities can be reflected in their own lives.

Children learn that every person is created in the image and likeness of God. This helps them understand the importance of respecting others, valuing difference and ensuring that everyone is included. It supports them in developing a strong sense of human dignity and a growing awareness of their responsibility towards other people.

RE also helps children to develop moral courage. Through discussion, reflection and study, they are encouraged to think carefully about right and wrong, to consider the consequences of their choices and to recognise that their actions can affect the wellbeing of others.

We want our children to develop the confidence to ask themselves questions such as, “Is this the right thing to do?”, “Am I treating this person with dignity?”, “How might my actions affect someone else?” and “What would Jesus ask of me in this situation?”

Over time, this helps children to develop an increasingly mature moral compass.

Catholic Virtues Through RE

Religious Education supports children in developing the Catholic virtues that help to shape their character.

Through Faith, children are encouraged to trust in God and deepen their understanding of their beliefs. Through Hope, they learn to persevere, remain positive in times of difficulty and believe that they can make a difference. Through Love, they learn that care for others should be at the heart of their relationships and choices.

RE also helps children grow in Prudence, Justice, Fortitude and Temperance. Prudence encourages thoughtful decision-making. Justice helps children recognise what is fair and right. Fortitude gives them courage and resilience when things are difficult. Temperance helps them develop self-control and think carefully about their own needs and the needs of others.

These virtues are not simply ideas to be learned. We want children to recognise them in everyday situations and gradually develop them as habits that guide their choices.

Catholic Social Teaching Through RE

Catholic Social Teaching is woven through our Religious Education curriculum and helps children understand how faith should influence the way we live.

Children learn about Human Dignity and understand that every person is precious and worthy of respect. They explore the Common Good and learn that our decisions should help everyone to flourish, not only ourselves.

Through Solidarity, children begin to understand that we belong to one human family and that we have a responsibility to support one another. The Preferential Option for the Poor and Vulnerable encourages them to notice those who may be disadvantaged, lonely, excluded or in need and to consider how they can respond with compassion.

Children also learn about Participation and the importance of everyone having a voice and an opportunity to contribute. Through Stewardship of Creation, they reflect on their responsibility to care for the world that God has entrusted to us.

These principles help children understand that faith should lead to action.

The Impact of Religious Education

The impact of Catholic RE can be seen in the way children begin to think, speak and act.

We see it when a child chooses to tell the truth even when it is difficult, when they show compassion to someone who is upset, when they include someone who feels left out, when they persevere with a challenge or when they stand up for what is right.

We see it when children learn to forgive, make amends, listen respectfully, consider the needs of others and recognise that their actions carry responsibility.

These everyday choices show that children are not simply learning about the Catholic faith. They are beginning to understand how faith can shape the way they live.

Through the 10% of curriculum time dedicated to Religious Education, our parish links with Our Lady of Light and St Osyth Parish Church, Catholic Social Teaching and the development of Catholic virtues, we aim to form children who are knowledgeable about their faith, thoughtful in their decisions, compassionate towards others and confident in using their gifts to make a positive difference.

Our aim is that Religious Education helps every child not only to know more, but to grow in wisdom, character and faith.

Our curriculum

To Know You More Clearly

At St Clare’s, we follow the new Religious Education Directory, To Know You More Clearly, from EYFS through to Year 6.

The Religious Education Directory, often referred to as the RED, provides the framework for Catholic Religious Education. It is firmly rooted in Scripture and invites children to come to know Jesus more deeply and to understand the story of God’s relationship with His people.

The title, To Know You More Clearly, reflects the purpose of our Religious Education curriculum. It is an invitation for children not only to learn about Jesus, but to come to know Him more closely through Scripture, prayer, reflection and the life of the Church.

Throughout their time at St Clare’s, children journey with Jesus through His life, ministry, death and resurrection. They encounter the people and events of Scripture and are encouraged to think deeply about what these teachings mean for Christians today and how they can influence the way we live.

The Six Curriculum Branches

The RED curriculum is organised into six branches which children revisit each year as their knowledge and understanding develop.

Creation and Covenant explores God as Creator and the special relationship, or covenant, between God and His people. Children consider the beauty of creation, our responsibility to care for God’s world and the promises God makes to His people.

Prophecy and Promise helps children explore the prophets of Scripture and God’s promise of salvation. This branch leads children towards Advent and Christmas as they learn about the people who prepared the way for Jesus and the fulfilment of God’s promise through His birth.

Galilee to Jerusalem follows the ministry of Jesus. Children encounter His teachings, miracles, relationships and parables and consider what Jesus reveals about God and how He calls us to live.

Desert to Garden takes children through the season of Lent and towards the events of Holy Week and Easter. They reflect on Jesus’ suffering, death and resurrection and explore themes of sacrifice, forgiveness, hope and new life.

To the Ends of the Earth focuses on the risen Jesus, Pentecost and the beginnings of the Church. Children learn how the disciples were called to share the Good News and consider how Christians continue that mission today.

Dialogue and Encounter gives children opportunities to understand Catholicism in dialogue with other Christian traditions, other religions and the wider world. It encourages respectful listening, curiosity and a deeper appreciation of the beliefs and experiences of others.

How Children Learn in Religious Education

Within each branch, children explore their learning through four interconnected knowledge lenses. These help children to understand not only the story of our faith, but also what Catholics believe, how faith is celebrated and how it should influence the way we live.

Hear – Word

Through Hear, children encounter the Word of God. They listen to and explore Scripture, becoming increasingly familiar with important biblical stories, people and events. As they move through the school, children develop a deeper understanding of the meaning, context and significance of Scripture.

Believe

Through Believe, children explore what Catholics believe and why. They make connections between Scripture and the teachings of the Church and develop a richer understanding of Catholic belief, including our understanding of God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit and the Church.

Celebrate

Through Celebrate, children learn how Catholic beliefs are expressed through prayer, worship, the Sacraments and the liturgical life of the Church. They begin to understand the signs, symbols, prayers and traditions that are an important part of Catholic life.

Live

Through Live, children consider how faith should influence the way we treat one another and the choices we make. They explore how the teachings of Jesus, Catholic Social Teaching and the example of the saints call us to live lives of love, compassion, justice, service and care for God’s creation.

Building Knowledge Over Time

The six branches are revisited as children progress through St Clare’s, allowing their knowledge and understanding to deepen year by year.

Learning begins with age-appropriate encounters with Scripture in EYFS and develops progressively through Key Stages 1 and 2. Children build on what they have learned before, make connections across different areas of their faith and gradually develop a richer theological vocabulary.

The curriculum encourages children to ask thoughtful questions, explain their ideas, make connections and reflect on the meaning of what they have learned.

Knowing Jesus More Clearly

At the heart of the RED is relationship.

We want our children to acquire secure knowledge of Scripture and Catholic teaching, but we also want them to understand that Religious Education offers an invitation to encounter Jesus personally.

As children journey through the story of salvation, they come to know Jesus through His words and actions. They learn about His love for those who were excluded, His compassion for those in need, His courage in standing for what was right and His call for us to love God and one another.

Through Hear, Believe, Celebrate and Live, children are encouraged to connect what they learn with their own lives.

Our hope is that, during their journey from EYFS to Year 6, every child will grow in knowledge, understanding and faith and come to know Jesus more clearly, love Him more dearly and follow Him more nearly.