Religious Education Curriculum
At St Mary’s, Religious Education is at the heart of the curriculum and central to our identity as a Catholic community. Inspired by the teachings of Jesus Christ and rooted in the Catholic tradition, RE permeates every aspect of school life. It is not confined to the classroom but is lived out daily through our words, actions, relationships, and worship.
We recognise that the home, school, and parish work together in the religious formation of our children. Parents are the first educators in faith, and their partnership is vital in nurturing each child’s spiritual development. Our school environment is intentionally shaped by a Catholic ethos that is tangible and life-giving, fostering a strong sense of community, reverence, and belonging.
Religious Education at our school is ultimately about seeking meaning and purpose in life. We teach that God is love and that this love is best understood through lived experience—through kindness, compassion, and service. We strive to create a school community where every child knows they are loved, valued, and called to grow in faith and friendship with God.
RE Curriculum Changes
This academic year, we are transitioning from the Come and See Religious Education scheme to the new Religious Education Directory (RED). This change reflects our commitment to providing a rich and engaging RE curriculum that aligns with national guidance and supports the spiritual development of all pupils. We have developed a detailed implementation plan to ensure a smooth and effective transition, including staff training, phased introduction of resources, and regular review points. Our goal is to maintain continuity for pupils while embracing the opportunities offered by RED to deepen understanding and faith formation.
Click here for our RED Implementation Plan 2025 2026
Religious Education Directory
The Religious Education Directory (RED) is a comprehensive framework for teaching religious education in Catholic schools in England and Wales. It outlines the purpose, structure, and content of RE, aiming to deepen pupils’ understanding of the Catholic faith while fostering respect for other religions and worldviews. The RED provides a structured programme of study, including knowledge lenses, ways of knowing, and curriculum branches, ensuring a coherent, progressive, and theologically grounded approach to religious education.
Knowledge Branches
This curriculum is structured around six branches:
- Creation and Covenant – God’s gift of Creation and his promise to humanity.
- Prophecy and Promise – God’s call through the prophets and the coming of the Messiah.
- Galilee to Jerusalem – Jesus’ life, ministry, and teachings.
- Desert to Garden – The Paschal Mystery: Lent, Holy Week, and Easter.
- To the Ends of the Earth – The birth of the Church and its mission.
- Dialogue and Encounter – Interfaith and intercultural understanding.
Knowledge Branches are thematic units that structure the RE curriculum across the school year. There are six branches—Creation and Covenant, Prophecy and Promise, Galilee to Jerusalem, Desert to Garden, To the Ends of the Earth, and Dialogue and Encounter—each aligned with key aspects of salvation history and the liturgical calendar. These branches guide pupils through a narrative journey of faith, helping them explore Scripture, Church teaching, and Christian living in a coherent and progressive way.
Knowledge Lenses
Each branch is explored through six lenses:
- Hear – Sacred Scripture and Revelation
- Believe – Doctrine and Creed
- Celebrate – Liturgy and Sacraments
- Live – Catholic Social Teaching and Ethics
- Dialogue – Interfaith understanding
- Encounter – Study of other religions and worldviews
Knowledge Lenses are a key structural element of the RE curriculum. They define the core content areas that pupils are expected to study and understand by the end of each age phase. The term “lenses” is used to signify different perspectives through which the Catholic faith and other worldviews are explored. There are six knowledge lenses in total: four focus on the systematic study of Catholicism—Hear, Believe, Celebrate, and Live—and two support the study of other religions and worldviews—Dialogue and Encounter. Each lens corresponds to a particular aspect of religious understanding: for example, “Hear” relates to Divine Revelation and Scripture, while “Live” explores how faith influences moral and social action. These lenses ensure a comprehensive and coherent approach to religious education, enabling pupils to engage with the Catholic faith intellectually, spiritually, and practically, while also fostering respectful dialogue with other beliefs and cultures.
Ways of Knowing
Pupils develop their learning through:
- Understand (Head) – Knowledge and comprehension
- Discern (Heart) – Critical thinking and reflection
- Respond (Hands) – Personal application and action
Ways of Knowing refer to the three distinct yet interconnected approaches through which pupils engage with religious education: understanding, discerning, and responding. These ways of knowing go beyond academic attainment to reflect a holistic model of learning. Pupils are encouraged to develop deep knowledge and comprehension of religious beliefs and practices (understand), to think critically and creatively about their meaning and significance (discern), and to reflect personally on how these insights might shape their own lives and actions (respond). Together, these approaches support pupils in making meaningful connections between faith, life, and learning.
