Religious Education (RE)

Our Vision for RE

At St Joseph's, Religious Education sits at the heart of everything we do. It is not simply a subject on the timetable but the golden thread that runs through the life of our school, shaping how we care for one another, how we treat the world around us, and how we come to know and love God.

Through our RE curriculum, we want every child to grow into a religiously literate young person — someone with the knowledge, understanding and confidence to think spiritually and theologically, to ask big questions, and to understand what religious belief and commitment look like in everyday life.

Our curriculum is planned in line with Diocesan guidance and delivered through the Religious Education Directory - to know you more clearly(RED), supported by the 'Magister' Catholic Education Scheme of work. Every child is invited to encounter Jesus Christ as a living presence at the centre of their learning, in a way that respects their own developing beliefs and background.

Why RE Matters at St Joseph's

The purpose of RE at St Joseph's is to nurture and deepen the Catholic faith of our children and staff, and to help every child come to know God's love as revealed through Jesus Christ. RE is not confined to lessons — it permeates the whole life of our school community, strengthening our relationships with God and with one another.

RE also plays a vital role in pupils' broader development, supporting their cultural, moral, spiritual, social and emotional growth, and helping to prepare them for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life.

As a core subject, RE is allocated 10% of curriculum time, in addition to the time our children spend in collective worship, prayer and liturgy.

Our Aims

Through our RE curriculum, we aim to:

• Give staff and children a secure knowledge and understanding of the Catholic faith and its beliefs
• Enable staff and children to communicate with God through prayer and scripture
• Nurture the spiritual development of every member of our school community
• Foster a sense of awe and wonder at God's creation
• Encourage respect and understanding for those who hold different beliefs
• Support children in growing in self-awareness and developing a positive attitude towards their own emotions, learning and life
• Help children build secure, supportive relationships with others
• Develop children's awareness of justice and the rights of the individual

How RE is Organised at St Joseph's

RE is taught to all children through our four core learning groups, matching the way we organise and teach every other core subject across the school:

Group	Year Groups
Early Years	Reception
Key Stage 1	Year 1 and Year 2
Lower Key Stage 2	Year 3 and Year 4
Upper Key Stage 2	Year 5 and Year 6

 

 

 

Because children in Year 1/2, Year 3/4 and Year 5/6 are taught together in mixed-age classes, RE (like our other core subjects) is delivered through a two-year rolling programme. Reception follows its own dedicated Early Years programme each year, in line with the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum.

Curriculum Cycle Overview: 2025–27

The table below shows which year group's RED content each mixed-age class is following in the current and next academic year:

 

Class	2025/26	2026/27
Year 1/2	Year 1 curriculum	Year 2 curriculum
Year 3/4	Year 3 curriculum	Year 4 curriculum
Year 5/6	Year 5 curriculum	Year 6 curriculum

 

The RED Curriculum: Branches and Lenses

Our curriculum is built around six branches, which follow the pattern of the Church's Liturgical Year and are revisited in a spiral structure — meaning children return to the same core themes at increasing depth as they move through the school. The branches are:

• Creation and Covenant
• Prophecy and Promise
• Galilee to Jerusalem
• Desert to Garden
• To the Ends of the Earth
• Dialogue and Encounter

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Each branch is explored through four lenses — Hear, Believe, Celebrate and Live — language drawn from the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Our study of other faiths and worldviews is taught through the lenses of dialogue and encounter, helping children understand and respect traditions beyond their own.

Alongside the branches, children develop three core ways of knowing:

• Understand — building knowledge of Scripture, doctrine and the Church's teaching
• Discern — reflecting on and making sense of what they have learned
• Respond — expressing their own thinking, questions and developing faith

Inclusion and Equal Opportunities

Every child at St Joseph's is entitled to full and equal access to our RE curriculum. We recognise that children learn and express themselves in different ways, and we adapt our teaching so that all pupils — including those with additional needs and our most able learners — can engage meaningfully, whether through discussion, writing, art, drama or other creative approaches. We are mindful of each child's cultural, social and family background and approach our teaching and choice of resources with sensitivity.

Other Faiths and Worldviews

As a Catholic school, we recognise the importance of helping children understand and respect the beliefs and traditions of other world religions. This is woven into our RED curriculum, giving children opportunities to explore, question and grow in respect for those of different faiths and none.

RE Beyond the Classroom

RE at St Joseph's is lived out well beyond lesson time. We work closely with our parish to prepare liturgies and celebrations throughout the year, and we value the strong partnership between home, school and parish in supporting each child's faith journey. Prayer, collective worship and moments of reflection are part of the rhythm of every school day.

Right to Withdraw

Parents and carers have the right to withdraw their child from Religious Education. Anyone wishing to discuss this is welcome to contact the school office in the first instance.

Curriculum Documents

 

• RE Curriculum Overview — Reception
• RE Curriculum Overview — Year 1/2 (Cycle A and Cycle B)
• RE Curriculum Overview — Year 3/4 (Cycle A and Cycle B)
• RE Curriculum Overview — Year 5/6 (Cycle A and Cycle B)
• RED SEND Guidance
• Right to Withdraw from RE — Information for Parents