Religious Education

Religious Education (RE) at St. Paul's

At St. Paul’s we believe that religious education is never simply one subject among many, but the foundation of the entire educational process.  We believe Religious Education is, then, the core subject in a Catholic school.  Religious education contributes to evangelisation and catechesis but its specific contribution to the Catholic Life of the school is primarily educational and so Religious Education will be planned, taught, assessed and monitored with the same rigour as other curriculum subjects.

In the RE curriculum at St. Paul’s we believe that religious education is never simply one subject among many, but the foundation of the entire educational process.  We are still following the RE scheme, The Way the Truth and the Life. However, from September 2024, with the introduction of the new Religious Education Directory (RED) ‘To Know You More Clearly,’ Year 1 – 4 will be following the new scheme: The Vine and the Branches. EYFS will be following the model curriculum from the RED and Year 5 and 6 will continue to follow ‘The Way the Truth and the Life.’

The model curriculum must include a wide range of opportunities for pupils to engage in creative and critical thinking (discern) and personal reflection (respond) and to make meaningful connections between scriptural texts (hear), Catholic beliefs (believe), prayer and liturgy (celebrate), and the relationship of faith to life (live). In this last lens, students must also experience a mix of philosophical and ethical issues, artistic expression, and lived religion elements in each year of their study.