Religious Education Curriculum
At Holy Family, Religious Education is at the heart of our curriculum and the Catholic life and mission of our school. We recognise every child as special and unique, made in the image and likeness of God. Our curriculum seeks to inspire wonder, awe, reverence and spirituality, enabling pupils to develop a secure knowledge and understanding of the Catholic faith and recognise how the teachings of Christ can shape their lives and relationships. Children also learn about other religions and worldviews, developing respect and understanding for the beliefs of others.
Religious Education is taught across all year groups through Lighting the Path, our diocesan-approved programme. Its spiral curriculum enables pupils to revisit key themes with increasing depth and challenge, building progressively on prior learning. Through scripture, Catholic teaching and Church tradition, children are encouraged to reflect, ask questions, make connections and consider how their learning relates to their own lives.
Learning is enriched through prayer, reflection, liturgy, visits and meaningful experiences. Carefully sequenced teaching enables all pupils to develop their religious knowledge and vocabulary, articulate their ideas and beliefs with confidence, and make strong progress from their individual starting points.
As pupils journey through Holy Family, we aim for them to become religiously literate, thoughtful and reflective, able to make meaningful connections between faith, learning and life. Guided by Christ’s love, they are encouraged to develop their God-given talents, live out Gospel values and grow into compassionate, respectful and responsible members of their family, school, parish and wider community.
Curriculum Documents
Lighting the Path Catholic Religious Education Curriculum Overview EYFS KS1
The Religious Education Directory
Our Approach to RE:
Religious Education at Holy Family is taught through the Lighting the Path programme, using its curriculum, resources and assessment framework. Alongside this, we continue to use the familiar Gather, Listen, Learn, Respond and Go Forth approach, which is well established and understood by our pupils.
This supports children in making meaningful connections between scripture, Catholic teaching, their own lives and the way they put their faith into action:
- Gather – children prepare for learning, reflect and consider key questions.
- Listen – children encounter and explore scripture and the Word of God.
- Learn – knowledge and understanding of scripture and Catholic teaching are developed.
- Respond – children reflect on their learning and consider what it means for them.
- Go Forth – children consider how they can live out what they have learnt through their actions and choices.
Our School Parable:
Each September, as pupils begin their new year groups, our writing lessons focus on our school parable, The Good Samaritan. This provides an important opportunity for children to reconnect with the Gospel values at the heart of life at Holy Family.
Our English Lead has developed age-appropriate model texts for each year group, enabling pupils to explore the parable with increasing depth and understanding as they progress through the school. Through their writing, children reflect on its message and consider how they can live out the values of compassion, kindness, love and service to others in their own lives.
Learning about Saints:
Throughout the school year, pupils explore the lives and examples of saints as part of their Religious Education. In Term 1, each class learns about their class saint, discovering their story and the values they model. Later in the year, pupils learn about a child saint and an adult saint, broadening their understanding of how people of all ages have lived out their faith.
By the end of Key Stage 2, every pupil will have learned about 19 saints, drawing inspiration from their lives and considering how their example can guide our own choices and actions.
CAFOD and Family Trust:
Throughout the academic year, visits from CAFOD and the Family Trust provide pupils with opportunities to explore important social and charitable issues. These experiences encourage children to reflect on compassion, justice and service, deepening their understanding of Catholic Social Teaching and how faith calls us to care for others and take positive action in the wider world.
