Religious Education

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:

Our Approach:

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:

• We Gather: Lessons begin with a stimulus such as an image, piece of music or other resource, prompted by a “big question.” Pupil voice is encouraged from the start.
• We Listen: Scripture is shared and explored, helping children to hear God’s Word.
• We Learn: Biblical context and knowledge are explained, supporting a deeper understanding of the scripture.
• We Respond: Pupils reflect on what the scripture means to them personally and connect it to their own experiences.
• We Go Forth: Pupils consider how they can carry the learning into their daily lives. Tasks completed in the lesson draw on the “respond” and “go forth” stages, enabling children to apply their learning practically.

  

  Lighting the Path Anthologies:

  As part of the Lighting the Path programme, pupils engage with carefully curated anthologies containing a collection of high-quality, rich and thought-provoking images. These visual resources encourage curiosity, discussion and reflection, providing opportunities for children to ask questions, express their ideas and make meaningful connections with scripture and Catholic teaching.

  The anthologies support pupils in looking closely, thinking deeply and responding personally, enriching their religious understanding and encouraging thoughtful dialogue about faith, life and the world around them.

  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.