Religious Education curriculum
Through our Love of God,
We Respect and Value Every Person
At St. John Fisher we will live out our Mission Statement,
- Through the way we teach and learn
- Through our relationships with one another, the children, parents and wider community
- Through our approach to behaviour and discipline which is based on gospel values of reconciliation and love for the individual
- Through making prayer and worship an integral part of our daily life
- Through our concern for justice and peace in our world and for those less fortunate than ourselves.
Rationale of Religious Education:
- We believe Religious Education to be ‘the core of the core curriculum.’
- We believe Religious Education is central to the educative mission of the Church.
- We believe that through Religious Education we come to a greater understanding of our spiritual development.
- Aware that evangelisation and catechesis are happening in our school for some pupils, we are clear that the specific contribution Religious Education makes to the Catholic Life of the school is primarily educational and will be planned, taught, assessed and monitored with the same rigour as other curriculum subjects.
- We understand Religious Education to be the systematic study of the teaching of the Church and the mystery of Christ.
‘At the heart of Catholic education lies the Christian vision of the human person. This vision is expressed and explored in religious education. Therefore religious education is never simply one subject among many, but the foundation of the entire educational process. The beliefs and values studied in Catholic religious education inspire and draw together every aspect of the life of a Catholic school. All pupils have the right to receive an overall education which will enable them, in the light of the faith of the Church, to engage with the deepest questions of life and find reasons for the hope which is within them. Religious Education is, then, the core subject in a Catholic school.’ (Statement on Religious Education in Catholic Schools – Bishops’ Conference 2000)
‘Religious Education is a rigorous academic discipline, and as such it is to be taught, developed and resourced with the same commitment as any other subject. (Curriculum Directory p.10)
‘The outcome of Religious Education is religiously literate young people who have the knowledge, understanding and skills – appropriate to their age and capacity – to think spiritually, ethically and theologically, who are aware of the demands of religious commitment in everyday life.’ (Curriculum Directory p.10)