Religious Education Curriculum

Our Catholic faith is at the heart of all we do

We are extremely proud to be a Catholic school in which both children and adults are supported and encouraged to develop their own faith and spirituality.

We recognise that our children come from a range of backgrounds and abilities. As such, we are sensitive to each child's life experiences and value their individual contribution to school life.

We believe that every child in our care is made in the image and likeness of God. Therefore, our aim in the teaching of Religious Education is to bring our children to a deep, living, active and personal faith related to their own lives and experiences.

We strive to ensure that our whole curriculum, our moral values and our relationships stem from the Gospel values and that our children are continually reminded of God's loving presence in all that we do.

Religious Education Directory – To Know You More Clearly

From September 2025, Catholic schools across England and Wales will begin using the new Religious Education Directory titled To Know You More Clearly. Published by the Catholic Education Service (CES), this directory provides a refreshed and inspiring framework for Religious Education from Early Years Foundation Stage to Year 9.

The directory outlines:
• A clear purpose for RE: to help children know God more clearly, love Him more dearly, and follow Him more nearly

• A model curriculum structured around the six half-terms of the school year, supporting progression and consistency.

- Branch One - Creation & Covenant
- Branch Two - Prophecy & Promise
- Branch Three - Galilee to Jersusalem
- Branch Four - Desert to Garden
- Branch Five - To the ends of the Earth
- Branch Six - Dialogue & Encounter

• A strong emphasis on Catholic faith formation, spiritual development, and respectful understanding of other religions.
• Guidance for SEND inclusion, ensuring all pupils can access and flourish within the RE curriculum.

At Our Lady of the Angels, we are committed to embedding this new directory with care and creativity, ensuring that Religious Education continues to be a core subject that nurtures faith, deepens understanding, and inspires action rooted in Gospel values.
For more information, visit the Catholic Education Service’s official page.

The curriculum also aims to foster respect, understanding, and dialogue between different faiths and cultures.

Judaism: Children learn about Jewish beliefs, practices, and traditions, including the Torah, Shabbat, Passover, the Shema prayer, the Mezuzah, and Kosher food laws. They explore Jewish religious laws, worship, and the significance of the Sabbath.

Islam: Children learn about the Five Pillars of Islam (Shahada, Salah, Sawm, Zakat, and Hajj), how Muslims in Britain live out their beliefs, and artistic expressions of belief such as Islamic calligraphy and religious music.

Dharmic Pathways: Children encounter one Dharmic faith pathway, which may include Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, or Sikhism.

Assessment

Pupils are informally assessed at the end of each half term unit of work. Together these assessments will inform an overall end of year judgement which is shared with parents.