Our Learning / RE
We aim for all pupils to be religiously literate, know their way around Scripture and the traditions of the Catholic Church and to be able to consider how this impacts on their everyday life.
RE is at our core and we aim for our children to have the knowledge, understanding and skills – appropriate to their age and capacity –to reflect spiritually, and think ethically and theologically, and to be aware of the demands of religious commitment in everyday life.
Our curriculum and the Catholic life of our school is underpinned by our school values based on the Kingdom of God.
It is an opportunity to take Christ’s teaching into the heart of our faith and our school. Jesus taught constantly about “the kingdom of God”. This concept was at the centre of his teaching and life –we want to have the same at St. Margaret Clitherow School.
Our mission is to do all we can to bring signs of God’s mercy, compassion and justice into the world. This is the mission Jesus has entrusted us to do. If we have faith in Him, we will witness how he can help us to help others.
Our Religious Education curriculum is supported by The Westminster Way, the Diocese of Westminster’s programme for Religious Education, which is rooted in the Religious Education Directory. It provides a rich and engaging journey through the Catholic faith, Scripture, prayer and the life of the Church, while supporting children to develop their knowledge, understanding and ability to reflect. Through its emphasis on Hear, Believe, Celebrate and Live, alongside Dialogue and Encounter, pupils are encouraged to grow in faith, develop their own sense of identity and engage respectfully with the beliefs and experiences of others. In accordance with Diocese of Westminster requirements, a minimum of 10% of taught curriculum time is allocated to classroom Religious Education, reflecting its status as a core subject and its central place within the life and curriculum of our Catholic school.
Children develop a deep understanding of the Catholic faith while also learning about other religious traditions and worldviews. Through the Dialogue and Encounter branch of the Religious Education Directory, children gain accurate knowledge of other faiths, particularly Judaism and other world religions, developing respect, understanding and openness towards those whose beliefs and traditions may differ from their own. This enables children to engage positively with the diversity of the world around them while strengthening their own Catholic identity.
All Catholic schools are required to teach about other religions as part of theReligious Education curriculum. This is a feature of Catholic RE in all stages of a child's development, from the beginning of Primary School. It prepares the pupils in our Catholic schools for life in modern Britain, giving them an understanding of the beliefs of others. This in turn will improve social cohesion and contribute to the common good by increasing mutual respect between those of different religions.
Children are not only ‘taught’ their faith, it is ‘caught’ from home and from school. As they grow, the children are encouraged to put their faith into practice in their own lives.
Encourage your child to talk about what they have been learning in RE. Help them to recognise that some of the “big” questions may be difficult to answer.
Support homework tasks and give your child opportunities to talk about the role faith has in the decisions you make as a family.
Pray together, help your child to learn the important prayers of the Church.
Share the Wednesday Word with your child each week. Consider how the scripture links to the school values.
By working together for the children; parents and teachers make this school a place which we can truly say: “Jesus lives in us”
Please scroll through the gallery below for a flavour of RE learning at our school
