RE
Our Faculty Mission Statement is:
Religious Education is the foundation of creating global citizens in our Catholic school. We hand on the moral and spiritual frameworks of the Church to each learner, whilst providing a curriculum which is rooted in excellence, knowledge rich and effectively sequenced with a strong grounding in faith. As a family, we recognise our call to be servant leaders, promoting the Gospel and not only learning about faith, but living it.
The Intent of our KS3 RED Curriculum
At KS3, the RE department follows the national framework, ‘To Know You More Clearly’, which is mapped against the Religious Education Curriculum Directory (3-19) for Catholic Schools and Colleges (RED) which is designed to enrich the spiritual and moral development of children to be implemented in all Catholics schools by 2025.
Children are given opportunity to understand their own identity and that of others to raise awareness of the faith into which they were baptised, building effective foundations for dialogue and understanding. Through exploring engaging and age-appropriate content, children are guided to discover key aspects of the Catholic faith, including Scripture, Sacraments, Catholic Social Teaching, and the Church’s rich tradition.
KS3 Teaching & Learning
The KS3 RED is structured through six ‘curriculum branches’ that correspond to the six half-terms of a year. These branches are rooted in the narrative of salvation history and are sequenced in such a way that nurtures a deeper understanding of its significance for Catholic beliefs and practices year upon year. These branches are:
- Creation and Covenant
- Prophecy and Promise
- Galilee to Jerusalem
- Desert to Garden
- To the ends of the Earth
- Dialogue and Encounter
To access these branches, children will look through four knowledge lenses; hear, believe, celebrate and live. Children acquire knowledge and understanding through study, discussion and reflection using dynamic pedagogies and will utilise latest technologies in the classroom using Chromebooks, complete online assessments and experience Quality First Teaching methods through active learning.
Our Mission within KS3 Religious Education
By promoting critical thinking, empathy, and a strong moral compass, the curriculum seeks to prepare children to become compassionate, informed, and active members of both the Church and society. In partnership with families and parishes, this curriculum supports a collaborative approach to religious education, fostering a community of faith that extends beyond the classroom. ‘To Know You More Clearly’ is more than just an educational tool; it is a journey of faith that invites young people to grow in knowledge, love, and service, fulfilling the mission of Catholic education to develop the whole person.
Key Stage 4 Religious Education- Eduqas Specification B GCSE
As Religious Education is a core subject here at St James’- all children will complete a GCSE within the subject.
The exam consists of the following components, which each have their own exam at the end of Year 11:
- Component One: Foundational Catholic Theology
- Component Two: Applied Catholic Theology
- Component Three: Judaism- beliefs, teachings and practises
Within the components, we cover a wide and varied range of topics which encourage critical thinking, reasoning and evaluation of topical ideas and beliefs.
Areas of study include but are not limited to- beliefs about life after death, the nature of God, the incarnation, capital punishment and crime and punishment.
Children are given opportunities to understand what it means to be a British citizen – developing respect for and tolerance of different faiths. They also learn the importance of equality and the need to identify common ground between all people to promote understanding of and engagement in shared action for the common good of all.
