As a Catholic Primary School, the basic religious ethos at English Martyrs is to be found across the whole curriculum and not just within the Religious Education timetable.   The whole aim of our school is the Christian growth of the children, not simply their growth in their faith, but their growing awareness of the world as a maturing Christian.  RE is a core subject and covers 10% of the curriculum.  The Religious Education programme incorporates the Curriculum Directory for Catholic Schools (Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales).

The Religious Education Curriculum at English Martyrs Primary School, 2023-24

During the academic year of 2023-24, we will be continuing to phase in the new Religious Education Directory in some classes whilst continuing to follow the 'Come and See' programme in other year groups.  This is part of a planned phased transition that is taking place in schools across our Diocese.

In Early Years, Year 1 and Year 6, the children will be following the new Religious Education Directory 'To know you more clearly'.  For these children, they will study six topics (or 'branches') across the year:

'Creation and Covenant' (Autumn 1)

'Prophecy and Promise' (Autumn 2)

'Galilee to Jerusalem' (Spring 1)

'Desert to Garden' (Spring 2)

'To the ends of the Earth' (Summer 1)

These branches are revisited each year as part of a 'spiral curriculum' that enables children to draw on previous learning as they deepen their understanding, develop the skills to find out more and reflect upon how this relates to their own lives and how they might respond and live out the teachings of Jesus.   

In Years 2, 3, 4 and 5, the children will continue to follow the 'Come and See' programme.  Within this programme, each year studies three topics per term and these are also sequenced to create a 'spiral curriculum' where key themes are revisited each year:

Autumn term:

Domestic Church: Family

Baptism / Confirmation: Belonging

Advent / Christmas: Loving

Spring term:

Local Church: Community

Lent / Easter: Giving

Pentecost: Serving

Summer term:

Reconciliation: Inter-relating

Eucharist: Relating

Universal Church: World