Intent

English Martyrs is a Catholic school where, as a ‘Learning Community in Christ’, our Catholic Faith is at the centre of our lives and our school.

We recognise and value every individual as special and unique in the image and likeness of God. Religious Education at English Martyrs respects and promotes each child’s innate capacity for wonder, awe, reverence and spirituality. Through our Religious Education curriculum we intend to teach our children to aspire not to have more, but to be more; children are taught about God’s love; they learn about their Christian responsibilities; children are provided with experiences of church, Catholic and Christian traditions, as well as being taught to be respectful and understanding of people and traditions from other faith backgrounds.

Through Religious Education our children learn about their unique place within the home, school and parish community. Central to our ethos are the opportunities for prayer, worship and reflection which lie at the heart of our faith. We will promote and encourage these at every level, together with the skills and attitudes necessary to live out the Christian message in the modern world. 

We intend that our children leave English Martyrs for the next stage of their education with a knowledge of scripture which they can draw upon throughout their lives, with the confidence to ask questions about faith, and with a deep sense that they are God’s child and are always loved.

Implementation

Religious Education is at the heart of our curriculum and is treated as a core subject at English Martyrs. In line with the expectations of the Religious Education Directory, To Know You More Clearly, we devote at least 10% of our taught curriculum time to RE. This is separate from the prayer, liturgy and worship that form part of the daily life of our school.

We use the Day by Day resources, created by Primary RE Advisers from the Diocese of Arundel and Brighton and hosted in partnership with St Mary’s University. These resources support the six branches of the Religious Education Directory and have received canonical approval and endorsement from the Catholic Education Service.

What our teachers and children particularly enjoy about Day by Day is that it makes RE active, accessible and relevant. Through Scripture, art, music, discussion, practical activities, prayer and reflection, children are encouraged to take an active part in their learning. Lessons pose big questions about faith, justice, human dignity, care for creation and issues affecting the world today. Children learn to think deeply, make connections, listen carefully and explain their ideas.

Our curriculum is firmly rooted in Catholic teaching, but it is welcoming and accessible to children of every faith background and at every stage of their faith journey. We help children understand that everyone has a worldview, shaped by their beliefs, experiences, family and community. As the phrase “nobody stands nowhere” reminds us, we all view the world from a particular perspective. Children are encouraged to begin to understand their own worldview, consider why they hold particular beliefs and respect that others may see and understand the world differently.

Lessons are adapted so that every child, including those with special educational needs and disabilities, can participate meaningfully and show what they know and understand. Through RE, children develop secure knowledge of Scripture and Catholic teaching, while also learning to question, reflect and consider how faith can be lived out through their choices and actions.