Religious Education
Religious Education
Religious Education is described by Pope St John Paul II as “the core of the core curriculum” in a Catholic school. At the heart of the curriculum, RE enables Catholic schools to carry out their mission of educating the whole person, guiding pupils to seek the meaning of their lives.
New Religious Education Directory - 'To know you more clearly'.
A new Religious Education Directory was published in 2023, and we have fully implemented this RE curriculum in light of this new guidance into our RE lessons. This is expected to be fully in place in all catholic schools by 2026.
Religious Education at St Kentigern’s
Religious Education is central to our school curriculum. The requirements of the RE curriculum are met through the scheme ‘Lighting the Path’ which in turn meets the requirements of the Religious Education Curriculum Directory set out by the Bishop’s Conference of England Wales. Lessons focus on both providing the children with a knowledge of the Catholic Faith and leading them to a deeper understanding of the significance of religion in their lives. They are encouraged to give a variety of responses to what they have learned and to measure their own development as Christians by reflecting on their relationships with others and with God. Children are encouraged to discuss and debate in a respectful manner their views and the views of others. All lessons are planned and resourced to be inclusive of all children regardless of home circumstances, academic or medical needs. We ensure that families are supported in bringing their children up in the Catholic faith and we provide a well- rounded Catholic education. We support all our staff, Catholic and Non-Catholic, in guiding the children in their faith. Non-Catholic teachers are invited to join our non-Catholic teaching program if they wish.
Lighting the Path
Within, the Religious Education Directory' it sets out the new curriculum following the branches on the Religious Education Directory. Through their Religious Education lessons, the children explore their faith, the teachings of the Church, and learn to retell and understand key bible stories. Over the next year there will be a transitional phase where we move from our previous RE curriculum “Come and See” to the new curriculum “Lighting the Path”.
September 2025: EYFS, Year 1 and Year 2 will be teaching the new curriculum from the 'Lighting the Path' resource. Year 3 , Year 4, Year 5 and Year 6 will be trialling the new curriculum resources in 'Lighting the Path' produced by the Diocese of Salford.
We along with the Catholic Church, firmly believe the teaching of ‘Other Faiths’ is important for our children. Learning about the religion and cultures of those who do not share the Catholic faith is one of the ways in which we embody the call ‘to love one’s neighbour’. Many of the children who attend St Kentigern’s are practicing members of other faiths. St Kentigern’s is a place of love and respect for all our children.
Religious Education Long Term Plan
Below is our long-term plan for Religious Education. This follows the Religious Education Directory.
