Religious Education Curriculum

“Education is not about knowing things or taking lessons but about being able to use three lingos: those of the head, the heart, and the hands… learning so that you can think about what you feel and do, can feel what you think and do, and can do what you feel and think. Unity within a person.” Pope Francis

Rationale

At Sacred Heart we stimulate pupils’ imagination and deepen their understanding of the relationship between faith and life.

Our RE program is designed to help pupils encounter the person of Jesus Christ, understand the teachings of the Church, and reflect on how faith informs every aspect of life. It supports the development of conscience, compassion, and a sense of purpose, empowering pupils to live out Gospel values in their daily lives.

In Key Stage 3, the Religious Education Directory (RED) operates as a rigorous, academically demanding curriculum framework which uses a sequential spiral model. This design means pupils revisit the same overarching theological themes every year, but with a significantly higher level of scriptural, historical, and philosophical complexity as they progress from Year 7 through Year 9.

Religious Education is central to the curriculum at Sacred Heart Catholic Secondary School. We are committed to living out the Mission Statement of the School by helping each student to grow in their faith and in education. Christ is at the centre of our work as we constantly try to live out Christ’s mission in our daily lives and live out the Gospel Values. We believe that all students are created by God, are sacred and valued for all their individual gifts and talents. We hope to educate each student as a whole person so they will grow and develop as a thinking, considerate individual who feels confident of their place in the world. Religion is an essential part of everyday existence and is therefore relevant to all.

Intent

As a Catholic School, our curriculum centres around understanding the importance of our own faith journey; exploring questions around our own spirituality, morality and social justice. Our pupils are part of a community of faith, service, prayer and worship where the dignity, self-esteem and full development of each person, who is made in the image of God, is valued.

RE is at the heart of our curriculum because faith is at the heart of our community.  At Sacred Heart we want our young people to develop the skills of asking questions to deepen knowledge and understanding.  RE prepares thoughtful learners; we want our young people to consider the beliefs and ideas of others and how they compare to their own.  RE prepares respectful pupils; we expect our pupils to treat the faith and beliefs of all people with care and tolerance.

Implementation

In KS3, the academic year is split into six half-termly branches following the structure of the RED which unfold chronologically through salvation history, adding deeper theological weight each year. We challenge pupils to think critically about their own beliefs and the beliefs of others, and promote tolerance and understanding so that pupils develop a deep-rooted respect for all human life.

Branch 1: Creation and Covenant (Autumn 1): Moves beyond basic creation stories to explore the nature of God, the Abrahamic and Mosaic covenants, and the theology of the human person.

Branch 2: Prophecy and Promise (Autumn 2): Examines the political and spiritual roles of Old Testament prophets, messianic expectations, and their fulfillment in Christ.

Branch 3: From Galilee to Jerusalem (Spring 1): Shifts focus to Christology, examining the historical and theological significance of Jesus’ miracles, parables, and his radical call to discipleship.

Branch 4: From Desert to Garden (Spring 2): Critically analyses the Paschal Mystery, focusing on salvation, redemption, and the depth of the Sacraments of Reconciliation and the Eucharist.

Branch 5: To the Ends of the Earth (Summer 1): Looks at Ecclesiology—the birth of the Church at Pentecost, its mission, history, and the development of doctrine.

Branch 6: Dialogue and Encounter (Summer 2): Dedicated to the academic study of other world religions and worldviews, building interfaith literacy and evaluating how religions engage with modern ethical questions

Y10 and Y11

We have a two year KS4 that builds upon the knowledge and skills developed in KS3. We offer the WJEC Eduqas GCSE (9-1) Religious Studies: Route B: Catholic Christianity and Judaism.

In Year 10 pupils study Component 1: Foundational Catholic Theology.  Within this component two themes are studied; Origins & Meaning and Good & Evil. And Component 3: Judaism.

In Year 11 pupils study Component 2: Applied Catholic Theology.  Within this component two themes are studied; Life & Death and Sin & Forgiveness.

Pupils will study the ‘big questions’ concerning life and death, sin and forgiveness, good and evil and the foundations of religious belief. The study of religion engenders critical thinking, encourages philosophical thought, decision making skills, collaboration and independent working skills.

GCSE RE creates opportunities for young people to develop their skills of dialogue, interpretation and analysis in a coherent context. All these are vital skills in a modern workforce where communication, collaboration and cooperation are core skills.

Impact

Religious education at Sacred Heart plays a significant role in the lives of young people. It develops within them a body of knowledge through which they can become the next generation of spiritually and socially aware adults, capable of contributing to and relating to all elements of their community.  It also creates a set of transferable academic skills which can be applied within the formal as well as informal curriculum.

Our RE Curriculum is distinctively Catholic and guides the students into discovering a deeper Catholic belief. They are guided into discovering that relationship with God and with others is essential to being human. Students also explore many other religious dimensions of life and learn to think spiritually, ethically and theologically.

Key skills that we endeavour to assist you in your development are: being able to give reasons, explaining yourself, evaluating, interpreting and critically analysing.

At GCSE Level we study Eduqas Religious Studies: Route B.

https://www.eduqas.co.uk/qualifications/religious-studies-gcse/#tab_overview