Curriculum Branches
The Religious Education Directory: To Know You More Clearly organises learning through six curriculum branches. These branches are rooted in the story of Salvation History, enabling pupils to understand God’s relationship with humanity and His plan for creation throughout Scripture.
As pupils revisit each branch throughout their time at St Mary’s, they build a deeper understanding of Catholic belief and practice, making connections between different aspects of faith and their own lives.
To support progression from Nursery to Year 6, we use child-friendly titles alongside the official curriculum branches:
| Curriculum Branch | St Mary’s Child-Friendly Theme |
|---|---|
| Creation & Covenant | God’s Gift to Us |
| Prophecy & Promise | God Speaks to Us |
| Galilee to Jerusalem | Jesus Teaches Us |
| Desert to Garden | God’s Love for Us |
| To the Ends of the Earth | Jesus’ Promise to Us |
| Dialogue & Encounter | We Are One in God’s Love |
Ways of Knowing
The Religious Education Directory encourages children not only to learn about faith but also to deepen their understanding of what it means for their lives.
Pupils develop three important ways of knowing:
- Understand (Head) – learning about Scripture, beliefs and teachings.
- Discern (Heart) – reflecting on meaning, values and God’s call.
- Respond (Hands) – putting faith into action through choices, relationships and service.
These three dimensions help children grow in both knowledge and lived faith.
Knowledge Lenses
Within each branch, learning is explored through a range of knowledge lenses. These lenses help pupils examine different aspects of Catholic life and belief.
For the study of Catholicism, pupils learn through:
- Hear – listening to and understanding Scripture.
- Believe – exploring the beliefs of the Church.
- Celebrate – learning about prayer, liturgy and the sacraments.
- Live – understanding how faith influences the way we live.
For the study of other religions and worldviews, pupils also learn through:
- Dialogue – understanding and engaging respectfully with others.
- Encounter – recognising shared human experiences and building mutual understanding.
Together, the curriculum branches, ways of knowing and knowledge lenses help our pupils become religiously literate young people who can make meaningful connections between faith, learning and everyday life.
Sample Religion, Values and Ethics planning ideas:-
The Governing body Mission and Purpose Committee meet at least three times a year to discuss the Catholic life of the school, the RE Curriculum offer and the school’s outreach and mission opportunities which they report back to governors at the full governing body meetings. Governors are invited to school Masses, celebrations and learning walks. The Chair of the Mission and Purpose committee is Mrs L Robertson.