RE
Curriculum Intent
Religious Education is at the heart of life at The Priory Catholic Primary School. Through RE, our children develop a deeper understanding of God, Jesus Christ, the teachings of the Catholic Church, and their own place within the world. They are encouraged to think critically, ask meaningful questions, reflect thoughtfully, and express their beliefs and ideas with confidence and respect.
In line with the mission of Catholic education, 10% of curriculum teaching time is dedicated to Religious Education. This reflects the central role of faith formation within our school and ensures that children develop a secure knowledge and understanding of the Catholic faith. Our teaching is guided by the Religious Education Directory and is supported by the Nottingham Diocese’s Meet in My Name programme, which provides a structured and engaging curriculum for teaching and learning in Religious Education.
Religious Education helps children recognise how Gospel values can shape their choices, relationships, and actions. It also promotes respect for the dignity of every person, encourages dialogue with people of different faiths and worldviews, and supports pupils in becoming compassionate, responsible, and active members of society.
Through Religious Education, we aim to nurture children spiritually, morally, intellectually, and socially, helping them to flourish as unique individuals created and loved by God.
The Religious Education Directory underpins teaching and learning in our school. It guides the RE curriculum by outlining what pupils should know, understand and experience as they grow in faith. Rooted in Scripture, Tradition and Church teaching, it supports a clear and progressive approach, helping pupils develop their understanding of the Catholic faith and live out Gospel values in their daily lives.
In the Religious Education Directory, the curriculum is divided into different ‘branches’ that show the key areas of learning. We use Nottingham Diocesan planning to support our school’s intent and implementation of RE.
Branch 1 – Creation and Covenant
In this branch, pupils will encounter the God who creates and calls a people. They will explore revelation of the Christian belief that all that is comes from God, the Creation accounts in Genesis, and scientific explanations of the process of Creation. They will explore the call of God and his covenantal relationship with his people first through Abraham and Moses, then through the narrative of the Old Testament.
Branch 2 – Prophecy and Promise
The prophets speak of God reaching to his people, calling them back into a relationship with him. In this branch, pupils will explore the Christian understanding of the teaching of the prophets as they point to the fulfilment of God’s promise in a messiah, Jesus Christ. They will explore the expectant waiting for the Messiah through the Advent season and how this speaks to Christians today as they wait for Christ. Pupils will encounter the story of the nativity of Jesus and the mystery of the incarnation.
Branch 3 – Galilee to Jerusalem
In this branch, pupils will experience the ministry of Jesus, the Word of God. They will learn about the life of Jesus and his revelation of the Kingdom of God through parables, encounters, miracles, and teachings. They will learn about the call of the disciples and the nature of being a follower of Jesus.
Branch 4 – Desert to Garden
In this branch, pupils will study the season of Lent and its culmination in the events of Holy Week. They will learn about the Paschal Triduum at the heart of the Catholic Church’s Liturgy and life. The title of this branch points both to the liturgical journey from the desert of Lent to the garden of Resurrection, but also to the Paschal journey from darkness to light, barrenness to fruitfulness, death to life.
Branch 5 – To the Ends of the Earth
In this branch, pupils will study the events that flowed from the Resurrection and Ascension in the coming of the Holy Spirit and the work of the apostles and early Church. They will also learn about the Catholic Church today as the apostolic Church and how its liturgy and structures flow from the early Church.
Branch 6 – Dialogue and Encounter
In this branch, pupils will learn how Christians work together with people of different religious convictions and all people of goodwill towards the common good, respecting the dignity of all humanity. They will also encounter other pathways of belief drawing on the teaching of the Church about intercultural dialogue.
