RE Curriculum Intent

At St. Gabriel’s, Religious Education strives to create positive caring pupils through our scripture-based curriculum and Catholic social teaching. Catholic social teaching is underpinned by many principles such as: the dignity of the human person, working for the common good, stewardship of the planet, social and global issues, economy and leadership. RE, while part of every aspect of school life, has a distinct body of knowledge and skills. We want to help our pupils become ‘religiously literate young people who have the knowledge, understanding and skills to think spiritually, ethically and theologically.’* We see our children become respectful, understanding and empathetic young people, who stand up for the most vulnerable in society and strive to make the world a better place.

*Religious Education in Catholic Schools, Catholic Bishops’ Conference, 2000

Curriculum Implementation

Religion is taught in accordance with RE Curriculum Directory using the Diocesan approved scheme 'Come and See.' Lessons take many different formats, with children's work being produced as written work, comprehension, acts of worship, presentations, drama, music, dance and art.

Children are taught in 4 week 'blocks' throughout the year. In the first week, we listen to the word of God and introduce our new theme. During the next two weeks we explore and reveal and finally, children respond in the last week, often including their own liturgies or acts of worship.

There are nine themes throughout the year and these are:

1. Domestic Church - Family

2. Baptism/Confirmation - Belonging

3. Advent/Christmas - Loving

4. Local Church - Community

5. Eucharist - Relating

6. Lent/Easter - Giving

7. Pentecost - Serving

8. Reconciliation - Inter-relating

9. Universal Church - World

SMSC (Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural Education) through Caritas in Action.

Caritas in Action is a document that produced by the Salford Diocese as a response to Catholic Social Teaching, which calls all Catholics to work together for the common good. There are 7 themes within the documents, which each class focus on throughout the year.

The themes are as follows:

1. Dignity of the Human Person

2. Family and Community

3. Solidarity and the common good

4. Dignity of Work

5. Rights and Responsibilities

6. Option for the poor and vulnerable

7. Stewardship 

Throughout the year, each class will look at all seven areas and present a class assembly on one of the themes. Each of our Sunshine Days are based on one of the themes and children complete activities in class on those days.

Sacramental Programme 

All children in Year 3 are invited to enrol on the Sacramental Progamme and become full members of the Church after receiving the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Holy Communion. This is a really special time for our children and a memory that will last forever.

Children's sessions run after school with their class teacher and parent sessions are led after church by our parent catechists and Father Michael. 

Relationships and Sex Education (RSE)

At St. Gabriel's RC Primary School, we have recently invested in Ten Ten’s new programme for Catholic primary schools, Life to the Full, which will teach Relationships Education and Health Education within the context of a Christian understanding of human sexuality rooted in the wisdom and teaching of the Catholic Church.

We wish to embrace 'the challenges of creating a happy and successful adult life' by giving pupils knowledge 'that will enable them to make informed decisions about their wellbeing, health and relationships' (DFE Statutory Guidance).

This teaching is delivered through the prism of Catholic RSHE.  The framework of our programme is taken from the Model Catholic RSE Programme by the Catholic Education Service, which has been highlighted by the Department of Education as a work of good practice.

Taught with a spiral approach to learning, in which pupils will revisit the same topics at an age-appropriate stage through their school life, the programme includes teaching about personal health, physical and emotional wellbeing, strong emotions, private parts of the body, personal relationships, family structures, trusted adults, growing bodies, puberty, periods, life cycles, the dangers of social media, where babies come from, an understanding of the Common Good and living in the wider world. The entire teaching is underpinned with a religious understanding that our deepest identity is as a child of God - created chosen and loved by God. The programme is fully inclusive of all pupils and their families.