| St. Joseph’s Junior School |
| Religious Education Policy |
| Signed : Date: June 2023 |
Introduction
The following policy lays out clearly the approach to Religious Education at St. Joseph’s Catholic Junior School.
The Gospel Values underpin all our work in every subject area as we endeavour to ‘provide an education that develops the God-given gifts of the whole person’ as our Mission Statement says.
St. Joseph’s Junior School is established by the Diocese of Menevia in order to support our parents in their responsibility for the academic, physical, spiritual, moral and Religious Education of their children.
As the Bishops of England and Wales stated in ‘Principles, Practices and Concerns’,
St. Joseph’s Junior School is committed to promoting:
* the Search for Excellence in that we are called to seek perfection in all aspects of our lives;
* the Uniqueness of the Individual by recognising that each individual is made in God’s image and loved by him.
* the Education of the Whole Person by integrating the Sacred and the Secular in education.
* the Education of All by ensuring that every child is valued, and
* Moral Values by ensuring that Gospel values promote every aspect of our school.
Monitoring Cycle
All subjects are monitored in a planned and structured way by the Headteacher and Curriculum Leaders in an annual cycle. As a result of this, future targets are identified and included in the School Development Plan. In this way, a cycle of continuous improvement is very much part of this school’s ethos. Religious Education is monitored in the Autumn Term.
The Aims of Religious Education
The Church believes that in a Catholic School everything that happens should speak in some way of God the Creator. Hence, there should be no distinction between the Sacred and the Secular in our schools.
‘In reality, the curriculum as a whole, and every part of it, is religious, since there is nothing that does not ultimately relate to God.'(Evaluating A-1)
So, religious growth and development in our school is not confined simply to the time-tabled Religious Education. It is the basic aim of the whole school experience. The total curriculum stimulates religious growth and development, along with academic and social progress.
Furthermore, the religious growth and development that takes place in school can only compliment and build on whatever experiences the child has had in the home, parish and wider community. The work of the school stands alongside the experience of faith in the home and parish, through the child’s active participation in prayer, sacramental life and service of others.
We regard Religious Education as a journey of formation involving every member of the school community, together with their families and parish communities.
As an academic discipline it is taught, developed and resources at St. Joseph’s Junior School with the same commitment as any other subject.
The aims of Religious Education in our school are to promote;
* knowledge and understanding of Catholic faith and life
* knowledge and understanding of the response of faith to the ultimate questions about human life, its origins and purpose
* the skills required to engage in examination of and reflection upon religious belief and practice.
The specific objectives are:
* to develop knowledge and understanding of the mystery of God and Jesus
* to develop an awareness and appreciation of Catholic belief, understanding of its impact on personal and social behaviour and of the vital relationship between faith and life, life and faith.
* to encourage study, investigation and reflection by the pupils
* to develop appropriate skills, for example, the ability to listen, to think critically, spiritually, ethically and theologically, to acquire knowledge and to organize it effectively and to make informed judgements.
* to foster appropriate attitudes: for example, the respect for truth, respect for the views of others, awareness of the spiritual, of moral responsibility, of the demands of religious commitment in everyday life and especially of the challenge of living in a multicultural, multi faith society.
The outcome of religious education in our school should be religiously literate children who have the knowledge, understanding and skills – appropriate to their age and capability – to think spiritually, ethically and theologically and who are aware of the demands of religious commitment in everyday life.
The Religious Education Programme.
In line with Diocesan Policy, the Catholic Church’s National Project resource, ‘Come and See’ is the principle means of delivering Religious Education in our school. Each class teacher has their own copy of the ‘Come and See ‘ book for their year group and an online login which contains a wide range of material resources are used in the school to deliver the ‘Come and See’ syllabus. There are class sets of ‘God’s Story 3’, copies of ‘Listen’, ‘Praise’, ‘Good News Bibles’ and prayer books in all learning areas. One class set of ‘Church’s Story’ is shared in the school.
It is a topic based approach which explores the basic questions of human existence.
– Where am I ?
– Who am I ?
– Why am I here ?
The programme is developed through three main themes which relate to three of the four Dogmatic Constitutions of the Second Vatican Council
– Church, which is based on Lumen Gentium
– Sacraments, which is based on Sacrosanctum Concilium
– Christian Living, which is based on Gaudium et Spes.
The fourth Dogmatic Constitution, Dei Verbum or Revelation permeates the other three themes of the programme. Each of the year groups has nine topics and two weeks a year are spent studying other Faiths ( Judaism every Autumn and Sikhism, Hinduism and Islam in the Summer term in turn)
Each topic contains teaching material that fulfils one or more of the Curriculum Directory’s area of study.
The Curriculum Directory for Catholic Schools (1996) was published by the Bishops of England and Wales to make the Cathechism of the Catholic Church and the four Dogmatic Constitutions of the Second Vatican Council accessible to Catholic Schools. It divides the content of the Catholic Faith into four ‘areas of study’ based on the Dogmatic Constitutions.
* Revelation (based on Dei Verbum)
* Church ( based on Lumen Gentium)
* Celebration ( based on Sacrosanctum Concilium)
* Christian Living ( based on Gaudium et Spes)
Each ‘area of study’ sets out the teaching content and the desired outcomes for the pupils. The Directory indicates which elements of the Catechism of the Catholic Church are being dealt with at each point.
The overview that follows sets out how the ‘Come and See’ topics relate to the Curriculum Directory and the four Dogmatic Constitutions of Vatican IIEach topic has a scheme of work which sets out specific teaching and learning activities and which elements of the Curriculum Directory are being dealt with.
At. St. Joseph’s Junior School we adopt a whole school approach – the whole year exploring a religious theme through the same theme through a range of topics which are increasingly more challenging as the children move through the school.
This approach ensures that appropriate content is covered, planning and recording is made easier, continuity and progression are assured, communal celebrations are possible, staff development and interaction is facilitated and depth of understanding is ensured.
The Role of the Religious Education Co-ordinator
The R.E. Co-ordinator plays a vital role in the school as the Head teacher. The co-ordinator leads the staff in developing their teaching of Religious Education through good practice and support, providing adequate resources and training opportunities and monitoring of standards in teaching and learning.
It is part of the role of the Co-ordinator to develop the Catholic ethos of the school in relation to worship, prayer, scripture, assembly and the school’s Mission Statement.
Home, School and Parish Links.
The Church has always taught that parents are the primary educators of their children:
‘It is …. the duty of parents to create a family atmosphere inspired by love and devotion to God and their fellow men which will promote an integrated personal and social education of their children.’ (Gravissimum Educationis, no. 3)
Therefore, we regard links with parents as vitally important for the religious growth of our children. We issue a termly R.E. bulletin which informs parents of the aims of the forthcoming Religious Education topics and dates of special liturgical events which they are encouraged to attend with their children.
Parents are invited into the school three times a year to discuss their children’s progress and development in all curriculum area including Religion. At the end of the academic year, parents are given an annual report which comments on children’s level of attainment in Religious Education and also their attitude developed.
It is a welcoming school and parents, Governors and friends are warmly invited and encouraged to attend our class assemblies, Masses and Liturgies.
St. Joseph’s Junior School is also part of the wider context of parish life serving St. Joseph’s Port Talbot, Our Lady of Margam and Our Lady of the Assumption Briton Ferry. We regard our links with the parishes as vitally important to provide a context for the children’s religious development. Following a Liturgy meeting between the Head teachers of St. Joseph’s Infant, Junior and Comprehensive schools; the Parish Priest and representatives of the Parish meet to prepare a Family Mass in St. Joseph’s Church where the children are greatly involved in reading, singing and the offertory procession.
Our priests from the three feeder parishes visit the staff and pupils and support us in our journey of faith and administer the Sacraments.
Prayer and Worship at St. Joseph’s Junior School.
Since our school sets out to guide and encourage our young children to grow in faith, prayer and worship, which are essential parts of religious experience, these are an integral part of school life.
The celebration of the Mass, Liturgies, Assemblies and Prayer are an integral part of our teaching.
Prayer.
Children are assisted to explore a variety of methods of prayer from private, individual prayer to group prayer in both formal and informal settings. As with Religious Education it is not compartmentalised. It is often most appropriate when it is a spontaneous response to whatever is happening at the time. The opportunity for prayer is taken many times during the day. Children are taught formal prayers including the Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be, Hail Holy Queen, our School Prayer to St. Joseph (see below ) and others . The children are encouraged to compose their own prayers in developing their conversation with God. The children are also given opportunities for whole school Guided Meditations led by the R.E. co-ordinator/Headteacher.
Our School Prayer
O Glorious St. Joseph, we pray for our school,
Guide our teachers, help our friends
And each one of us.
Bless us with concentration, understanding and peaceful minds
To work and play together.
Help us to use wisely our talents
For our good and the good of others.
Make our School a happy place
And each one of us a living witness of Jesus Christ.
Amen
Liturgy
This includes non-sacramental as well as sacramental forms of public prayer. Assemblies are held each morning Monday to Thursday and Friday afternoon for our Celebration Assembly. The whole school assemblies are led by the Head teacher, the Deputy Head teacher or other senior member of staff. Monday assembly led by the Head teacher focuses on the Readings and themes of the previous Sunday, thus following the Church’s year. From time to time classes prepare a special theme and this is shared with the whole school. In particular, opportunity is taken to celebrate the topics and the Feasts and Seasons of the Church’s year. During Holy Week the classes take an assembly to help us remember, focus on and reflect on the events of Holy Week.
The Calendar of Feasts is also included in the themes for assemblies.
Sacraments
Sacramental worship is the high point of Catholic worship and is therefore an integral part of school life.
The Sacrament of Reconciliation is celebrated following Penitential services in Advent and Lent.
Every week, year groups on rota celebrate Mass in St. Joseph’s Church, Port Talbot taking an active part in the various ministries and whole school Masses are celebrated on special occasions, for example the Welcome Mass in September and the Leavers’ Mass in July.
Opportunities are also taken for St. Joseph’s Infant School and St. Joseph’s Junior School to celebrate together during the liturgical year, these occasions include the Feast of St. David, the Feast of St. Joseph and the annual service in honour of Our Blessed Lady in May when children pray the rosary and participate in Benediction.
Assessment
Recording of children’s work takes many forms – pictorial, written, wall displays, digital work and assemblies, etc. Each classroom has a focus area with display boards and tables as a focus for prayer.
All children have Religious Education Journals to record written work. At the end of each ‘Come and See’ topic the children complete an assessment which is kept in their RE Journals and twice a year in their Pupil Profile which is passed onto each teacher as they move through the school. Children also complete self- evaluation checklists for topics to reflect on their knowledge and understanding and as part of our Assessment for Learning.
The NBRIA levels are used as the framework of content to match our religious syllabus and to provide an outline of the knowledge, skills and attitudes which should be evident in our teaching, as part of our evaluation process.
The levels for the children are entered into the INCERTS tracking and recording system throughout the year individually. This programme aids target setting and next steps and also generates reports for parents.
Staff Training and Involvement.
* R.E. Co-ordinator attends Diocesan led meetings, cluster meetings for moderation and other relevant courses and reports back to the rest of the staff.
* Teachers and support staff undertake the Catholic Certificate in Religious Studies (CCRS) if not held already.
* Each year one INSET day is devoted to Religious Education.
Conclusion
The underlying reason for the establishment of Catholic Schools is the belief that ‘Christ’s incarnation has changed our world, making of God’s good creation a sacramental means by which He reveals Himself to us’. (Evaluating C1).
Every human life is filled with God’s presence. The teacher’s role is to help the children experience through every moment of the day, that God is at the centre of our lives and is total and absolute love.