“At the heart of Catholic education lies the Christian vision of the human person.”
At St Richard Reynolds, Religious Education is the core of our curriculum and the foundation of our entire educational process. We view RE not only as a rigorous academic subject taught with the same commitment and standards as any other core discipline, but as a journey of formation that educates the whole child, academically, spiritually, and morally.
Our mission is to enable every child to encounter Jesus Christ, deepen their understanding of the Catholic faith, and discover reasons for the hope within them (1 Peter 3:15).
Our Curriculum Framework: To Know You More Clearly
Our primary RE curriculum is structured around the national framework set out by the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales in the Religious Education Directory (RED), “To Know You More Clearly.”
Learning is organised across three interconnected dimensions:
1. The Six Curriculum Branches
Following the story of salvation history and aligning with the liturgical calendar, learning progresses through six half-termly branches across EYFS, Key Stage 1, and Key Stage 2:
- Autumn 1: Creation and Covenant – Exploring the origins of the world, human dignity, and God’s promises.
- Autumn 2: Prophecy and Promise – Examining Old Testament prophets and the anticipation of Christ’s birth.
- Spring 1: Galilee to Jerusalem – Studying the life, miracles, and teachings of Jesus.
- Spring 2: Desert to Garden – Reflecting on Lent, Holy Week, and the Resurrection at Easter.
- Summer 1: To the Ends of the Earth – Exploring Pentecost, the early Church, and the mission of Christians today.
- Summer 2: Dialogue and Encounter – Learning about ecumenical dialogue and engaging with other world faiths.
2. The Four Knowledge Lenses
Within every branch, children explore theological concepts through four viewpoints:
- Hear: Listening directly to Scripture and sacred texts.
- Believe: Unpacking core Catholic doctrines and teachings.
- Celebrate: Understanding prayer, Church rituals, and the Sacraments.
- Live: Applying faith to daily moral choices, personal ethics, and Catholic Social Teaching.
3. The Three Ways of Knowing
Pupils develop religious literacy and critical thinking by engaging with content through three progressive skills:
- Understand (Head) – Recalling, explaining, and making sense of religious concepts.
- Discern (Heart) – Evaluating arguments, asking big questions, and thinking critically.
- Respond (Soul) – Reflecting on how beliefs connect to their own lives, choices, and actions.
College Identity & Curriculum Enrichment
- Starting the Year with Our Identity: At the beginning of each academic year, pupils explore dedicated introductory topics focused on the life of St Richard Reynolds, our college mission, our house saints, and other key figures in salvation history. These topics align directly with the Religious Education Directory across each phase.
- Enrichment, Visitors, and Trips: To bring the RE curriculum to life, we run a structured programme of visits to places of worship across all phases, alongside inviting guest speakers into school to share their experiences of faith in action.
- Inclusion and Adaptive Teaching: We use adaptive teaching strategies, including explicit instruction, visual scaffolding, vocabulary glossaries, and technology, to ensure every child, regardless of SEND or background, can access, enjoy and achieve in RE.
- Dialogue and World Faiths: In line with Catholic teaching, our pupils learn about other world religions. Through dedicated focus units and events such as Interfaith Week, we foster mutual respect, empathy and thoughtful dialogue in our multi-faith society.
- Living Our Faith: From dedicated prayer tables in every classroom to charitable initiatives with our Mini Vinnie group, Religious Education extends far beyond the textbook, encouraging children to put their faith into action every day.
Standards & Inspection
In line with statutory requirements for Catholic schools, St Richard Reynolds is subject to a Diocesan inspection at least once every five years. These inspections are conducted by inspectors appointed by the Bishop of the Diocese of Westminster to evaluate the quality of Religious Education, the Catholic life and mission of the school and Prayer and Liturgy.