RE Curriculum

The outcome of Religious Education is religiously literate young people who have the knowledge, understanding and skills – appropriate to their age and capacity – to think spiritually, ethically and theologically, and who are aware of the demands of religious commitment in everyday life.

[Religious Education Directory - To know You more clearly 2023]

The Way, The Truth and The Life

The Vine and The Branches

Religious Education is a fundamental part of our school life and is taught as a core subject. We ensure that each class fulfils the Diocesan recommendation of 10% teaching time and we follow the Bishop’s chosen scheme of “The Way, The Truth and The Life” in a creative way. RE is so much more than just lessons at St Mary’s as our faith permeates everything that we do.

What is 'The Vine and The Branches'?

From September 2025 a new RE curriculum will be implemented across all classes. “To Know you more clearly, The Religious Education Directory” sets out the new curriculum following a pattern where Children hear, believe, celebrate and live out the Gospel. Over the next two years, there will be a transitional phase where we move from the old to the new curriculum.

From September 2024, we will begin teaching the new Curriculum following the Year 1, Year 2, Year 3 and Year 4 objectives. To support in teaching this new curriculum teachers will use a resource called “The Vine and the branches” supplemented with other resources.

The Programme is divided into Six Branches:

1: Creation and Covenant                      2: Prophecy and Promise

3: Galilee to Jerusalem                           4: Desert to Garden

5: Ends of the Earth                                6: Dialogue and Encounter

For each of the six branches there are five or six units. Each unit begins with Scripture and the whole scheme is based around listening to and becoming familiar with the Word of God. 

The pupils in EYFS, Y5 and Y6 will continue to follow ‘The Way the Truth and the Life’ syllabus.