Religious Education

Our religious education aims to equip our children to become religiously literate, to understand our Catholic faith and to think critically.

We follow the ‘Come and See’ religious education programme, as recommended by our Brentwood Diocese.  It is taught through themes that are structured for children to learn by exploring, revealing and responding. 

Currently, we are in a transition period for our RE curriculum from the 'Come and See' religious education programme to following the guidance from the new Religious Education Directory (RED) called 'To Know You More Clearly'.  

Through reflecting on a ‘big question’ for each theme, children aim to discover their response to each question. 

Our RE teaching focuses on three main skills:

-learning about religion (AT1);

-learning from religion (AT2);

-analysing and evaluating (AT3).

We want our children to witness what it means to live out our faith every day as they belong to our school, their families and our parish community.  We follow Jesus’ social and moral teaching to help us become responsible global neighbours and how this affects the way we treat each other. 

Our School Mission Statement 

Our Catholic Education 

Religious Education Directory (RED)

The new Religious Education Directory (RED) will be implemented in our school through a rolling programme.  It is a requirement for all Catholic schools to have implemented their plan by September 2026.  At St. Mary's, we have begun to follow the Religious Education Directory (RED) and the content 'To Know You More Clearly', beginning with our EYFS children.  

Year group/date to begin

EYFS September 2023

Year 1 September 2024

Year 2 September 2024

Year 3 September 2025

Year 4 September 2025

Year 5 September 2025

Year 6 September 2025

Full implementation by 2026

The new Religious Education Directory (RED) can be viewed below: 

'To Know You More Clearly' objectives are taught through six curriculum strands for each year group:

Autumn Term: 

Creation and Covenant

Prophecy and Promise

Spring Term:

Galilee to Jerusalem 

Desert to Garden 

Summer Term:

To the Ends of the Earth 

Dialogue and Encounter 

Our children will explore their learning through four knowledge lenses:

Hear/Word

Believe/Creed

Celebrate/Liturgy

Live/Life

The curriculum is strongly rooted in scripture and follows the story of Jesus as we journey with Him through His life, death and resurrection.  It is designed for children to be curious and is an invitation to 'know Him more clearly'.  

The outcome of Religious Education:

'The outcome of Religious Education is religiously literate and consciously engaged young people who have the knowledge, understanding and skills -  appropriate to their age and capacity - to reflect spiritually and think ethically and theologically, and who recognise the demands of religious commitment in everyday life' (RED: To Know You More Clearly').

Please see 'Long Term Plan' tab above for our curriculum plan overview.