Our Catholic Identity

Our Catholic Identity
at St John’s Catholic Infant School

Religious Education

St John’s Catholic Infant School owes its existence and special character to the fact that it was established by the Church to nurture Christ’s Kingdom in its children and through the nature of its teaching in all subjects, to bring them to a deeper knowledge of and belief in God and a commitment to Him. 

Our school is not an environment for providing a series of lessons; instead we share an educational philosophy, which aims to meet the needs of the young people of today in light of the Church’s faith in Jesus Christ. Our School Mission "Loving, Learning and Laughter Together With God" and our Christian School Values of "Love, Peace, Faithfulness, Joy, Goodness, Gentleness, Patience, Self-Control and Kindness"  are embedded into the heart of our school.

Every child is of equal importance and unique.  Children and members of our community are valued for what they are rather than what they can do and are given every opportunity for educational development to the highest level possible.  We are all equal in the sight of God. The features of a Catholic community include as a first premise – “Prayer and worship threaded through its daily life”.  We aim to demonstrate the Gospel in action through every thought, word and deed.  “ …We will offer every child - whatever their individual characteristics – the chance to achieve their full potential, feel secure and enjoy growing up”       Extract from Our School Mission Statement

As Catholics, we believe that Religious Education is not one subject among many but the foundation for the entire educational process. The beliefs and values it communicates should inspire and unify every aspect of school life.  It should provide the context for and substantially shape the school curriculum and offer the living experience of the life of faith in its practical expression. Religious Education is not only communicating knowledge – it is educating for a way of life which is Christ centred.

RE is taught throughout the school from the National Programme, which has recently changed to “The Vine & Branches”, and is recommended by the Shrewsbury Diocese. This is also inline with the changes to the Religious Education Directory. Although RE occupies a specific slot on the weekly timetable, its development continues through assemblies and other liturgical celebrations, and it influences every aspect of school life. It follows that daily collective worship has always been at the centre of school life. Children are encouraged to be responsible, participate and lead in this reflective experience. Traditional prayers and hymns are used as well as prayers written by the children.  The school takes an active part in Church liturgy, with the celebration of Mass, assemblies and special services to which parents and governors are invited to attend. Children are prepared throughout Key Stage 1 for the Sacraments of Reconciliation and First Holy Communion. However, the main emphasis of Sacramental preparation and celebration takes place in Year 3.

We respect the beliefs of others within our community and across the year the children are introduced to different religions and cultures. We are also very proud to have been awarded the Silver UNICEF UK Respecting Schools Award and the National School Of Sanctuary Award.

From September 2020 the government has made Relationships Education and Health Education statutory for all primary school children. RSE will be firmly embedded in the PSHE and RE framework as it is concerned with nurturing human wholeness and integral to the physical, spiritual, emotional, moral, social and intellectual development of children. It is centred on Christ’s vision of being human as good news and will be positive and prudent, showing the potential for development, while enabling the dangers and risks involved to be understood and appreciated.

Our Mission Statement commits us to the education of the whole child (spiritual, physical, intellectual, moral, social, cultural, emotional) and we believe that RSE is an integral part of this education. Furthermore, our school aims state that we will endeavour to raise children’s self-esteem, help them to grow in knowledge and understanding, recognise the value of all persons and develop caring and sensitive attitudes.

All RSE will be in accordance with the Church’s moral teaching. It will emphasise the central importance of marriage and the family whilst acknowledging that all children have a fundamental right to have their life respected whatever household they come from and support will be provided to help children deal with different sets of values.

Alongside our PSHE Jigsaw scheme we will be using Ten Ten’s new programme for Catholic primary schools, Life to the Full, to teach Relationships Education and Health Education. This scheme has been recommended by the Bishop of Shrewsbury and ensures that RSE is taught within the context of a Christian understanding of human sexuality rooted in the wisdom and teaching of the Catholic Church. The framework of the programme covers all the themes described above which are taken from the Catholic RSE Programme by the Catholic Education Service, which has been highlighted by the Department of Education as a work of good practice. Life to the Full is a fully resourced scheme of work in Relationships and Health Education for Catholic primary schools which embraces and fulfils the new statutory curriculum. Taught with a spiral approach to learning, the pupils revisit the same topics at an age-appropriate stage through their school life. 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. 

Parents have the right to withdraw children from Religious Education , Collective Worship and RSE. However, it is anticipated by the Governing Body that those specifically choosing Catholic education will wish to lend their support to maintaining both the full spiritual life of the school, and those aims set out in its Mission Statement.