Religious Education is a core subject at Emmaus and our Christian character and values permeate our approach to every subject and topic in school. Our RE lessons are taught using ‘Come and See’, a Catholic primary religious education programme. This is in agreement with both the Diocese of Hallam and the Diocese of Sheffield.
What is Religious Education?
The Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales (2000, cited by Matthew James Publishing 2012, p. 10) emphasises that:
“Religious Education is about engaging with the deepest questions of life and finding reasons for the hope which is within them (1 Peter 3:15).
It is about the Christian vision of the human person.
It is the core subject which is central to the life of the Catholic school.
Religious education is the systematic study:
Of the mystery of God, as discovered through the Bible and particularly through the life and teachings of Jesus Christ,
The teachings of the Church,
The lives of the saints,
The relationship between faith and life."
Teaching other Faiths
“Within our schools we are seeking to educate all pupils of whatever religion to be able to live a way of life that integrates their beliefs with all other aspects of what it means to be human. As part of this, they must learn to live alongside others who are different and hold alternative views, including religious views.” (Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales 2010 paragraph 201).
The Come and See programme includes the teaching about other faiths, calling children to listen in dialogue and be ready to learn about other faiths as part of living in a pluralistic society. As part of this programme, children learn about Judaism and Islam. Some general principles underlie our teaching of other faiths:
These are taught separately to avoid confusion and maintain the integrity between different religions.
We try to include important ritual objects in our teaching and teach the children to do so with reverence and respect.
We try to learn from a member of the religion directly, through speakers visiting school or visiting a place of worship. We follow expectations of dress and behaviour (e.g. boys wearing a kippah when visiting a synagogue) when visiting another place of worship.
Our yearly overview shows what topics are taught during the year. Our Pedagogy document outlines how we teach religious education and some of the research that informs our teaching.
Parent View
