R.E.
In the life of faith of the Catholic school, religious education plays a central and vital part. At the heart of Catholic education lies the Christian vision of the human person. This vision is expressed and explored in religious education. Therefore religious education is never simply one subject among many, but the foundation of the entire educational process.
The beliefs and values studied in catholic religious education inspire and draw together every aspect of the life of a catholic school. We are committed to classroom RE, then, because all pupils have the right to receive an overall education which will enable them, in the light of the faith of the Church, to engage with the deepest questions of life and find reasons for the hope which is within them (1 Peter 3.15). Religious education is, then, the core subject in a Catholic school.
In 1996, the Religious Education Curriculum Directory for Catholic schools was published. This stated clearly the overall aims of classroom RE and its more precise objectives. They can be summarised as stating that religious education in a Catholic school is the comprehensive and systematic study of the mystery of God, of the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, the teachings of his Church, the central beliefs that Catholics hold, the basis for them and the relationship between faith and life; in a manner which encourages investigation and reflection by the pupils, develops the appropriate skills and attitudes and promotes free, informed and full response to God’s call in everyday life. In the words of the Curriculum Directory, the outcome of Catholic 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’.
Language
Literacy has a high profile in our school and pervades all other areas of the curriculum. We utilise the guidance offered by the literacy framework for the teaching of Reading, Writing, Spelling, Speaking and Listening and Handwriting.
Children are encouraged to become readers and writers from their first day in school. They experience opportunities to develop their skills in all activities that they complete.
Mathematics
The numeracy framework provides our school with an outline to plan and teach Mathematics. Teaching provides experience in Using and Applying, Number, Shape space and Measures and Data Handling. Great emphasis is laid upon practical work and it is our aim to ensure that children understand the application of Mathematical concepts in various everyday situations. This evolves from using and applying knowledge and skills in order to solve problems with an emphasis on mental calculation.
I.C.T
The children are provided with the opportunity to develop skills from their earliest years. Information Technology is delivered across the curriculum throughout the school. Children are encouraged to develop experience in communicating ideas, handling information and the control and use of suitable software and equipment.
Science
Science at our school covers a wide variety of topics meeting all National Curriculum requirements. In undertaking Science activities we believe that the children need to develop a range of essential skills, namely; observing, comparing, measuring, communicating, investigating and recording. These will later lead to higher order skills of hypothesizing, predicting, interpreting and devising experiments.
History
A knowledge of history plays a vital part in giving children a greater understanding of the world today. We seek to fire their curiosity about the past and help them to develop a sense of time and influence.
Geography
We provide an opportunity to develop pupil knowledge of places and environments, maps, investigation and problem solving. We try to inspire children to think about their own place in the world, and how this affects others.
Art
We aim to widen the experience of their environments and to increase their awareness of colour, form, pattern, texture and space as they develop an appreciation, understanding and enjoyment of art.
Music
Music in school fosters understanding and enjoyment through participation. This is achieved through a variety of activities including singing, percussion and musical appreciation. Visiting musicians afford the opportunity to widen horizons and provide stimulus.
Physical Education
We aim to provide a balanced programme which enables children to experience challenge, competition, aesthetic movement, team work and physical fitness. Qualities and disciplines we hope they will use throughout their lives.
Design and Technology
Through our work we find ways to identify and generate ideas, plan, make, test and evaluate to find the best solutions to everyday problems.
P.S.H.C.E
Through PSHCE, which is embedded in our curriculum we try to help children understand informed choices related to their day to day lives e.g. factors about hygiene and healthy lifestyles.
School policy documents for all curriculum areas are available in school. Please note that if copies are requested a small copy charge will apply.
