Religious Education

At Holy Family, we are a Catholic school committed to nurturing the faith of every child, recognising and valuing each individual as special and unique in the image and likeness of God. Our Religious Education curriculum inspires wonder, awe, reverence and spirituality, encouraging children to aspire not to have more, but to be more. Through RE, pupils learn about God’s love, explore their Christian responsibilities and experience Church, Catholic and Christian traditions. At the same time, they develop respect and understanding for people and traditions from other faith backgrounds.

Religious Education is a key part of nurturing pupils’ faith and understanding of the Catholic tradition. In Key Stage 2, RE is currently taught using the Come and See programme. From the 2025–26 academic year, we will begin phased implementation of the new diocesan-approved programme Lighting the Path: Reception, Year One and Year Two will start in October 2025, followed by Key Stage 2 from September 2026. Lighting the Path follows a spiral curriculum, allowing each year group to explore the same broad themes with age-appropriate content that becomes progressively more challenging. This ensures that pupils build a deeper understanding of scripture, Catholic teaching, and Gospel values as they move through the school.

Through Religious Education at Holy Family, children develop a clear understanding of their place within their home, school, parish and the wider world. They gain an appreciation of the wonder and significance of the Catholic faith, develop their God-given talents, and grow in spiritual and moral understanding. Enriching visits and experiences enhance their knowledge, and children reflect on how these shape their learning. Pupils of all abilities make strong progress and demonstrate a clear learning journey. They speak enthusiastically about their learning, live their faith actively, and are guided by Christ’s love. Fundamental British Values are embedded throughout, helping children celebrate difference, while religious literacy equips them to understand faith’s role in their lives and the decisions they make. Through prayer, worship and reflection, children become confident, resilient and actively engaged members of wider society, exploring important questions about life, faith and values.

Lesson Structure:

• Our RE lessons are carefully structured to engage pupils in a meaningful journey through faith, scripture and Catholic teaching. Each lesson is designed around the end-of-year progress descriptors from the Catholic Diocese of Southwark and follows a consistent framework:

  • We Gather: Lessons begin with a stimulus such as an image, piece of music or other resource, prompted by a “big question.” Pupil voice is encouraged from the start.

  • We Listen: Scripture is shared and explored, helping children to hear God’s Word.

  • We Learn: Biblical context and knowledge are explained, supporting a deeper understanding of the scripture.

  • We Respond: Pupils reflect on what the scripture means to them personally and connect it to their own experiences.

  • We Go Forth: Pupils consider how they can carry the learning into their daily lives. Tasks completed in the lesson draw on the “respond” and “go forth” stages, enabling children to apply their learning practically.

  This structure encourages thoughtful reflection, personal engagement and the development of faith, helping pupils grow spiritually while building knowledge of the Catholic tradition.