Religious Education

Intent

At St Augustine’s Catholic Primary School, we provide a warm and nurturing environment in which all children can grow in the love of God and respect for each other.

We intend to deliver a curriculum that meets the needs of our children and considers a range of faiths to broaden their knowledge and understanding. Our aims are to:

• Enable pupils to grow in their awareness of what it means to be a member of the Catholic Church and reflect on their lives and society in light of the Gospels.
• Help pupils recognise and appreciate the spiritual, religious, and moral dimensions of life.
• Lead pupils into a deeper understanding of the Catholic tradition and its expression of human significance.
• Increase pupils’ knowledge, awareness, and respect for other religious traditions and cultures.
• Create a warm and welcoming atmosphere where politeness and respect are shown to all.
• Allow time for searching and questioning about fundamental human experiences (e.g. Where do I come from? Who am I? Why is there suffering?).
• Build classroom communities where children feel loved, confident, and secure—recognising that love and security are foundational religious needs.

Implementation

Religious Education is given significant importance at St Augustine’s, accounting for 10% of the teaching timetable—2 hours per week in KS1 and 2.5 hours per week in KS2.

Key features of our implementation include:

• Use of high-quality resources and age-appropriate Prayer and Liturgy materials.
• Support from our school chaplain in guiding staff and pupils in Liturgy and RE delivery.
• Regular Mass attendance for all pupils. 
• A strong Catholic staff presence, enhancing the spiritual life of the school.

Each class has its own prayer space and resources to support meaningful worship. Worship Leaders and RE Ambassadors play an active role in promoting pupil-led prayer and reflection.

Impact

We want the children of St Augustine’s to:

• Be happy and engaged learners in RE.
• Deepen their faith and relationship with God.
• Achieve well, regardless of faith or background.
• Speak enthusiastically about their RE learning.
• Grow in moral, spiritual, and cultural understanding.
• Reflect on and consider important religious questions.
• Make links between Jesus’ life and teachings and their own lives.

Assessment is carried out termly against Attainment Targets (ATs), with data tracked and analysed by the RE Subject Leader. Foundation Stage pupils are assessed using Diocesan EYFS frameworks, progressing to Bishop’s Conference expectations.

Moderation occurs at school, cluster, and diocesan levels. Monitoring includes lesson observations, learning walks, planning reviews, and book studies—often involving RE Ambassadors. Outcomes inform school self-review and performance management, with targets set annually in the School Development Plan.