Our RE Curriculum

Religious Education at Holy Family Catholic Primary School

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

Religious Education at our school is a key part of nurturing our pupils’ faith and understanding of the Catholic tradition. In Key Stage 2, RE is currently taught using the Come and See programme.

We are now introducing the new diocesan-approved Catholic RE programme, Lighting the Path. Its phased implementation will take place over the 2025–26 academic year: children in Reception, Year One and Year Two will begin using Lighting the Path from October 2025, with Key Stage 2 classes following from September 2026.

Lighting the Path follows a spiral curriculum, allowing each year group to explore the same broad themes. The content is carefully adapted to be age-appropriate and progressively more challenging as pupils move through the school. This approach ensures that children build a deeper understanding of scripture, Catholic teaching, and Gospel values year by year.

Through Religious Education at Holy Family:

• Children understand their unique place within their home, school, parish and the wider world.

• They gain a deeper appreciation of the wonder and significance of the Catholic faith.

• Children develop their God-given talents and deepen their spiritual and moral understanding.

• Enriching visits within RE enhance knowledge and understanding, and children can reflect on how these experiences impact their learning.

• Pupils of all abilities and backgrounds make strong progress, showing a clear learning journey.

• Children speak enthusiastically about their learning and are eager to continue it at the next stage.

• Fundamental British Values are embedded in RE, helping children celebrate difference.

• Children grow in their relationship with God, live their faith actively, and are guided by Christ’s love.

• Pupils develop religious literacy, understanding faith’s role in their lives and the decisions they make.

• Church traditions of prayer and worship are upheld through religious practice.

• Children become confident, resilient, and actively engaged members of wider society.

• RE encourages reflection on important questions about life, faith and values.

Curriculum Documents

Come and See RE Curriculum Overview

Come and See Yearly Overview of Topics

Lighting the Path Catholic Religious Education Curriculum Overview EYFS KS1

The Religious Education Directory

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.

The Good Samaritan Writing Project:

Each September, as pupils transition into their new year groups, we use the opportunity to focus all writing lessons on our school parable, The Good Samaritan. This approach helps pupils reconnect with the values at the heart of our school community.

Our English Lead has developed model texts for each year group, tailored to explore the parable at different levels of understanding. Through these lessons, pupils are immersed in the story and reflect on the messages it offers, deepening their appreciation of compassion, kindness and service to others.

Learning about Saints:

Throughout the school year, pupils explore the lives and examples of saints as part of their Religious Education. In Term 1, each class learns about their class saint, discovering who they are named after and the values they represent. Later in the year, pupils study one child saint and one adult saint. By the end of Key Stage 2, every pupil will have learned about 19 saints and the lessons their lives offer us.

Our RE showcase, located in the school entrance, proudly displays pupils’ work on saints, celebrating their learning and providing inspiration for the whole school community.

CAFOD and Family Trust:

Visits from CAFOD and the Family Trust are sprinkled throughout our academic year, providing pupils with a chance to engage with important social and charitable issues. These sessions encourage children to explore themes of compassion, justice and service, helping them understand how faith can inspire positive action in the wider world.

 Religious Education in Action:

(Please also see our Class Pages to view more of our Religious Education in action)