Talk sense to your children, religion without doubt, but let's begin with common sense. That is the most useful thing in the world for finding a way into their hearts.”
– St Julie Billiart (Letter 206)
Religious Education
Our religious education curriculum provides pupils with an introduction to the essential knowledge that they need to be educated and spiritually literate citizens. It introduces students to the best that has been thought and said; and helps engender an appreciation of human spirituality, creativity and achievement.
Mrs E Jones
Head of Religious Education
Our Religious Education curriculum provides pupils with an introduction to the essential knowledge that they need to be educated and spiritually literate citizens. It introduces students to the best that has been thought and said; and helps engender an appreciation of human spirituality, creativity and achievement.
It has been carefully designed and delivered to:
- inspire pupils’ curiosity to know more about the Catholic faith, God’s love and Gospel teachings (OPENING HEARTS through inspiration)
- develop in pupils a coherent knowledge and understanding of other world faiths, beliefs and societies (OPENING MINDS to new knowledge)
- help pupils understand the complexity of people’s religious lives, beliefs, customs and traditions, identifying and celebrating similarities and differences between them in order to foster understanding, tolerance and appreciation (OPENING MINDS to deeper understanding)
- equip pupils to ask evaluative questions, think critically, weigh evidence, sift arguments, and develop perspectives that have a moral nature (OPENING DOORS through the application of developing skills)
Year 7, 8 and 9 Curriculum Content
Our three-year Key Stage 3 curriculum is an adaption of the ‘People of God/Called to Serve’ scheme. The Framework People of God – Called to Serve is mapped against the Religious Education Curriculum Directory. The purpose of the Framework is to provide the basis from which schools and colleges can develop Religious Education Schemes of Work/Programmes of Study.
| Year 7 | Unit/Topic |
|---|---|
| Autumn HT1 | Unit 1: What is a Community? Creation and covenant |
| Autumn HT2 | Unit 2: Prophecy and promise |
| Spring HT1 | Unit 3: Galilee to Jerusalem |
| Spring HT2 | Unit 4: Desert to garden |
| Summer HT1 | Unit 5: To the ends of the earth |
| Summer HT2 | Unit 6: Dialogue and encounter |
| Summer HT2 | Unit 7: What are the Hindu signs of identity? |
| Year 8 | Unit/Topic |
|---|---|
| Autumn HT1 | Unit 1: Can one person change the world? |
| Autumn HT2 | Unit 2: Do we need rules? |
| Spring HT1 | Unit 3: Are there limits to forgiveness? |
| Spring HT2 | Unit 4: How do we know what is fair? |
| Summer HT1 | Unit 5: How can we live as Covenant people |
| Summer HT2 | Unit 6: What are the Muslim signs of identity? |
| Year 9 | Unit/Topic |
|---|---|
| Autumn HT1 | Unit 1: How do we live as people as God? |
| Autumn HT2 | Unit 2: Who is God for the people of God? |
| Spring HT1 | Unit 3: How do we respect the Sanctity of life? |
| Spring HT2 | Unit 4: Who is God for the people of God: Environmental and Medical Issues |
| Summer HT1 | Unit 5: Who is God for the people of God: Crime and Punishment |
| Summer HT2 | Unit 6: Jewish identity and practice in Britain today |
Year 10 and 11 Curriculum Content
Pupils will be expected to demonstrate an understanding of the influence of religion on individuals, communities and societies. They will be expected to support their responses using appropriate knowledge and understanding of key sources of wisdom and sacred texts.
| Year 10 | Unit/Topic |
|---|---|
| Autumn HT1 | Unit 1: Origins and Meaning |
| Autumn HT2 | Unit 2: The Bible |
| Spring HT1 | Unit 3: Good and Evil |
| Spring HT2 | Unit 4: The Trinity |
| Spring HT2 | Unit 5: The Incarnation |
| Spring HT2 | Unit 6: Jesus and Moral Authority |
| Spring HT2 | Unit 7: Sculpture and Statuary |
| Spring HT2 | Unit 8: Popular devotion as practised in Catholic communities in Britain and elsewhere |
| Summer HT1 | Unit 9: Life and Death |
| Summer HT1 | Unit 10: Beliefs and eschatology |
| Summer HT2 | Unit 11: The Magisterium |
| Summer HT2 | Unit 12: Artefacts |
| Summer HT2 | Unit 13: Music and the funeral rite |
| Summer HT2 | Unit 14: Prayer within Catholic communities |
| Year 11 | Unit/Topic |
|---|---|
| Autumn HT1 | Unit 1: Sin and Forgiveness |
| Autumn HT1 | Unit 3: Church |
| Autumn HT1 | Unit 2: Redemption |
| Autumn HT2 | Unit 4: Buildings |
| Autumn HT2 | Unit 5: Sacraments |
| Autumn HT2 | Unit 6: Mission and Evangelisation |
| Spring HT1 | Unit 7: Judaism Beliefs |
| Spring HT2 | Unit 8: Judaism Practices |
| Summer HT1 | Revision |
| Summer HT2 | Revision |
Key Stage 4 RE students follow the WJEC Religious Education specification. For further details, please follow the link below.
Please click on the logos below to visit Religious Education-specific materials and resources.
- BBC Bitesize KS3:
- BBC Bitesize KS4:
- Oak National Academy:
Please click on the First Careers logo to visit their website.
A Student’s view
Religious Education at Notre Dame offers students the opportunity to develop their skills of ethical and moral thought. I can say wholeheartedly that RE is a most enjoyable subject, and has allowed me to both question and strengthen my faith in Catholicism.
Joseph Riley, Year 11
