Religious Education
'Be kind and compassionate to one another.' Ephesians 4:32
Subject Leader: Miss Brough
Acting Leads: Miss Daly and Mrs Steen
On this page:
RE Curriculum Statement
At Our Lady of Compassion, we teach Religious Education through the programme ‘To Know You More Clearly.’
Guided by our mission statement, “Be kind and compassionate to one another” (Ephesians 4:32), our RE curriculum is carefully designed to meet the needs of every child. We aim to motivate and inspire pupils through an engaging and meaningful journey of faith that challenges all learners and leads to excellence.
Through To Know You More Clearly, pupils explore the mystery of faith through Scripture and Tradition. Throughout their time at school, children also learn about other faiths and religions, fostering respect, understanding and dialogue.
The approach chosen at Our Lady of Compassion, encompasses a variety of teaching and learning styles, which enable the needs of individual pupils to be met though a broad and balanced, cross-curricular, creative lessons.
Knowledge Lenses – set out the object of study for pupils, they indicate what should be known by the end of each age phase:
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Catholic Christianity: Hear, Believe, Celebrate, Live
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Other Religions and Worldviews: Dialogue, Encounter
Ways of Knowing
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Understand (I know what Christians believe) – acquire and organise theological knowledge
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Discern (I can explain why they believe it) – interpret, analyse and make connections
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Respond (I can say how this might change how people live) – evaluate, apply and live out learning
Religious Education is an integral part of our daily school life and fulfils all legal requirements.
Please see our RE Policy for further information about our aims and objectives. Our termly RE newsletters keep families informed about the themes studied each term, suggest activities to support learning at home, and share important information about RE and key feast days.
At Our Lady of Compassion, we are proud to have strong links with ‘Our Lady’s’ Church
and we work closely with Father John, our parish priest.
To Know You More Clearly
Since September 2023, we have been gradually introducing the ‘To Know You More Clearly’ programme from the new Religious Education Directory (RED), as set out by the Archdiocese of Liverpool. We chose to begin using the programme as it was rolled out across the Archdiocese, ensuring our curriculum remains current, meaningful and firmly rooted in the life of the Church.
All year groups are now accessing To Know You More Clearly. Although Years 5 and 6 have not yet received full diocesan training, they have been supported through ongoing guidance and feedback from our RE subject leaders. They also have access to the RED, which enables them to plan and develop their teaching in line with the rest of the school and the expectations of the programme.
While the programme is currently optional, it will soon become compulsory for all year groups. Beginning the journey early has allowed us to embed it thoughtfully and confidently across our school community.
Curriculum Overview
Our Religious Education curriculum follows a spiral structure, enabling pupils to revisit and deepen their understanding of key theological themes from EYFS to Year 6. Each half term focuses on one of the six branches of the Religious Education Directory:
Autumn 1 – Creation and Covenant
God as Creator; the dignity of the human person; Creation in Genesis alongside scientific understanding; God’s covenant with His people through Abraham, Moses and the Old Testament.
Autumn 2 – Prophecy and Promise
The prophets calling people back to God; God’s promise of a Messiah; Advent as a time of waiting; the Nativity and the mystery of the Incarnation.
Spring 1 – Galilee to Jerusalem
The life and ministry of Jesus; parables, miracles and teachings; the Kingdom of God; the call to discipleship.
Spring 2 – Desert to Garden
Lent and spiritual preparation; Holy Week and the Paschal Triduum; the Passion, death and Resurrection of Jesus; the journey from darkness to light.
Summer 1 – To the Ends of the Earth
The Resurrection and Ascension; the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost; the work of the apostles; the Church as apostolic and missionary.
Summer 2 – Dialogue and Encounter
Engagement with other religions and worldviews; respect for human dignity; intercultural dialogue; working together for the common good.
RE Inspection Sept 2019
“Pupils appreciate, value and actively participate in the Catholic Life and mission of the school.”
“The quality of provision for the Catholic Life of the school is outstanding.”
“Faith underpins the ethos and resonates throughout the building. It can be felt as a visitor to the school and also witnessed in the displays and symbols which show the presence of Jesus in all that is lived out at Our Lady’s.”
“The quality of teaching, learning and assessment in Religious Education is outstanding.”
“Pupils response to and participation in the school’s Collective Worship is outstanding.”
Policies
Catholic Life
Annual Plan of Prayer
Our Annual Plan of Prayer outlines how prayer is woven throughout the school year. It shows the different ways children are invited to pray, reflect and grow in their relationship with God across each term.
The document explains the themes, celebrations and liturgical seasons we focus on, as well as the variety of prayer experiences children will encounter. These include daily class prayer, whole-school worship, quiet reflection and special feast days. In school, we refer to our times of shared worship as
Celebration of the Word, where children gather to listen to Scripture, reflect on its meaning and respond through prayer.
This plan ensures that prayer is progressive, meaningful and appropriate for each age group. It helps us provide a rich and consistent prayer life for all children, supporting both their spiritual development and their understanding of the Church’s year.
Home, School and Parish
At our school, we believe that children grow best in faith when home, school and parish work closely together. This partnership supports children in developing their relationship with God and living out Gospel values in everyday life.
Our Role as a School
We provide daily prayer, Religious Education lessons and regular Celebration of the Word. We follow the liturgical year and help children understand the traditions and teachings of the Catholic Church.
The Role of Parents and Carers
Parents are the first educators of their children in faith.
We encourage families to:
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Pray together at home
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Attend Mass regularly
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Talk about faith and Gospel values
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Support children in preparing for the Sacraments
Our Parish Community
We work closely with our parish to:
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Celebrate Mass together
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Support Sacramental preparation
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Take part in parish events and liturgies
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Strengthen links between school and church life
Together, we create a strong and supportive faith community where children can grow spiritually, morally and socially.
