St. Antony's Primary School

Mission statement:

"God is at the heart of our school.

With the help of our community, we will strive to learn, love and achieve."

To Know You More Clearly

" Education is not about knowing things or taking lessons, but about being able to use three lingos: those of the head, the heart and the hands...learning so that you can think about what you feel and do, can feel what you think and do and can do what you feel and think. Unity within a person"   - Pope Francis 

Intent

At St Antony's R.C. Primary School we are beginning our journey to follow the new Religious Education Directory and it's program " To know You More Clearly"

Since 2023 and up to 2025 this has been and will be rolled out across EYFS, KS1 and KS2. It is an innovative and enriching new Religious Education program that seeks to deepen the spiritual journey of our children by fostering a complete understanding of Catholic teachings and values.

This program goes beyond the traditional curriculum, encouraging our pupils to explore their faith through lens of curiosity. Through engaging lessons, thoughtful reflections and interactive activities, " To Know You More Clearly" creates a learning environment that encourages our pupils to connect with their spirituality on a personal level.

This program not only imparts knowledge, but also cultivates a genuine and enduring relationship with God, which contributes to the spiritual development of our children.

Scripture is the foundation of each Branch and will develop knowledge, understanding, skills, compassion and awe and wonder across the curriculum.

The Ways of Knowing: EYFS – Y4

The ways of knowing describe the skills that pupils develop as they progress through the Religious Education curriculum These are to:

Understand - See

In this way of knowing the aim is to help pupils understand deeply the meaning of sacred texts, religious beliefs, sacred rites, and the lives of individuals and communities who are shaped by these texts, beliefs and rites.

 Discern - Judge

In this way of knowing the aim is to help pupils ne able to judge wisely in response to different interpretations of the meaning, significance and implications of texts, beliefs, rites, and ways of life so that they can arrive at justified conclusions about what is true, what is good and what is beautiful. 

Respond - Act

In this way of knowing the aim is to help pupils reflect personally and with integrity on what they have learnt and consider the implications for action these may have in their own lives and the world in which we live.

Knowledge Lenses

The Knowledge Lenses indicate what should be known by the end of each phase. They are referred to as lenses since they are what we are looking at.

Hear

The first knowledge lens is called ‘Hear’ and discusses the human capacity for God, Divine Revelation, and its transmission, Sacred Scripture, and the human response to God’s invitation. It is called ‘hear’ because it focuses on the Word of God which we hear.

Believe

The second knowledge lens is called ‘Believe’ and deals with the contents of the Creed. It is called ‘believe’ because it focuses on the content of the Church’s own profession of faith. In this lens we look at those doctrines that constitute our faith: trinity, incarnation, the Holy Spirit, the communion of saints, the role of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Celebrate

The third knowledge lens is called ‘Celebrate’ and is an exemplification of the Catechism that deals with liturgy and prayer. It is called ‘celebrate’ because it deals with the liturgy in which the Church celebrates the Paschal mystery of Christ. In this lens we look at prayer, liturgy, and sacrament, sacraments of initiation, the Eucharist, sacraments of healing, sacraments at the service of communion, and other liturgies and sacramentals.

Live

The fourth knowledge lens is called ‘Live’ and is an exemplification of Catholic social teaching and deals with the ways in which the disciples of Christ are called to be in the world. It is called ‘live’ because it focuses on the impact of faith on how Christians live. In this lens we look at the dignity of the human person; freedom, conscience, and virtue; law, grace, and sin.

The Study of other Religions and World Views

Dialogue

The fifth knowledge lens is called ‘Dialogue’ and is an exemplification of the Church’s teaching on the relationship between Catholicism and other Christian traditions along with Catholicism and other religions and worldviews. It is called ‘Dialogue’ as this is the only authentic way of living faithfully in a world that accepts difference.   

Encounter

The sixth knowledge lens is called ‘Encounter’ and is when children engage in a discrete study of other faiths, religions and worldviews. It focusses is on the importance of loving out neighbours and respecting other cultures and learning how to live peacefully with difference.

The Branches

Come and See

Year 5 and 6

Intent

At St Antony's we believe that the first educators in the faith are parents. Our school enhances the partnership between home and parish and our mission statement entails the ongoing development of every individual. We aim to stimulate and promote growth at whatever stage the child may be at on his/her faith journey. Children arrive at school with a wide range of experiences and the RE program must take into account the religious and educational needs of the children: those from supportive Catholic homes and those for whom school may be their only experience of Church.

Spiritual development is not  the exclusive responsibility of R.E. Through the whole of the curriculum we aim to develop in the child a sense of awe and wonder. The beliefs and values studied at St Antony's provide the foundation for the entire educational process.

Implementation

At St Antony's we approach  "Come and See" through a system of fixed topics. The whole school explores each religious theme through the same topics at the same time. Children develop their knowledge through each topic, in more depth until they reach Year Six.

Other Faiths

We believe it is important to encourage respect for other faiths and ensure that children understand that there are similarities and differences in beliefs.

Catholic Schools exist in a multi-faith and multi-cultural society. Ignorance besets prejudice and it is therefore important that Religious Education should introduce children to the background and beliefs of other faiths so that prejudice and misunderstanding can be overcome from an early age.