R.E. Leader: Mrs Thompson

Caritas Leader: Miss Wheeler

Religious Education at Our Lady and St Gerard's invites each child to enter into a personal and profound relationship with Christ. We are committed to allowing each individual to explore their own faith and develop their relationship with God and all that He has planned for them through the unique set of gifts and talents He has blessed them with. It respects and promotes each child's innate capacity for wonder, awe, reverence and spirituality. 

Our Lady & St Gerard’s currently uses the ‘Come and See' Religious education programme as the basis of our religious teaching.  'Come and See' is a Catholic Primary Religious Education programme for Early Years, Key stages 1 and 2 that is recommended by Salford Diocese. The use of this programme is under review and any changes will be communicated with the school community in advance.  We are an inclusive school and promote the British value of mutual respect for other faiths; children will learn about different faiths each year e.g. Judaism, Buddhism, Islam, Sikhism and Hinduism.

Each year group from Nursery to Year 6 focus on the  teachings of the Catholic Church and follow the Liturgical Calendar. The topics taught coincide with the Church’s calendar, however the depth in which the topics are explored is dependent upon the respective age of the children. For example, during Lent, whilst all children will learn about the death and resurrection of Christ, our Early Years children will consider the importance of growing and new life; Key Stage 1 children explore the effect of change and opportunities, with Key Stage 2 children considering the importance of self-discipline, sacrifice, death and new life.

The curriculum will also be supported and enriched by our Prayer & Liturgy Cycle and Chaplaincy Provision which includes:

• Children being engaged in the preparation of, leadership of and participation in prayer experiences
• Attendance and participation in Mass
• Children being engaged in the preparation of, leadership of and participation in Celebration of the Word
• The close contact and links between the parish and school
• Children’s involvement in various aspects of community life in the parish
• Children putting their faith into action to share the love of Christ and being missionary disciples
• Involvement in charitable work, awareness raising and collaboration with groups who support the vulnerable

At Our Lady and St Gerard's, we promote Catholic Social Teaching using Caritas in Action. This is a flexible scheme which has seven different principles. It provides extensive opportunities, at age-appropriate levels, to explore our mission as Catholics in our modern world. This supports the the Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural (SMSC) aspects of the curriculum as well as links to the PSHE curriculum.

Right to withdraw

The right of withdrawal from Religious Education and/or Worship

Parents of pupils in Voluntary Aided schools are permitted, by law, to request that their child is withdrawn from receiving all or part of religious education and/or collective worship given at the school and any such request shall stand until such time that a parent’s request is withdrawn.

If you wish for your child to be withdrawn from all or any aspect of RE/Worship, please arrange a meeting with the Headteacher.

Prayer

We want children to encounter Jesus; to know the love of God and to grow in relationship with the person of Jesus through prayer. In prayer, we lift up our hearts and minds to God. Each day, there are acts of prayer within classrooms.  This simple and communal prayer may use familiar prayers, special prayers for any occasion and spontaneous prayers.  In line with Christian tradition, we mark time with prayer.  We use morning prayer, Grace Before Meals and an end of the day prayer as well as times of silence, personal reflection and intentions and examination of conscience.  We introduce our children to a range of symbols, gestures and responses to support them on their spiritual journey.  We are mindful or any pupils who may need to refrain from participating in prayers, responses, gestures etc. which do not correspond to their own faith.

Celebration of the Word

Prayer, Liturgy and Worship are an essential part of the daily life of our school.

Each week we have an assembly to focus on the Gospel as we worship together. We learn the importance of giving glory and honour to God in a reverent atmosphere which gives us time to reflect.  Every Monday morning, children and staff gather together to listen to and reflect on the Gospel from the previous Sunday or scripture appropriate to the theme or event of the day/week. We listen to key pieces of scripture and use biblical references. We take time to respond to the scripture we have heard through class prayer, silent prayer and whole school reflections. 

Finally, we reflect on our mission, where we can go forth into the community and share what we have learnt, spreading the Good News as missionary disciples. 

In addition to our Key Stage Celebration of the Word, Pupils take part in class-based Celebration of the Word.  These are often led by pupils.  Younger pupils may be involved in the preparation of the worship space and gradually lead other pupils in prayer, lead actions etc.

Our pupils are keen to support and lead these acts of worship and are supported by staff to do so.  The formation of our pupils is important to us.  On a weekly basis, time is set aside for leaders to support those with particular ministries to prepare for their roles.

These celebrations often draw upon the texts, symbols and gestures of the Catholic faith, using these in a more creative way than in a liturgy in church. Throughout the year, we focus on themes, which help our children to live out the Gospel as missionary disciples. We also take the themes of our assemblies from the traditions of the Christian faith, observing the festivals and major events of the Christian calendar. These acts of worship provide a rich variety of prayers and reflections, which deepen pupils' sense of belonging to the faith community of our school, our parish and to the wider church across the world.

We currently use TenTen resources to support our Prayer, Liturgy and Worship. We also use global awareness resources such as CAFOD, daily examen resources, Wednesday Word and Mark 10 Mission resources to ensure a rich and broad range of experiences for our children.

As a response to each unit of curriculum RE, classes or individual children (depending on age) plan a celebration worship to consolidate their learning. As the children move through the school, they develop the skills to plan their own acts of worship (starting by using TenTen resources and gradually developing independence. Our Worship Leaders support teachers with preparing acts of worship until they feel comfortable enough to lead. 

Liturgy

We recognise the importance of living out our faith through active participation in Mass and the Sacrament of Reconciliation. The Holy Mass is the highest form of worship. Whenever we gather together for mass, we remember and experience the presence of Jesus Christ. Going to mass frequently allows us to meet with and participate with Christ within His community of the faithful, strengthening and nourishing their hearts and minds for generations to come.  We want our children to participate in prayer and liturgy to learn a set of action, ideas and habits, in partnership with home, school and parish.  This lifelong learning forms us to participate more fully, not only in the liturgy, but in the life and mission of the church.

Throughout our Prayer & Liturgy cycle, children are introduced to a range of songs, hymns and sung parts of the liturgy to ensure a wide shared repertoire. We use a range of traditional and contemporary music in our cycle, ensuring that any secular music is carefully considered and used appropriately.  Our involvement in the Salford Singing Programme ensures our children learn a range of songs of praise.

Our Liturgical Year