Our Lady Immaculate Catholic Primary School. Religious Education Policy

Transcription

1 Our Lady Immaculate Catholic Primary School Religious Education Policy There is a variety of gifts, but always the same spirit; there are all sorts of service to be done, but always to the same Lord; working in all sorts of different ways in different people, it is the same God who is working in all of them. The Particular way in which the spirit is given to a person is for a good purpose. 1 Corinthians 12: 4-7 Mission Statement Inspired by the teaching of the Gospel, our Catholic school is an integral part of the local community, and endeavours to create a welcoming, caring and secure learning environment. We aim: To enable all of us to develop our understanding of and relationship with God and to realise our full potential and self-worth; To encourage all members of the school community to show love and respect towards one another, valuing their individuality and differences; To educate each child by means of a broad and balanced curriculum; To ensure that there is a good working partnership between home and school, and the parishes to which we belong; To prepare each child for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of life; To review and assess the development and achievements of the school on a regular basis. At the beginning of each academic year, each class devises it own set of class rules, as well as investigating and interpreting the Mission Statement, on a level appropriate to their personal age and experiences. 1

2 Methodology (Principles of Teaching and Learning R.E.) The religious growth and development of Our Lady Immaculate Catholic School is an experience for the whole school community, not merely for timetabled R.E. lessons. It is our intention that spiritual growth should develop along all aspects of learning and experiences in school. We are aware that all members of our community are at different stages of their faith journey. In some cases children will hear stories from the Gospel for the first time (Evangelisation). These stories will become familiar as they are explored (Catechesis) and later be reflected upon (Religious Education). Thus, it is essential that teachers acknowledge this differentiation of experience in their planning, as with any other curriculum area. To ensure that there is a true development of knowledge, understanding and attitudes in RE across the year groups and Key Stages, we closely refer to the The Curriculum Directory for Catholic Schools when planning and evaluating lessons (see appendix 1). This directory is an essential guideline for coverage in line with Vatican ll and the Catechism of the Catholic Church. There are four principle areas of study Area of Study Content Source Revelation God s Self-Revelation Part One: The Profession of Faith Church Communion of life in Christ Part One: The Profession of Faith Celebration Living the Christian Mystery in worship and prayer Part Two: Celebration of the Christian Mystery Part Four: Prayer Life in Christ The search for holiness Part Three: Life in Christ The outcome of Religious Education is religiously literate young people who have the knowledge, understanding and skills appropriate to their age and capacity- to think spiritually, ethically and theologically, and who are aware of the demands of religious commitment in everyday life. (Curriculum Directory page 10) 2

3 The philosophy of teaching and learning RE in Our Lady Immaculate school follows the structure recommended in the Come and See programme: Recognise Reflect Respect 25% time Relate 50% time Rejoice Remember Renew 25% time Starting point based on personal experience, moving towards understanding Links to make scripture, tradition of the Christian community, universal experience, experience of other faiths Application to life and work prayer and refection, evaluation. The Come and See programme is presently used as a major resource to support the teaching of the scheme of work and areas of study laid down in the Curriculum Directory. We recognise that the teaching of RE happens on two levels In the Classroom This is usually covered through content in RE referred to above. In addition to this:- Children are given quiet time to pray together and encourage to pray spontaneously; A point of focus / prayer area is created in each classroom; often involving children s intention books, baskets etc; Class meditations act as a useful way of exploring Gospel stories and their application to life. Children are encouraged to discuss attitudes and opinions as a member of a trusting class community (circle time); Children are encouraged to treat God, themselves and others respectfully through education in personal relationships; Children are given the opportunity to celebrate the Mass or Liturgy as a smaller class unit; Children are able to hear and learn from the experiences of visitors and speakers in school. Religious Education is also provided on a whole school level: Children learn through assemblies led by the Headteacher / Deputy Headteacher; Classes present assemblies to the school, teachers and parents, and visitors. Children are given opportunities to celebrate Mass together in the Church, and in school during class Masses. 3

4 Encouraging Home, School and Parish links in worship e.g. Harvest Festival, Lenten Projects, Sacramental preparations etc; The children are made aware of the needs of others in the wider world and are encouraged to support charities e.g. the Parish Lenten charities, CAFOD, Cabrini Children Society etc Recognition of other faiths is fostered by topical work and discussion eg Chinese New Year / Diwali / Jewish festivals Topical RE displays relate the season of the church and extend /supplement the topic work covered in the R.E. curriculum During RE week, the children experience further extension to the RE curriculum by eg visiting a synagogue, the St Paul s Cathedral, St George s Cathedral encountering visitors, Franciscan Friars, etc. Further Catechesis is encouraged through focused topics based on the Catholic faith. For example, experiencing meditation and understanding it as a form of prayer. Coming together on a weekly basis at a prayer group. Religious Festivals acknowledged through the year: Month September October November December January February March April May June Festival Birthday of Our Lady Harvest Thanksgiving The Rosary All saints Holy Souls Christ the King St. Andrew Advert Immaculate Conception Christmas Epiphany Lent St. David St. Patrick Holy Week Easter St. George Our Lady Ascension Pentecost Corpus Christi Sacred Heart Saints Peter and Paul Spirituality In Our Lady Immaculate School, the staff as a whole, consider the spiritual development of a child as an essential component of educating the whole child. result, spirituality is evident in a number of ways throughout the school. 4

5 Prayer Prayer is essentially a deeply personal communication with God who is seen as a friend and listener. Helping children to pray is a fostering of that communication. To do so, parents, teachers and priests walk with the children on their journey in faith and give witness to their own deep and special relationship with God. Being able to pray in our community is important. Children are given opportunities of quiet reflection time in order to develop this ability. Formal prayers are used regularly throughout the school day, however we encourage children to pray thinking or writing informal or spontaneous prayer. These prayers are to be valued as much as established prayers and can often substitute more familiar prayers in class time. The Morning offering, Grace before and after meals, Afternoon offering are said each day. The Mission Statement is considered a prayer. Hymns or phrases from scripture or the Mass can be used as prayer e.g. Alleluia, Shalom, Christ has died, 'Christ is risen, Christ will come again. Children are made comfortable with praying by creating atmospheres conducive to meditation i.e. quietness, use of candles, soft music, focus points e.g. religious or natural artefacts. Children learn that prayers are not merely for intentions, but also praise, thanks, love, hope, concern, regret and reconciliation. That way, we are able to affirm the idea that prayer is a form of talking to God. Prayer is an important part in the life of the adults in the community. Twilight meetings, Insets, as well as Governor or P.T.A. meetings start with a prayer. Children learn that prayer can take many forms e.g. song, movement, dance, gesture and poetry. Activities pertaining to prayer and meditation are included in the RE week. The children experience four different prayer spaces. Year 6 children have a Day of reflection during the Summer term. Assemblies The opportunity to pray together at Our Lady Immaculate School is essential in our lives, strengthening our relationship with God and the School Community. Key Stage Assemblies These assemblies are led by the Headteacher who will base the content on the Sunday s Gospel. These are differentiated for each key stage. It is at these assemblies, that the children s work and achievements are celebrated with special mentions and happy grams / Headteacher Sticker. An altar is set up, with the colour of the cloth reflecting the time of the Liturgical year, candles and a crucifix. Liturgical or meditative music is also used to help create an appropriate atmosphere. This celebration is seen as an offering to God and a relevant spiritual experience. 5

6 Class Assemblies Key Stage One and Two have separate assemblies, however KS1 and KS2 classes are twinned for this purpose and when a class are leading an assembly, they invite their twin class along. Each class has the opportunity to lead an assembly once a term. The theme of the assembly will reflect work from the Come and See programme through song, poetry, drama, mime or role-play, as well as prayer. Parents are invited and encouraged to see this as a celebration rather than performance. Whole School Assemblies As a conclusion to a four-week theme in RE lessons, an assembly is attended by both key stages. Each year group presents a section, which reflects some of their learning about scripture/tradition, as well as application to life. It is an opportunity for all year groups to see the development of learning the same theme across the different years. Masses We celebrate Mass together as a whole school. There is always a mass at the start of the year. A special Year 6 Leavers Service is planned for at the end of the school year. Classes take turns to lead the Mass through readings, singing, writing bidding prayers, movement reflecting the readings, serving or taking part in the offertory procession. We expect children to learn and know the responses of the Mass so that they can take a fuller part this way. From Year 4 6 class Masses are celebrated to an agreed rota organised by the school with the parish priest. Reception classes celebrate Liturgy services. In both cases, the School Chaplain visits the week previously to discuss the theme of the Mass. Masses and Liturgies are held in the classroom. Parents are invited formally by the children to take part in the celebration. Devotions As well as learning about the events and Church traditions associat2ed with the Liturgical year in class, children are also able to attend lunchtime devotions if they wish:- Rosary - October and May Stations of the Cross Lent Remembrance Devotions November These are held every Monday, Wednesday and Friday lunchtime for the period, in the Church. They are well attended by the children as well as members of the parish, who are invited through the Parish Newsletter. 6

7 Sacramental Preparation The preparation of children for the Sacraments of Eucharist and Reconciliation is undertaken by parish Catechists as part of a parish programme, which involves parents, catechists, children, parish priests and school working together as a community. The school supports the parish in lessons and assemblies in this important step. Spiritual and Moral Development Love of our neighbour and love of God is inseparable, The human person is by nature a social being; we need society to realise our human vocation. We must be concerned for the social good and for social justice, based on deep respect for every human being, and a desire to share together in the Kingdom of God. All human beings are equal in dignity: we have the same nature and the same origin, and we need one another. What are we to teach? Bishops Conference of England and Wales CES: 1994 Spiritual and Moral development build on the initial foundations and experiences offered from home. It is our aim that each child grows as an individual, developing an awareness of self and his/her relationship with others as well as with the world around him/her. In an attempt to develop a child s sense of conscience, fairness and justice, we try to bring topical issues from the news into class discussions, as well as excellent learning materials from Charity agencies such as CAFOD, Christian Aid. Children are encouraged to question situations and empathise with members of different countries or disabilities. It is essential that children and teachers are aware of the ethical and moral issues behind any of the themes in Here I Am. Teaching Religious Education Although the aims and objectives are clearly laid down in the Curriculum Directory and programme of work; the delivery of content can be approached in a variety of ways. Class teachers try to teach through a variety of strategies, including using cross-curricular skills and discrete lessons e.g. Science, ICT, Literacy, Art and Drama. The balanced outcome of developing skills, understanding, knowledge and attitudes in a Catholic School may be developed across the curriculum. Developing our faith is not confined to RE lessons. Children are able to express themselves through poetry, drama, empathy, role play, writing newspaper reports, letter writing, conducting interviews, singing, composing, art, worship, as well as charity fundraising and ways of supporting the local community. 7

8 Differentiation... a Catholic school should seek to plan a curriculum, which embraces the needs of pupils of all abilities. The curriculum should be planned as an enabling framework in which all pupils have the opportunity to develop their potential to the full within all areas of experience and, especially, the spiritual. Evaluating The Distinctive Nature of a Catholic School CES: 1994 The following key principles come from Differentiation: A Catholic Perspective published by the Catholic Education Service (CES). Every learner; has a divine origin and is a unique individual is gifted by the Holy Spirit has the right to be included fully in the life of the Church community has the right to an education and have potential identified and developed has the right to be regarded as having equal value and worth has the right to a broad, balanced, relevant and differentiated curriculum has a right to a genuine access to the whole curriculum has the right to be challenged by and to achieve in the learning situation has the right to share with and learn from others Planning a differentiated approach so that all children have access to the whole curriculum and providing effective learning opportunities for all children of all abilities necessitates a flexible approach by teachers including; using a variety of teaching styles to meet children s differing learning styles employing a variety of resources organising available time to suit both the child and the curriculum gaining an understanding of children s previous learning experiences identifying individual strengths making use of appropriate assessment procedures establishing a structured record keeping system putting in place monitoring procedures to determine individual progress planning future lessons on the basis of knowledge of individual learners In Catholic schools this goes beyond consideration of academic achievement: for example, parents, chaplains, parish priests and others can contribute to the understanding of the child as unique and gifted by the Holy Spirit. During more formal work, sessions will be differentiated as appropriate according to task or outcome. Children with SEN are given adequate access to the RE curriculum and are not withdrawn during RE lessons or meditations. Teaching Time In both Key Stages RE is taught for 1 hour and 30 minutes. In addition, each Key Stage has an hour assembly time each week. 8

9 Assessment in RE Formal assessments are carried out 3 times per year as set out by the Come and See programme. Achievements are recorded on individual record sheets which are stored on the server. The chosen topic is assessed against Attainment Target 1 (AT1) and (AT2) as set out by the Come and See programme. Marking work in Religious Education needs to be: consistent with the school s marking policy; positive and constructive so that it affirms and celebrates success and encourages future learning; serve to challenge and encourage pupils to reflect; encourage high standards; give attention to key vocabulary. When work is marked by the teacher a personal verbal dialogue is encouraged between the teacher and the pupil whenever possible. Recording It is important that the children s achievements are recording in a positive and practical manner. Assessments made and resulting records will: recognise a wide range of achievement; be selective because not all evidence is suitable for recording or is able to be recorded; be positive in order to record what pupils have done and can achieve; relate to achievement in Religious Education. Display This offers the opportunity to value the children s work in class so they can value themselves as well as others. Display is an essential part of the classroom, and display in RE reflects its importance in a Catholic School. All classes have a prayer corner or focal point, which will also incorporate a display. RE is also given a prominent area in the school corridor. This is a combination of children s work across the age range, as well as information, posters and artefacts arranged by the RE Co-ordinator. At the end of a 4-week theme, the RE Co-ordinator organises a mixed-age display of work reflecting the theme, in the Church. This gives the members of 9

10 the parish the chance to celebrate learning and achievement in their parish school. World Faiths At Our Lady Immaculate School we aim for children to develop a growing understanding of their own Catholic faith, as well as a respect for the faiths of other people. In Year 5 the children study Holy Festivals in Judaism, as part of their study of Jesus background. During other times when the Christian understanding of a topic has been explored, stories or traditions from another faith may be used in order to support the theme when appropriate. Children can learn that people from other faiths also pray, fast, celebrate and go to places of worship. Home, School and Parish Links The link between home, school and parish is an essential one as the RE of each child is a partnership between the three groups. At Our Lady Immaculate School we are continually nurturing links Display of work in Church Communications of school events, achievements in Parish Newsletter Communication of themes for term in the parental newsletter at the beginning of every term. Supporting the Parish Lenten projects / Harvest Service Designing posters for the Harvest Service in Church Teachers act as Eucharistic Ministers during the school Masses Parish members invited to hear children read in school. Parents information window Parents informed of curriculum themes in letter Parents invited to assemblies / Masses School Chaplain s visits Co-operation with Eucharist / Reconciliation Catechists Moments that Matter Evening of Reflection for Year 6 parents. Reflection day for the year 6 pupils, with the three Catholic primary schools in the Kingston area. Resources There is a central resource room, which contains extensive resources, which supports and extends the Come and See topics, prayer and meditation, investigation of the Bible, dvd and cd resources, posters, related display items that support and enhance RE appreciation, the Mass, etc Each teacher has his or her own copy of Curriculum Directory and Come and See book as well as access to the online resources that support the curriculum. Each Key Stage One class has a Bible and Gospel appropriate for the age. Each Key Stage Two class has resources to support work on the Old Testament, New Testament, Pentecost and world Church in class. Years 3 and 4 share a class set of Lion Bibles, 10

11 Years 5 and 6 share a class set of Good News Bibles. The RE Co-ordinator identifies resources requirements through the teacher evaluations of each theme. She is also responsible for managing the budget allocated to RE as identified in the annual Curriculum Development Plan. Collective worship We believe that Christian worship in a Catholic school is concerned with giving glory, honour, praise and thanks to God. It is our loving response, in word and action to God s invitation to enter into relationship, made possible through the work of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. The Aims of Collective Worship: We believe that Collective Worship in our school aims to provide opportunity for all pupils and staff: To contemplate something of the mystery of God To reflect on spiritual and moral issues To experience a sense of belonging and develop community spirit To develop a common ethos and shared values To reinforce positive attitudes To consider and celebrate the values of the Christian Gospels To encourage an understanding of religious beliefs and practice To consider and celebrate the richness of Christianity and of other faith traditions To experience the sacred and to develop an awareness of the presence of God in others and in oneself To appreciate symbolism and ritual as aspects of worship To encourage an awareness of and a compassion for the needs of the world community. 11