Religious Education

Formal RE is delivered through the scheme The Way the Truth and the Life, which is followed according to the Diocesan guidelines.

The Way the Truth and the Life scheme is implemented from Early years through to Year 6. Each year is split into 6 topics, one per half term, and is organised to coincide with major events in the liturgical year. Each year group studies a different topic. 

At Good Shepherd we enrich this scheme through a creative approach, allowing children to express their learning through music, art and drama - not just limiting their responses to written responses. 

Other faiths are addressed as a consequence of, and in the context of, Catholic teaching. Catholic teaching about the action of God in the world requires an informed and respectful approach to other faith. As Catholics, we can  learn from the practices of other faiths (e.g. patterns of prayer, fasting, pilgrimages etc.).

Overview of the Religious Education Curriculum

Other Faiths

As a Catholic School on the outskirts of London, we embrace the diversity of our local community, city and the wider world. We celebrate difference in all its forms. Learning about the religion and cultures of those who do not share the Catholic faith is one of the ways in which Catholic schools embody the call to love one’s neighbour and as such our Religious Education curriculum includes the detailed teaching of five other religions (one per year group) that are widely practised in our local community. Children are taught to be respectful and understanding of people and traditions from other faith backgrounds.

Each term there is a multi-faith week when the children focus on different elements of the faith they are studying e.g. key beliefs, holy books, places of worship, holy days and festivals. The teaching about other religions is important because:

• Learning about other religions and cultures is one of the ways in which we fulfil our call to love our neighbour. As the Church says, “The love for all men and women is necessarily also a love for their culture. Catholic schools are, by their very vocation, intercultural.” (Congregation for Catholic Education p61).
• The Church states that schools “try to understand better the religion of one’s neighbours, and to experience something of their religious life and culture.” (Catholic Bishops’ Conference p3).
• The Church suggests that schools “find ways in which pupils can learn to engage in dialogue and to develop an attitude of respect for religious diversity. This will necessitate the inclusion of a broader study of both Christianity and of other world faiths in the Religious Education syllabus.” (Bishop’s Conference of England and Wales, 1997)
• It prepares our children for life in modern Britain, giving them an understanding of the beliefs of others. This in turn will improve social cohesion and contribute to the common good by increasing mutual respect between those of different religions.

The other faiths we cover are: