Religious Education

St. Mary’s Mission Statement

Everyone is Welcome at St. Mary’s Pre-school and Primary School.

We listen to the Word of God and from this we always try to help each other.

We Witness a loving God who is at the centre of all we do.

We care for the Welfare of everyone by encouraging them to always do their best.

We share daily Worship that helps us to develop good relationships with God, ourselves and each other.

Our 5 ‘W’s

The purpose of the 5Ws framework is to reflect the new Section 48 RE Framework from the Diocese of Salford, which focuses on the 5Ws, rooted in the roots of the early church.  They are as follows:

Welcome, Word, Witness, Welfare, Worship.  In student speak, these translate as come, talk, work, walk, pray.

Welcome – come together in welcome.

Word – talk together as a word of God’s community.

Witness – we look at our School mission statement and work together as a witness community.

Welfare – walk together as a welfare community.

Worship – we pray together as a worship community.

Welcome

Whole School Approach

We are all welcome in God’s name, as God’s children;

We actively reach out as a witness to the God of Welcome, promoting partnerships and trust between, and access the celebration of diverse communities;

We strive for inclusion – the diversity of students and staff is celebrated and this promotes mutual respect, builds sell esteem, and builds a sense of community – keeping in mind the kingdom of God;

The values values, policies and processes we share are inherent in the pastoral care of our students and staff and provide clear evidence of the quality of the schools welcome to everyone.

The Curriculum

Our students and staff have a strong sense of belonging (inclusion, partnerships, communities and access);

The quality of relationships leads our students and staff to have a feeling of belonging, community and acceptance – which is confirmed by the spirit of service given and received by each person within the school.

Student Experience

We promote the spirituality of our students, and this in turn influences the formation of the adults through the shared experience of all;

Our parents and families are drawn to be in partnership with the school and our feeder parishes (communion);

Our school is a sign of Good News that speaks of and listens to the Word of God in our local community (evangelisation).

Word

Whole School Approach

Religious Studies is the foundation of our school and its principles maintained across the curriculum and life of the school;

Inspired by the Word of God, our school community live in the service of each other in their daily lives;

Leaders share commitment and enthusiasm for Religious Studies within the curriculum;

The teaching and learning in Religious Studies is a main focus for the school and appropriately resourced;

Witness to the Word of God in action in the daily lives of each member of the community – the values of scripture guiding its relationships and behaviour;

All students receive their entitlement to be spiritually, morally, socially and culturally educated across the entire curriculum and lived experience of the school community;

The achievement and standards of learning of students in Religious Studies is the main focus for leadership;

Encouragement of all students to engage with the ‘Big Questions’ in life through higher order questioning and thinking;

Celebrating the Word of God in worship and liturgy.

Student Experience

Teaching and enabling our students to appreciate the witness of the living traditions and history of the Church and in particular of our feeder parish communities;

Expressing the word of God beyond our School community;

The religious needs of our students from disadvantaged backgrounds, varied faith experiences and diversity of beliefs are served.

Witness

Whole School Approach

Giving witness to a loving God who is the centre and way of life for all;

Recognising that God is with us in every aspect of school life;

Adults who see and express their roles in school as co-creators with God and as part of the redemptive activity of Christ in all aspects of school life;

Adults and students witnessing to the Mission Statement of St. Mary’s informs everything and explicit in policies and the lived experience of the whole community;

Adults as role models of the school’s mission and values and as key promoters of the ethos of the school for the students and the school community’s witness to the wider community;

Witnessing to the values of the Gospel such as reconciliation, compassion, justice, liberation, service, stewardship in every aspect of school life and in policies at all levels.

The Curriculum

Placing the student at the centre of the school’s Mission rooted in the life, story, teaching, vision and living tradition of Jesus Christ and his Church as the foundation of everything;

Involving the pupils in the regular reflection upon our school’s Mission Statement;

Nurturing, supporting and challenging the students to live out and to give witness to the Mission Statement in their everyday experience of school life and by developing their sense of responsibility to play their part in caring activities for good causes in the wider community.

Student Experience

Preparing the students to be agents of change and of social transformation at the service of the common good;

Creating a creative, relevant and innovate opportunity throughout the school to promote a culture of confidence in witnessing to Christian beliefs and values;

Building community within school as central to everything whilst reaching out to the wider community, locally, nationally and globally at the service of the common good;

Witnessing to an earth care ethic and the care of all God’s creation by becoming good stewards of Creation.

Welfare

Whole School Approach

Service to and reverence for the dignity of the individual as a child of God;

Enabling every student and adult to ‘have life to the full’;

Cultivating an attitude of respect for each other among the whole community.

Student Experience

Promoting a sense of responsibility within the school community – witness to their developing faith;

Promoting consideration for others within and beyond the community;

Service is afforded by all for the wellbeing of each member of that community to grow holistically;

A spirit of service, justice and charity based on the Beatitudes;

The stewardship shown towards the local, national and international communities;

The stewardship shown to creation;

Supporting parents in the demands of their vocation to bring up their children so that they can experience life to the full.

Worship

Whole School Approach

Worship opportunities for students throughout the school (prayer, reflection, liturgies) including small groups, year groups and the whole school – which are appropriate to their backgrounds and faith experiences;

The development of opportunities for students to worship according to their intellectual and life experience needs and stages of faith development;

Worshipping opportunities promote a strong community sense of service for each other;

Inclusive worship helps students to grow in confidence in prayer and develop a relationship with God.

The Curriculum

Using the Word of God as a resource for nurturing the spirituality of the child e.g. mediation, imaginative prayer and reflection on the Word of God;

Prayer develops students’ understanding of belief and attitudes;

Prayer enables students to learn reverence and respect and aids their development in ‘talking and listening to God’ and in nurturing their relationship with God;

The students’ faith development is deepened by appropriate prayer and worship opportunities.

Student Experience

Opportunities for whole school to celebrate together with Priests from our feeder schools and fellow Catholic secondary schools,  thereby demonstrating the glory and activity of God in their lives;

Through worship, all are led to reflect, mediate and pray in a way that nurtures the spirituality of the whole community;

In worship the Word of God is celebrated and given reverence;

Collective worship is planned, which stimulates reflection on spiritual, moral, social and cultural issues;

Students participate in liturgy in a meaningful manner, both in larger settings and also in the classroom;

The purpose and value of collective worship is reinforced by consistent celebrations of the liturgical year which also recognise the faiths and beliefs of other people from minority groups within the school.