At St George’s, Religious Education is at the heart of everything we do. To deliver a rich, engaging, and inspiring curriculum, we follow Source to Summit: Lighting the Path, a primary Religious Education programme published by Oxford University Press.
Designed for Reception through to Year 6, this scheme fully aligns with the Catholic Religious Education Directory (To Know You More Clearly). It helps our pupils develop a deep knowledge of the Catholic faith while encouraging them to ask big questions and live out Gospel values in their daily lives.
Our Curriculum Journey: The Six Branches
The curriculum takes a scripture-first, spiral approach, meaning children revisit and deepen their understanding of key themes each year as they move through the school. Each academic year is divided into six half-termly topics, known as Branches:
- Autumn 1 – Creation and Covenant: Pupils explore the beauty of God’s creation and learn about the special promises (covenants) God made with figures such as Noah, Abraham, and Moses.
- Autumn 2 – Prophecy and Promise: Focusing on the season of Advent, children discover how Old Testament prophets prepared the way for Jesus and celebrate the story of the Nativity.
- Spring 1 – Galilee to Jerusalem: Pupils journey through Jesus’s public ministry, learning from his parables, miracles, and the calling of his disciples.
- Spring 2 – Desert to Garden: During the season of Lent, children reflect on sacrifice, forgiveness, and the events of Holy Week leading up to the joy of Easter.
- Summer 1 – To the Ends of the Earth: Pupils learn about the Resurrection, the Ascension, and how the gift of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost inspired the early Church.
- Summer 2 – Dialogue and Encounter: Children explore how Catholics live alongside and learn from other Christian denominations and major world faiths, fostering mutual respect and understanding.
How Children Learn
Every lesson is structured around the Three Ways of Knowing, ensuring that Religious Education is both academically rigorous and personally meaningful:
- Understand: Pupils build secure knowledge of scripture, Catholic beliefs, and Church traditions.
- Discern: Children are encouraged to think critically, wonder, discuss different viewpoints, and reflect on deeper meanings.
- Respond: Pupils consider how their learning connects to their own lives, inspiring them to put their faith into action through prayer, kindness, and service to others.
Supporting Every Learner
Lighting the Path provides inclusive, accessible lessons tailored to every stage of primary school. Through storytelling, artwork, music, and thoughtful discussion, all pupils are supported to flourish—whether they are exploring the faith for the first time or deepening their existing understanding.
