--- title: "Religious Education" url: "https://smrc.school/curriculum/curriculum-subjects/religious-education" school: "St. Mary’s Catholic Primary School" --- # Religious Education **Religious Education at St Mary’s** At St Mary’s, Religious Education is at the heart of our school life. We want our children to grow in faith, deepen their relationship with God and develop the knowledge and understanding they need to explore what it means to live as a follower of Jesus. Our RE curriculum follows To Know You More Clearly: The Religious Education Directory (RED), supported by The Way, the scheme of work developed by the Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle. Through Scripture, prayer, reflection and discussion, children learn about God’s love, the life and teachings of Jesus, the Sacraments and the life of the Church. They are encouraged to understand, discern and respond to what they learn, making connections between faith and their own lives. Learning is organised into six branches, with one explored each half-term. Children revisit these branches each year, building on their knowledge and developing a deeper understanding of our Catholic faith as they journey through St Mary’s. **Branch 1: Creation and Covenant** In Creation and Covenant, children encounter God as Creator and learn that creation is a gift of God's love. Through stories from Genesis and other parts of Scripture, they explore the relationship between God and humanity and discover how God calls people into relationship with him. As children progress through the school, they develop their understanding of creation, human dignity, responsibility and covenant. They consider what it means to be created and loved by God and how this affects the way Christians are called to care for one another and for our common home. Children begin to recognise that the story of God's relationship with humanity runs throughout Scripture and forms the beginning of the story of salvation. ![](https://smrc.school/images/Branch_1_Creation_and_Covenant.jpg) **Branch 2: Prophecy and Promise** In Prophecy and Promise, children explore how God remained faithful to his people and prepared them for the coming of Jesus. They encounter important people and prophets from the Old Testament and learn about God's promises to his people. This branch has a particular connection with Advent, a season of preparation and expectant waiting. Children learn about the events leading to the birth of Jesus and the important role of Mary in God's plan. Through Scripture, prayer and the traditions of the Church, they develop an understanding of Jesus as the fulfilment of God's promises and consider how Christians prepare to celebrate his coming at Christmas. **Branch 3: Galilee to Jerusalem** In Galilee to Jerusalem, children focus on the life and ministry of Jesus. Through Gospel accounts, they encounter Jesus as he teaches, heals, performs miracles, calls his disciples and meets people from many different backgrounds. Children explore Jesus' parables and teachings and learn about his message of love, forgiveness, compassion and the Kingdom of God. They consider what Jesus' words and actions reveal about who he is and about God's love for humanity. As their understanding develops, children make connections between Jesus' ministry, Catholic beliefs and Sacraments, and the ways Christians are called to follow Jesus today. **Branch 4: Desert to Garden** In Desert to Garden, children journey through the season of Lent towards the events of Holy Week and Easter. They learn about Jesus' journey towards Jerusalem, the Last Supper, his Passion and death, and ultimately the joy and hope of the Resurrection. Children explore the meaning of Lent as a time of prayer, reflection and change. They learn about forgiveness, reconciliation, sacrifice and God's mercy and consider how Christians prepare for Easter. As they move through the school, children develop a deeper understanding of the significance of Jesus' death and Resurrection and their importance at the heart of the Christian faith. **Branch 5: To the Ends of the Earth** In To the Ends of the Earth, children explore what happened following Jesus' Resurrection. They learn about the risen Jesus appearing to his followers, his Ascension and the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Children discover how the disciples were transformed by the Holy Spirit and began to share the Good News of Jesus with others. They learn about the Apostles, the growth of the early Church and the continuing mission of the Church today. Through this branch, children develop their understanding that Christians are called to share God's love, use their gifts in the service of others and continue Jesus' mission in the world. **Branch 6: Dialogue and Encounter** In Dialogue and Encounter, children learn about the importance of respecting, listening to and learning from others. They explore how Christians are called to work with other Christians, people of different religions and worldviews, and all people of goodwill for the common good. Children have opportunities to deepen their understanding of Christianity while also encountering the beliefs, traditions, practices and ways of life of people from other religious traditions. They learn to recognise both similarities and differences and develop the knowledge and vocabulary needed to talk respectfully about faith. Through dialogue and encounter, children are encouraged to recognise the dignity of every person and understand the importance of friendship, respect and peaceful relationships. This helps prepare them to live thoughtfully and respectfully in our diverse world. ### Our Curriculum - [British Values](https://smrc.school/curriculum/british-values) - [Careers](https://smrc.school/curriculum/careers) - [Cultural Capital](https://smrc.school/curriculum/cultural-capital) - [Curriculum Plans](https://smrc.school/curriculum/curriculum-plans) - [Curriculum Statement](https://smrc.school/curriculum/curriculum-statement) - [Curriculum Subjects](https://smrc.school/curriculum/curriculum-subjects) - [Subjects Overview](https://smrc.school/curriculum/curriculum-subjects) - [Art](https://smrc.school/curriculum/curriculum-subjects/art) - [Computing](https://smrc.school/curriculum/curriculum-subjects/computing) - [DT](https://smrc.school/curriculum/curriculum-subjects/dt) - [English](https://smrc.school/curriculum/curriculum-subjects/english) - [Geography](https://smrc.school/curriculum/curriculum-subjects/geography) - [History](https://smrc.school/curriculum/curriculum-subjects/history) - [Mathematics](https://smrc.school/curriculum/curriculum-subjects/mathematics) - [MFL](https://smrc.school/curriculum/curriculum-subjects/mfl) - [Music](https://smrc.school/curriculum/curriculum-subjects/music) - [PE & Sport](https://smrc.school/curriculum/curriculum-subjects/pe-sport) - [PSHE & RSE](https://smrc.school/curriculum/curriculum-subjects/pshe-and-rse) - [Religious Education](https://smrc.school/curriculum/curriculum-subjects/religious-education) - [Science](https://smrc.school/curriculum/curriculum-subjects/science) - [Early Years Foundation Stage](https://smrc.school/curriculum/early-years-foundation-stage) - [Forest School](https://smrc.school/curriculum/forest-school) - [Reading & Phonics](https://smrc.school/curriculum/reading-phonics) - [Remote Education](https://smrc.school/curriculum/remote-education) ![St. Mary’s Catholic Primary School](https://files.schudio.com/st-mary-s-catholic-primary-school-sunderland/images/logo/logo-footer-with-diocese-02.png) ### St. Mary’s Catholic Primary School Meadowside Sunderland SR2 7QN 0191 522 8787 ### Our School - [About Us](https://smrc.school/about-us) - [Admissions](https://smrc.school/key-information/admissions) - [Online Safety](https://smrc.school/parents/online-safety) - [Nursery](https://smrc.school/nursery) - [SEND](https://smrc.school/send) ### Useful Links - [Website Terms](https://bccet.org.uk/website-terms) - [Accessibility Statement](https://bccet.org.uk/accessibility-statement) - [Privacy Notice](https://bccet.org.uk/privacy-policy) - [FOI](https://bccet.org.uk/freedom-of-information) ### Social Media - [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/stmaryssunderland/) © Copyright 2026 St. Mary’s Catholic Primary School School & Trust Websites by [ ![Schudio logo](https://smrc.school/img/logo/light.png) ](https://www.schudio.com/)