The Curriculum of Religious Studies (RS) at St Catherine’s College provides opportunities for students to explore diverse religious and philosophical views in line with values of the school, allowing our students to stand shoulder to shoulder with their peers locally, nationally and globally. Whilst teaching Christianity and being distinctively Christian is important, we recognise that our students are diverse in culture and belief, so this is reflected within our curriculum by diversifying what is studied.   

RS is an academic subject that has a high profile in our school curriculum. Senior leaders ensure that the teaching, learning and resourcing of RS is a priority for the school. The curriculum links with our Christian values and our school vision, supporting students’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural (SMSC) development.  We provide a wide range of opportunities for learners to understand and to make links between the beliefs, practices and value systems of the range of faiths and world views studied.  

As a Church school, we are not required to follow the East Sussex Agreed Syllabus, however, we incorporate elements of this within the curriculum where appropriate for our students. As well as this, our curriculum has significant input from the ‘Understanding Christianity’ Project to enhance students’ knowledge on Christianity.   

The aims of the RS curriculum are to:  

• Demonstrate the distinctive Christian vision in enabling all students to flourish.
• Deliver in an objective, critical and pluralistic manner to engage and challenge all students through an exploration of core concepts and questions.  
• Provide lessons with a meaningful and informed dialogue with a range of religions and world views.  
• Reflect a good balance between the disciplines of theology, philosophy and human science, to enable our students to hold balanced and well-informed conversations about religion and belief (religious literacy).   
• Enable students to acquire a knowledge and understanding of Christian belief and practice, including the ways in which it is unique and diverse, whilst engaging with biblical texts and theological ideas.   
• Provides opportunities for students to understand the role of foundational texts, beliefs, rituals, and practices and how they help to form identity in a range of religions and world views   
• To engage with challenging questions of meaning and purpose raised by human existence and experience within a safe and judgment-free environment  
• Supports the development of other curriculum areas and other general educational abilities such as literacy, empathy, critical thinking skills and the ability to express thoughts, feelings and personal beliefs.  
• See the value of religious and non-religious expression in order to play a positive role within society.  
• Articulate their own judgement, including evaluating their own understanding of meaning and purpose.  

Students are assessed throughout the year in a variety of different methods to enable their teacher to clearly see how much progress they are making. The different assessment methods are indicated in our curriculum overview document.   

All students study RS throughout their time at St Catherine’s. As part of their option choices, students are able to choose to complete a GCSE qualification as part of their option choices. Those who do not choose this will continue with RS as a core, non-qualification class.  

Religious Education is provided for all registered students in accordance with the statutory requirements. (DfE Circular 1 / 94, paragraphs 44 & 49, and Non-Statutory Guidance 2010 page 28).  The department has an inclusive approach to delivering the curriculum with strategies in place to ensure that all students can access the curriculum and make good progress.  Any parental queries about RS should be directed to the RS subject leader in the first instance (see below) and thereafter to the Headteacher. The RS department is accountable to Governors through the Church School Working Group (CSWG).  

Please find full details of the curriculum for all year groups below. If you have any queries, please get in touch with our Joint Head of RS, Ms H Storey via hstorey@stcatherines.college or Mrs A Vickers via avickers@stcatherines.college