RE at St. Thomas Aquinas is central to the life of our school and aims to teach children about the greatness of God which is discovered through the Bible and particularly through the life and teachings of Jesus. Children will learn about the beliefs and teachings of the Church, of the lives of saints, the importance of the sacraments and of prayer, and will come to understand  the relationship between their own lives and their faith.

Children’s religious learning is developed through scripture and stories, through discussion and questioning, through research, shared and personal experiences and through music, art, drama, dance and IT.

Pupils will learn to ask questions, to think critically, to be creative and communicate effectively. They will gain an understanding of world religions and so engage in respectful and fruitful dialogue with others in our contemporary society.

The planning, delivery and assessment of Religious Education is carried out by class teachers which is overseen by the subject leader and is in-line with direction given by the diocese. This ensures all pupils progress in the skills, knowledge, understanding and attitudes needed to be religiously articulate young people who can reflect spiritually, think ethically and commit to a life of faith.

At St Thomas Aquinas, we believe that teaching Religious Education is an exciting and meaningful journey. The resources, developed by Arundel and Brighton Education Service, empower teachers and pupils alike to explore and understand how scripture enables us to know God more clearly.

The new Religious Education Directory (RED) gives clear guidance of religious curriculum content for each year group to ensure that the the subject of religious faith is broad and balanced and studied with clarity and rigour

The Day-by-Day scheme is structured into 6 Branches which follow the liturgical calendar.

During their weekly learning, children will experience the 4 ways in which religious learning develops:

Hear - The Holy Scripture is the starting point and foundation of our RE learning. Children will always initially hear the Word of God in its truest form from the Bible and will then explore the Word through different texts and sources.

Believe - Children receive instruction about the Catholic belief and teaching related to the focus scripture.

Live - Children access a range of activities and tasks to help them understand how Catholics respond to the scripture, beliefs and teachings. These enable them to better understand it and know how they should live it out in their own lives.

Celebrate - Pupils explore ways in which Catholics respond to the scripture and teaching, through their prayer and liturgy. All children are invited to express their own wonder and awe and learn to pray, praise and celebrate their faith.