Our Mission Statement

"Teach the children with all the kindness and gentleness possible"
Marie Madeleine 1837

Religious Education

Catholics believe that Religious Education is not one subject among many but the foundation of the entire educational process. The beliefs and values it communicates should inspire and unify every aspect of school life.

 

We currently follow ‘God Matters’, the Religious Education Programme for Primary schools in the Diocese of Portsmouth.  We work on common themes throughout the school and as a result, the children experience a programme that enables and supports their faith development. These themes are revisited and developed each year to support the faith development of the children. 

 

Teachers build in quiet time for the children to reflect upon how the Gospel message can be applied to their own lives – on the playground, in their homes, with their friendships. We make strong links between the learning and our FCJ core values, as well as the rights of the child and our rights respecting work. The children love to hear about our FCJ history and will make links with their learning to our foundress Marie Madeleine. Our RE lessons enable us to celebrate our global family and the children enjoy thinking about the FCJ communities around the world. We also enjoy visits from Father Paul, who supports the work in RE lessons by offering deeper insight into a belief or concept. The pupils always have many questions to ask him and enjoy his weekly visits.

We also study other ‘World Faiths’ in order to develop our knowledge and to help promote tolerance and understanding of our friends and neighbours’ beliefs and practice. Opportunities are built in for visits to places of worship and we welcome visitors into school to share their own beliefs.

At FCJ we work hand in hand with parents to support the children as they develop their own faith and beliefs. Monthly newsletters inform parents but the current RE learning and enable families to support the work we do in class. 

All children participate fully in occasions of worship through Assemblies, the celebration of Mass, Praying Together activities, prayer before meals and prayer at the beginning and end of the day. The children of Year 6 celebrate a special Leavers’ Mass at the end of the academic year to which members of their families are invited. The school celebrates First Communion for its Year 4 children, the Church’s Feast Days and on such occasions the liturgy is prepared by the school actively involving the children. The children are taught a wide variety of liturgical music, which enhances all our worship.