What We Teach

We are a Catholic school and so Religious Education is central to our curriculum.  Through Religious Education lessons, we encourage the children to learn about religion, from religion and also to analyse and evaluate, expressing how values and beliefs influence our everyday lives. 

The schools of the Archdiocese of Birmingham follow the Diocese’s own curriculum strategy from Reception to Year 6 called ‘Learning and Growing as the People of God.’ There is a strong emphasis on pupils engaging with and responding to questions of life in the light of religious teaching.  This flexible approach enables teachers to incorporate their own creative teaching ideas into the delivery of the strategy and ensures that their teaching is tailored to the needs of the pupils in their classes. At St. Martin’s, teachers visibly encourage discussion and whole-hearted engagement for all pupils.

The Strategy is divided into a number of units for each year group, usually 12, which cover four main areas of study:
The Liturgical Seasons of the Church’s Year: The children find out about the significance of each season, its particular signs and symbols and the different liturgies celebrated in each season.
Scripture: The children study both Old Testament and New Testament Scripture in order to give them familiarity and knowledge of Scripture as well as enabling them to explore and understand how Catholic beliefs are rooted in what Scripture reveals to us.
The Sacraments: There is a strong Sacramental focus in each year group. The Year 3 and Year 6 books fully prepare the children to receive the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Eucharist in Year 3 and Confirmation in Year 6.
Living as Christians including Prayer: The children learn about what it is to live as Christians today, how the Church is organised from global to parish level and also the opportunities which exist for them to participate in the life of the Church.

We teach about other religions as part of the Religious Education curriculum. At St. Martin’s, we study Hinduism and Islam in dedicated faith weeks and children in Year 4 learn about the traditions of Judaism,  the teaching of which is woven through particular units. During dedicated fath weeks,  every year group focuses on a different aspect of Islam or Hinduism, so that by the end of their time here they have a thorough knowledge of Catholicism, Hinduism and Islam .  We also offer opportunities for students at St. Martin’s and members of our local community who are practising members of other faiths to share information about their culture and traditions. Whilst we do not compare religions, this enables us to make links and reflect on what unites us as people of faith.