Having Faith in the Curriculum has been developed to support Head Teachers and teachers in Catholic schools to plan effectively for excellent learning and teaching in religious education and stimulating experiences of religious observance for young people in Catholic schools.

While this guidance respects the role of the Head Teacher as the leader of a learning community, it also highlights some key messages which carry significant implications for his/her role as the school’s “chief catechist” who has been entrusted by the Church to ensure that the school carries out its faith mission.

The document offers planning advice which will help schools to ensure that the Catholic school curriculum is truly “faith full” and that Catholic religious education is challenging and enjoyable, relevant and coherent, broad, deep and progressive.

It has been deliberately constructed so as to be relevant to teachers in primary and secondary schools, recognising the need for coherent planning and shared understanding of the issues affecting the provision of religious education in Catholic primary and secondary schools. 

The document is supplemented on the SCES website by:

• exemplar planning tools designed to suggest how teachers can organise learning which is “faith-full” in its delivery of outcomes and experiences in religious education and other curriculum areas.
• case studies featuring secondary school curriculum plans which demonstrate how appropriate structures have been developed to develop religious education within Curriculum for Excellence
• other case studies which illustrate good working practices.

It is intended that additional exemplar materials will be added to the SCES website in time.  Schools are invited to offer appropriate materials for sharing with others.

To read or download the materials below, click on the Item name or on the filename listed under Attachments.