RE Curriculum
Discerning Disciples is the religious education curriculum for Catholic primary schools in the Archdiocese of Birmingham. It has been developed in full accordance with the Religious Education Directory (RED), the curriculum directory issued by the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales which sets out what pupils in Catholic schools should know, understand, and be able to do in religious education.
The curriculum supports the shared mission of our diocesan family of schools: forming Christ-centred pilgrims of hope with kind hearts, questioning minds, a thirst for knowledge and a hunger for justice.
Discerning Disciples is organised into the six 'branches' of the RED, which align with the Catholic Church's liturgical year:
- Creation and Covenant
- Desert to Garden
- Prophecy and Promise
- Galilee to Jerusalem
- To the Ends of the Earth
- Dialogue and Encounter
Across these branches, pupils encounter Sacred Scripture, deepen their knowledge and understanding of Catholic faith and teaching, study prayer, liturgy, and the sacraments, and consider how faith is lived in the world. Through Dialogue and Encounter, they also learn about other faiths and religions, and develop the knowledge, understanding, and dispositions needed for respectful dialogue.
At the heart of Discerning Disciples are the RED's three ways of knowing: understand, discern and respond. Pupils are therefore encouraged not simply to acquire religious knowledge, but to think deeply about what they learn, make connections, consider different perspectives and make thoughtful judgements. In doing so, religious education helps pupils to grow in knowledge, wisdom and understanding and to reflect on how what they learn might shape the way they live.
Each Branch is studied through knowledge lenses. Branches 1 to 5 are studied through Hear, Believe, Celebrate and Live. Branch 6 is studied through the lenses Dialogue and Encounter.
Our enriching RHE policy information (click here)
St. Bernard's Catholic Primary School follows the Diocese Ten:Ten Catholic resource base for Relationships and Sex Education (RSE programme).
Ten:Ten is a leading provider of faith-based resources for Catholic primary schools, working with tens of thousands of children, teachers and parents.
It's called 'LIFE to the FULL Plus' and is a fully resourced scheme of work for Catholic primary schools which embraces and fulfils the new statutory curriculum.
Parents can view resources by clicking here and using the parent log in provided by school.
Meeting Statutory Requirements
Our RHE provision reflects the Department for Education's statutory guidance for Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) and Health Education, including the revised requirements in force from 1 September 2026.
Life to the Full Plus supports Catholic primary schools in meeting the statutory requirements for Relationships and Health Education. At St Bernard's Catholic Primary School, these requirements are taught within the context of our Catholic faith, ethos and understanding of the dignity of the human person.
Keeping Children Safe
High-quality RHSE also plays an important part in safeguarding children.
Our teaching helps children develop the knowledge, understanding and confidence they need to recognise when something does not feel right, understand appropriate boundaries and know when and how to seek help from a trusted adult. We create a safe, supportive and respectful environment in which children can ask questions and discuss appropriate issues. Teaching is always carefully matched to children's age, understanding and stage of development.
If you have any questions about RHE, the Life to the Full Plus programme or the content being taught to your child, please contact the school. We will be happy to discuss our approach with you.
