Our RERC programmes and courses cover:
- Catholic Christianity
- Sacramental Preparation
- Other world religions
The main aim of Religious Education at St. James’ is to help children deepen their faith and live out Gospel values.
Our Catholic tradition is enriched in prayers and devotions which help young people to become aware of, and show reverence to, the sacred presence of the living God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Guided by this tradition, we celebrate various seasons and special feast days to honour God, Mary his Mother and the Saints.
This regular practice of Prayer is complemented by religious services conducted in school and in our local Parishes to mark special occasions – e,g. the distribution of Ashes on Ash Wednesday, the seasons of Advent or Lent. To mark special Feast Days and Holy Days of Obligation, Holy Mass will be celebrated by Father John Eagers. Pupils, at Primary 4 and Primary 7 prepare for the Sacraments of Holy Communion and Confirmation.
At St James’ we follow, ‘This Is Our Faith,’ the religious education syllabus for Catholic schools in Scotland.
God’s Loving Plan provides guidance to Primary school teachers on how children can be helped to develop healthy and respectful attitudes to their bodies and to relationships with families and friends. This important resource connects children’s learning about who they are and how they relate to others, to their learning about God and their relationship in faith. It helps children to understand how love can be at the heart of their lives and what the Church’s vision is of Marriage as the ultimate expression of love between man and woman.
In using this resource, teachers are encouraged to work closely with parents and carers to ensure that young people are supported as they grow, particularly when coming to deal with the physical and emotional impact of puberty. Good communication between home and school is encouraged to ensure that the more intimate aspects of children’s growth are dealt with sensitively and skillfully by parents and teachers working together.
The detailed planning framework in God’s Loving Plan connects learning in Religious Education (RERC) to aspects of Health & Wellbeing (H&W/B) taught from Primary 1 to Primary 7. This learning is organised under four THEMES, dealing with God as the source of all life who is delighted when we use our unique talents (including our bodies) for good, who calls us to be loving people and who guides us to make choices that are good and responsible.
