Every secondary school subject teacher likes to think of his/her own subject as being at the heart of the curriculum, a subject which will change lives and stimulate passionate debate, deep reflection and mature expression of sincerely-held views.  It will come as no surprise, then, to learn that many believe this to be true of religious education in Catholic schools.

As Chair of the Excellence Group for Religious Education in Catholic Schools (RERC), I was delighted to have the opportunity to engage with group members who shared a commitment to “having faith” in the curriculum of the Catholic school.  We all believe that ‘excellent’ religious education should be integrated into the whole life of the Catholic school so as to allow pupils to develop their understanding of God’s love for them and to discern how they can share that love with others in their lives, for the benefit of society.  This was what Pope Benedict XVI, during his UK visit in September 2010, called the “bigger picture” in the Catholic school – how all learning is connected to the development of wisdom.   

Reflecting the unique partnership arrangements which underpin the provision of Catholic education in Scotland, one of our members was a Bishop who was able to offer unique insights into the experience of faith which can be offered to children and young people in family homes, in parishes and in schools.  His contribution was complemented by the insights of others working in various settings, ensuring that our discussions were well-grounded in reality, while still ambitious in the pursuit of ‘excellence’.

We had the good fortune of being able to benefit from the work already undertaken by the Catholic Education Commission to develop ‘This Is Our Faith’, the major document which provides specific guidance on the delivery of the RERC experiences and outcomes.  So, our report refers significantly to this document as the key source of advice on how the RERC experiences and outcomes can offer pupils exciting and challenging learning experiences.  It helps teachers to structure opportunities for children and young people to reflect upon, and to respond to, fundamental questions about the purpose of human existence, the full potential of human life, the nurturing of values and virtues and a Catholic Christian understanding of destiny and salvation in Jesus Christ.

Michael McGrath, Director – Scottish Catholic Education Service (SCES) Chair – Religious Education in Roman Catholic Schools (RERC) Excellence Group

More information on the Excellence Groups and the published reports are available on the Curriculum and Assessment pages of the Scottish Government website.