St Paul's
Moss Vale
Moss Vale
A Catholic Parish Primary School
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION CURRICULUMThe formation of Christian values underpins all that we do at St Paul's, and students also experience formal Religious Education lessons each day based upon the K-12 Religious Education curriculum of the Diocese of Wollongong.
Religious Education (RE) is one of our Key Learning Areas. The RE curriculum is set by the Bishop of Wollongong in conjunction with Catholic Education Diocese of Wollongong.
The Emmaus Story (Luke 24:13-35) is central to the Religious Education curriculum. The curriculum is based on the four movements of the Emmaus story.
The Religious Education curriculum aims to assist students to reflect upon, make sense of, celebrate and live more deeply the mystery of Christ. Relationship with God is nurtured through catechesis, prayer and ritual enabling/supporting students to contribute positively to the community and culture. The content strands and themes of learning aim to lead students towards love of God, love for others and for all of creation as they become open to the presence and activity of God in their lives.
Explicitly for RE, the teaching and learning process should incorporate storytelling and creative arts, and foster the development of the four cognitive processes of Religious Literacy:
One of the aims of Religious Education (RE) in our Catholic schools is to develop our students' ‘Religious Literacy’ – that is, the way children use their literacy skills to communicate their understanding of the religious tradition to themselves, their peers, teachers and members of the wider faith community.
“By the end of their schooling students know the core teachings of our faith, our Scriptures, history and tradition and how these are to be lived in the world" — Catholic Schools at a Crossroad (2007)
The Religious Literacy Assessment program in the Diocese of Wollongong provides information about the way children process and express their religious knowledge. The assessment involves all Year 4 students across the diocese and consists of a multiple choice and short answer paper, focusing on the students' knowledge and understanding of the key concepts that are taught throughout their Religious Education from Kindergarten to Year 4, and what this means for the way we live, as it is applied in society.
The tasks are developed around the Religious Literacy Framework of Knowing the Tradition, Working with the Tradition, Applying the Tradition and Valuing the Tradition, reflecting Stage 1 and Stage 2 outcomes of the RE curriculum. The data gathered from the assessment is analysed to inform learning and teaching in schools, to focus on professional learning and to recognise and celebrate learning in the domain of Religious Education in the Wollongong Diocese.
Sacramental programs are parish-based, parish-coordinated, family-focused and school-supported.
Each year the Sacraments of Reconciliation, Eucharist and Confirmation are celebrated in our parish community.
The parish and school are charged with assisting parents to bring up their child or children in the Catholic faith – including their preparation to receive the sacraments. The parish and school share this responsibility with the parents and so, together in partnership, the spiritual development of the child can be nurtured and grown.
The parish-based sacramental program at St Paul’s Moss Vale Parish caters to the needs of all participants. In this way, all children receive the same preparation for each sacrament. Catechists, parishioners and teachers from St Paul’s Parish and our school teach the lessons in the parish meeting room after school and on weekends.
Each sacramental program involves an introductory session and a series of four lessons and parents attend each session with their child. Workbooks are used by the children during the program and parents follow up these sessions at home with their child. This encouragement and support enables the children to benefit from the best preparation possible.
Each year, Catholic Education Diocese of Wollongong invites Catholic primary schools from across the diocese to submit artworks from Year 5 and 6 students to enter in the CEDoW Christmas Story Art Competition.
Approximately fifty entries that are deemed to best meet the criteria are chosen for an exhibition at the Wollongong City Art Gallery, which is open to the public, commonly around the last weeks of Term 3 and over the October school holiday period each year. Major awards are given at the opening of the exhibition, and approximately 12 finalists are selected for entry into the Sydney Archdiocese Christmas Story Art Competition and Exhibition.
For more information, visit the CEDoW Christmas Story Art Competition site
Each year, Year 6 students from across the Diocese of Wollongong gather together to celebrate in an uplifting Mass with the Bishop of Wollongong. This occasion is an opportunity for students to encounter Christ through the Eucharist, through their fellow students gathered together and through the presence of Bishop Brian Mascord. The Year 6 Mass also aims to help students understand their place in the diocese, being part of the broader Church community and how they might embrace their Catholic faith as they take their next steps into secondary school.