We firmly believe religious education in our school is at the heart of developing the whole child, by encouraging spiritual and religious development, and developing the ability to choose, reflect and make judgements. As a Voluntary Aided Roman Catholic Primary School, we view religious education as a crucial expression of our Mission Statement which provides the context for, and helps to shape the whole curriculum.

The beliefs and values communicated through RE should inspire and unify every aspect of school life. This is what identifies Our Lady and Saint Anselm's with its distinctive Catholic nature. We pride ourselves on shaping our children to become caring and resilient members of society who grow through faith, hope and love. We work in close partnership with the parents in bringing up their children in the Catholic Faith and we strive to foster a distinctive outlook on life rooted in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, whilst promoting the spiritual, moral, cultural, physical, personal and social development of all our children; helping them to achieve their full potential and enlarge their capacity to enjoy learning.

We recognise that all our children are exceptional and made in the image of God. We understand their learning journeys are as unique as themselves and we pride ourselves on inclusive teaching tailored to meet the needs of all our children. At Our Lady and Saint Anselm's, we provide a broad and balanced curriculum which encompasses spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, in accordance with the locally- agreed syllabus of Salford Diocese, Come and See and Caritas in Action. 

_________________

Mrs Twist is our RE subject leader. She is very passionate about the teaching and learning of religious education within our school and strives to ensure our children have a deep understanding of the Catholic faith. Mrs Twist works closely with Salford Diocese and other schools to ensure our children have the best opportunities to broaden their understanding of their own faith and that of others. She leads the GIFT Team within school which is very successful and contributes to activities involving the whole school and the school community. 

_________________

THE GIFT TEAM

Our GIFT Chaplaincy Team consists of a wonderful group of enthusiastic children from years five and six. Mrs Twist and the GIFT Team meet weekly to plan and prepare activities based around Scripture and the teachings of Jesus Christ. It is the GIFT Team's intention to encourage the children of our school to engage readily in their faith through well organised activities. Dependent on the time of year, our GIFT Team will plan and prepare activities such as meditation, art and DT, Spiritual walks throughout the school, fund raising and much more. They are involved in helping the wider community through the distribution of food during the Harvest Festival to our elderly residents and are also involved in helping serve at the Grandparents Afternoon Tea. They each are also a prayer friend to a child in Reception and Year 1.

Please see our section under 'Our Faith' on the website to see what we have been and are currently doing around school.

_________________

Liturgy

All adults at Our Lady and St Anselm’s Catholic Primary School have a commitment to the wellbeing of our children. We see our school as an inclusive community. The development of the whole child is at the heart of our mission as a Catholic school community. The spiritual journey our children and adults travel, brings with it the responsibility of using our gifts to the full, living side by side with each other as Christ would expect us to, with an understanding of truth, justice and peace.

There is an ethos of challenge and a sense of purpose in children’s learning coming from high expectations in the learning and teaching throughout the school. We welcome a broad curriculum, and we prepare our children for their role as citizens of the future.

As a Catholic school our values of compassion, care and respect rooted in the Gospel encompass those values identified by the Government as "British values".  Within collective worship and prayer, we:

• enable students to distinguish right from wrong and to respect the civil and criminal law of England;
• encourage students to accept responsibility for their behaviour, show initiative, and to understand how they can contribute positively to the lives of those living and working in the locality of the school and to society more widely;
• enable students to acquire a broad general knowledge of and respect for public institutions and services in England;
• further tolerance and harmony between different cultural traditions by enabling students to acquire an appreciation of and respect for their own and other cultures;
• encourage respect for other people; and
• encourage respect for democracy and support for participation in the democratic processes.

We believe that Christian worship in our Catholic school is concerned with giving glory, honour, praise and thanks to God. It is our loving response, in word and action, to God’s invitation to enter into relationship, made possible through the work of Jesus Christ and the witness of the Holy Spirit.

_________________