The main focus of Religious Education at St John the Baptist is to help students develop develop and enhance their character to build positive relationships with others and to know they can individually make a positive difference as global citizens of the world.
At St John the Baptist Catholic Primary School the teaching of Religious Education is in accordance with the Diocese of Broken Bay K-12 Religious Education Curriculum. This outcomes based curriculum, is divided into five strands which include;
God, Revelation and Human Destiny
Jesus, Human and Divine
Church and Discipleship
Prayer and Sacraments
Sacred Scripture
The focus of Religious Education at St John the Baptist Catholic Primary School is developing students as Disciples of Jesus who live out the Gospel messages in their everyday life. This is achieved by helping students understand the meaning of Catholic Discipleship in a contemporary context through the study of Scriptures using the historical-critical method. The call to action as Catholic Disciples, students further develop and enhance their Catholic Character building positive relationships with others and know they can individually make a positive difference as global citizens of the world.
The Catholic Sacraments of Reconciliation, First Holy Communion and Confirmation are Parish based Programs. Children are prepared for each Sacrament by their parents with the assistance from the Manly Freshwater Parish Sacramental Team. Each year students in Year Two make their Confirmation. Year Three students make the Sacraments of Reconciliation and First Holy Communion.
Syllabus
Our ES1 and Stage 1 syllabus is grounded in the early learning approaches of Maria Montessori and Sophia Cavalletti. It acknowledges that people are both spiritual and physical beings. Students are presented with works using concrete materials and given time and space reflect on what has been presented, connecting liturgy and Scripture.
Our Stage 2- 5 Syllabus provides the essential components of knowledge and understanding, skills and an appreciation of our rich Catholic tradition. It uses a similar structure to new approaches to curriculum development in other Key Learning Areas. The 5 strands of the syllabus include God & Religion, Jesus & Scripture, Morality & Justice, Church and Community and Prayer, Liturgy & Sacraments. A distinctive feature is the integration of Youth Ministry Principles of Connection, Proclamation and Response. Stage 6 curriculum is a choice between Studies in Catholic Thought or Studies of Religion.