A Journey in Love
We have been using the ‘Journey in Love’ scheme by Sr. Jude Groden as the Primary RSE/EPR scheme for several years, and we will continue to teach this throughout the school during the second half of the summer term.
This is the scheme that has been recommended to Catholic primary schools by the Diocese of Arundel and Brighton and is also widely used across the country. Please see this presentation by the Diocese of Arundel & Brighton to support parents in understanding the teaching of RSE.
Each year group is taught at an appropriate level for their understanding and the whole theme is based on Love of God and our own uniqueness. There are five areas of development which include physical, social, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual, for each year group. Many of the aspects are already within our RE and Science curricula, and the themes include activities, reflections and prayers.
The learning objectives are as follows:-
Reception – God loves each of us in our uniqueness
Children know and understand that God has made them unique and that although we are all different, we are all special to Him.
Year 1 – We meet God’s love in our family
Children know and understand that they are growing and developing as members of their own family and God’s family.
Year 2 – We meet God’s love in the community
Children know and understand that they are growing and developing in a God-given community.
Year 3 – How we live in love
Children know and understand the virtues essential to friendship, e.g. loyalty, responsibility…and experience the importance both of forgiving and being forgiven, and of celebrating God’s forgiveness.
Year 4 – God loves us in our differences
Children know and understand that they are all different and celebrate these differences as they appreciate that God’s love accepts us as we are and as we change.
Year 5 – God loves me in my changing and development
Children know and become aware of the physical and emotional changes that accompany puberty – menstruation, ovulation, sensitivity, mood swings, anger, boredom, etc. and grow further in their understanding of God’s presence in their daily lives.
Year 6 – The wonder of God’s love in creating new life
Children develop, in an appropriate way for their age, an understanding of relationships, marriage, how human life is conceived and to grow further in their appreciation of their dignity and worth as children of God. Content will be shared with the children through discussions and PowerPoints. No video material will be shown regarding this topic.
You can read further information about 'A Journey in Love' in the Parents Overview - 'A Journey In Love' - here.
An insight into the vocabulary used within the framework of 'A Journey in Love' scheme can be seen here.
Documents from the RSE consultation process with parents in 2021 can be seen here:
- Communication from DfE to schools on the implementation of Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex and Health Education
- Letter to Parents following Consultation Process - Spring 2021
