It is hard to believe that we have all moved back into the school year so seamlessly and are already on the second cycle of our learning for 2025.

And what an exciting start it has been to the year in the Religious Education learning area.

As we start each year, students in our Religious Education classrooms contribute to a prayer book. In their first classes, they reflect on the concept of prayer and its meaning and purpose, including everything from seeking intercession to the “4 C’s” – building CONFIDENCE, understanding CONNECTIONS, CALLING for strength and support and developing CO-OPERATION. Prayer allows us to reflect, give thanks, confess our wrong-doings and consider others. According to CentraState Healthcare (a United States community -based health system), it can also help to reduce stress and anxiety, provide a more positive outlook and strengthen our will.

Once the prayer books are created, each student will take turns leading a class prayer using a selection from the book. They don’t need to choose their own prayer, but are asked to look through the book and find one that they like, or that speaks to them, to lead the rest of the class in.

As we begin our year, there is also the challenge and adventure of new curriculum at both Year 9 and Year 10 levels.

Year 9 has commenced with a core unit on Mary, as suggested by the students themselves in a survey completed last year. At the end of Term 1, all Year 9 Religious Education students will then move into an elective subject for Term 2 – Mission in Action, Culture in Context, Living Justice or Women Can Change the World.

Students in Year 10, for the first time, are undertaking a full VCE Unit of Religious Education, choosing either Unit 1 Texts and Traditions or Unit 1 Religion and Society. Our students will be challenged by the concept of religion itself and what scripture and stories can show us of our place in the world and our understanding of each other.

The Religious Education staff are looking forward to seeing where this curriculum journey takes us, with a view to building on new curriculum challenges in 2026.

Jane Watkins

Learning Leader: Religious Education