Religious Education in the classroom exists to complement the total school commitment to the message of the Gospel and to more directly focus student religious learning. All lessons are designed to complement the Parish Sacramental Program.
As a discipline, Religious Education in the classroom is a Key Learning Area in the same way that English, Mathematics or Creative Arts exist as Key Learning Areas in their own right. 
Our Religious Education Curriculum identifies the Catholic school as a place where students are offered experiences of Catholic discipleship and suggests ways that schools can promote those experiences in everyday school life.
The relationship between “religious instruction” which offers students opportunities to learn about the Gospel and its implications and “catechesis” which directly engages the faith of students is unpacked in the General Directory for Catechesis. There it is described as “one of distinction and complementarity”, (GDC n73) where faith builds on knowledge and understanding, and knowledge and understanding build on faith. What takes place in the Religious Education classroom should enrich and support the total Catholic school ethos, just as that ethos should enrich and support what is learnt in the classroom.
The Diocesan K to 12 Religious Education curriculum has three components:
1. The Foundations section which explores the context of religious education.
2. The call to Catholic Discipleship.
3. The syllabus and the modules that are resource packages which assist teachers in the development of units of work.
