Journey In Love 

"Love is patient, love is kind" 1 Corinthians 13

Journey in Love is the programme we use at Stella Maris for Relationships and Sex Education. It’s all about helping the children to grow and develop towards an understanding of successful future relationships – and to do that, they must be at ease with themselves and grow in self-knowledge. 

"Love is an art to be learned. It is a giving experience, a selfless act. Every experience of love gives us yet another glimpse of the meaning of love in God himself. Human love is the instrument we can use to explore the mystery of love which God is."   Cardinal Basil Hume

The following is an outline of what each class covers – in each class the children will explore the learning objective through these 5 areas: Physical, Social, Emotional, Intellectual and Spiritual.

EYFS – Imps Class

THE WONDER OF BEING SPECIAL AND UNIQUE

In this unit the children will know and understand that God has made them unique and that although we are all different we are all special to him.

Year 1 – Pixies Class

WE MEET GOD’S LOVE IN OUR FAMILY

In this unit the children will know and understand that they are growing and developing as members of their own family and God’s family.

Year 2 – Elves Class

WE MEET GOD’S LOVE IN THE COMMUNITY

In this unit the children know and understand that they are growing and developing in a God-given community.

Year 3 – Hobbits Class

HOW WE LIVE IN HOPE

In this unit the 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 – Dragons Class

GOD LOVES US IN OUR DIFFERENCES

In this unit the children will 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 – Griffins Class

GOD LOVES US IN OUR CHANGING AND DEVELOPING

In the unit the children will know and become aware of the physical and emotional changes that accompany puberty – sensitivity, mood swings, anger, boredom, etc. And grow further in their understanding of God’s presence in their daily lives.

Year 6 – Unicorns Class

THE WONDER OF GOD’S LOVE IN CREATING NEW LIFE

In the unit the children will develop, in an appropriate way for their age, an understanding of sexuality and grow further in their appreciation of their dignity and worth as children of God.