Sometimes the obvious is not always so obvious! Some perceptions about religious education in Catholic primary schools

There is much evidence to demonstrate a long standing, shared concern by various stakeholders wishing to affirm the profile and status of Religious Education in the Catholic school context. This paper reports on an initial part of a wider research study recently conducted with Religious Education classroom teachers in Catholic primary schools within the Melbourne Archdiocese. It draws on findings from Stage one of this research project and considers the profile and status of Religious Education as perceived by participants. The findings question whether some Catholic primary schools exhibit the necessary degree of support for the value and priority of Religious Education, something which calls into question the very notion and the existence of Catholic schools. This paper comments on the valuable insights offered by participants in these preliminary findings and indicates both opportunities and challenges facing contemporary Catholic schools in the pursuit of quality Religious Education.