Why Vicars Matter

Overview

This 60-minute lesson introduces Year 1 and Year 2 students to the role of a vicar and why vicars are special people in the Christian faith. Building on prior learning about special people, the lesson develops understanding of the vicar’s role through a video, active discussion, and creative activities, incorporating values of care and community.

The lesson follows the statutory requirements of the National Curriculum for England for Religious Education at Key Stage 1, specifically focusing on learning about Christianity, special people, and community roles.

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National Curriculum Link

Religious Education (Key Stage 1)

• Pupils should be taught to:
• Retell and suggest meanings to some religious and moral stories
• Talk about their own experiences and feelings
• Recognise that some religious stories come from the Bible
• Recognise that religious beliefs influence people’s lives
• Identify some ways that Christians worship and the role of people helping in church

Learning objectives and activities below align closely with these statutory aims, supporting pupils to meet expectations for Year 1 and Year 2.

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Learning Objective (I can statement)

I can say why a vicar is a special person to Christians.

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Success Criteria

By the end of the lesson, pupils will:

• Know key facts about what a vicar does and why they are important in church and the Christian community.
• Be able to explain at least two reasons why vicars are special people.
• Participate actively in a movement-based discussion to explore ideas about caring and community.
• Complete a creative task representing their understanding of the vicar’s role.

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Resources

• "A Day in the Life of a Vicar" video transcript and clip (approx. 6 minutes)
• Pictures or printed images of vicars wearing dog collars and robes
• Large paper and coloured pencils, crayons, or markers
• Whiteboard or flipchart and marker pens
• ‘Vicars and Us’ movement cards (prepared statements about vicar roles for activity)
• Quiet corner or reflection space

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Lesson Structure

1. Connect & Engage (10 minutes)

Activity: Watch the video excerpt A Day in the Life of a Vicar (watching the first 6 minutes, with transcript used to discuss key points).

• Introduce Jane Mainwaring, vicar of St Mark’s Church.
• Ask children to listen carefully for what vicars do during their day.
• After watching, briefly discuss:
• What jobs did Jane do?
• What does she wear to show she is a vicar?
• How does she help people?

Teacher prompts used to model speaking and listening skills.

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2. Explore & Move (15 minutes)

Learning through movement and discussion:

• Label 4 corners of the room with these key ideas (one per corner):

1. Vicars help people by listening.
2. Vicars lead church services and teaching.
3. Vicars care for people when they are sad or unwell.
4. Vicars have special clothing like a dog collar and robes.

• Teacher reads simple statements related to the vicar’s role (prepared on cards), e.g.:
• “A vicar wears a dog collar.”
• “A vicar talks about God from the Bible.”
• “A vicar helps people who are sad.”
• “A vicar leads singing in church.”
• Pupils move to the corner that best matches the statement, then explain why they chose it (encouraging simple reason-giving).
• Opportunity to move energetically and engage physically supports understanding and memory (Rosenshine’s theory – guided practice and retrieval).

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3. Create & Reflect (20 minutes)

Art and discussion: “If I was a Vicar”

• Pupils work individually or with a partner (Year 1 working with adult support as needed) to create a poster or drawing that shows what vicars do and why they are special.
• Use prompts on a word-bank display: Listen, Help, Teach, Care, Pray, Lead.
• Teacher circulates to support spelling, extend sentences, and encourage thoughtful representation of ideas.
• Pupils dictate or write a sentence about why vicars are special to Christians underneath or alongside their artwork, e.g.: “Vicars help people who are sad.” / “Vicars tell Bible stories about God.”

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4. Share & Assess (10 minutes)

Gallery walk and oral sharing

• Pupils display their posters around the room.
• Peer pairs walk around to look and comment on others’ work using sentence starters: “I like how you showed...”, “I learnt that vicars...”, “Vicars are special because...”
• Teacher notes key verbal responses to assess understanding.
• Recap the learning objective: “Who can say why a Vicar is a special person?” and invite several pupils to answer, encouraging full sentences.

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5. Plenary / Reflection (5 minutes)

Quiet reflection and prayer space

• Encourage pupils to sit quietly and think about someone special in their life who helps and cares for others (linking to vicar’s pastoral role).
• Teacher invites a short moment of calm or simple prayer/thought, acknowledging the importance of kindness and care, with optional pupil participation.
• Praise children for their thoughtful contributions during discussion, movement, and creative work.

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Differentiation Strategies

• Use visuals and concrete examples to support SEN and EAL learners (pictures, symbols for vicar roles).
• Provide sentence stems or word banks for writing/dictation tasks.
• Pair Year 1 pupils with Year 2 pupils or adults for peer support during creativity and discussion.
• Allow alternative responses for pupils with fine motor difficulties (oral recording instead of writing).
• Support advanced learners to extend their posters with additional words and more detailed sentences explaining the vicar’s special role.

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Extension Activities for Advanced Learners

• Write a short letter or thank-you note to a vicar, explaining why they are special.
• Research another “special person” in Christianity (like a bishop or a saint) and prepare a simple fact sheet or drawing to share.
• Compose their own short prayer or blessing that a vicar might say during a service.

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Additional Notes

• This lesson nurtures empathy, communication, and reflection alongside RE knowledge, supporting holistic child development as per school ethos.
• Incorporating movement and creative expression meets diverse learning styles and maintains engagement in a mixed-age setting.
• The use of real-world video content makes learning meaningful and connects classroom learning to the wider community.

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This lesson plan supports your developing confidence and provides a memorable and interactive teaching experience aligned with the national curriculum, helping pupils grasp the importance of special community roles like that of a vicar.