Following the journey of Jesus’ public teachings and travels, this branch focuses on the most dramatic period of his life: the final days leading up to his execution and the events that followed. It begins by exploring the reflective period of Lent—traditionally linked to Jesus spending forty days in the wilderness—where pupils look at ideas around quiet reflection, self-discipline, and putting others first through acts of kindness and giving. From there, the narrative follows Jesus entering Jerusalem, sharing a final meal with his closest companions, facing betrayal and suffering, and meeting his death on a cross.

This branch represents the emotional and narrative turning point of the whole year. By examining these intense events, pupils are invited to reflect on big human questions about fairness, standing by one’s convictions in the face of hardship, and what it means to forgive. The title “Desert to garden” captures the journey from dry, difficult testing grounds and grief to a place of renewal and life, culminating in the discovery of the empty tomb and the message of Easter morning. This message of hope after loss creates a natural transition into the next branch, “To the ends of the Earth,” where pupils explore how Jesus’ followers found courage, renewed purpose, and took this message out into the wider world.