Welcome to the Religious Education area
Head of Department – Ms C. Batten
The course aims to give students a sense of identity and a real understanding of the world around them through discussion and reflection on a wide variety of topics and enable young people to play an active, well-informed role in the community, and prepare them for further education and the world of work.
Staffing
| Head of Religious Education | Ms C. Batten – BA (Hons) Theology |
| Teacher of Religious Education | Mr J. Taylor |
| Teacher of Religious Education | Miss S. Egan |
Per Term Topic Information
Year 8
| Introduction | Identity and Belonging | Birth and Growing Up | The influence of beliefs on the lifestyles of believers | Sikhism and Gurdwara | Suffering | Origins of the universe |
| Notes: Introduction: To gain an understanding of how religion is important in society and how it plays a significant role in society. To begin to question our own beliefs and develop respect and understanding for other people’s opinions. Examine different approaches to spirituality and its place in atheist and theist lifestyles. Identity and belonging will build on the introductory module and give students the opportunity to explore their own identity whilst creating empathy within the differences in society and the importance of respect in a multicultural world. Students are asked to think about ultimate questions such as ‘why am I here?’ and ‘is there a soul?’ and ‘is life pre-determined?’ Part of a person’s identity is what happens when someone is born. Birth and growing up allows students to examine how different religions play a part in a person’s identity and tries to give answers to some ultimate questions. The influence of beliefs on the lifestyles of believer’s students examine the initiation ceremonies that are practiced in different religions and then analyse how having a faith can impact religious believers in many different ways including the way they choose to dress. To also appreciate that there may be negative consequences linked to religious dress. Justice, Christian love and forgiveness Although following a religion may have negative connotations, religion also offers many positive teachings and good work has been done through many religions. As an example of this students will look at two key teachings in Christianity, love and forgiveness. Sikhism and Gurdwara Following on from key teachings in Christianity we now look at Sikh key teachings one of them being equality and then look at the langar as an example of equality in action regardless of beliefs, dress, religion, ethnicity etc Suffering although religions preach that their faith is based on concepts such as love, forgiveness and equality an atheist would question why is there suffering in the world? Origins of the universe. If God created the world, has He created an imperfect world? | ||||||
Year 10
| Is there any evidence of God? | Being born and growing up Jewish – what happens? | What happens when someone gets married? | What happens when someone dies? | Influence of beliefs on the lifestyle of believers – festivals | Wealth and poverty | Influence of beliefs on the lifestyle of believers |
| Notes: Is there any evidence of God? Students analyse and appreciate that everyone is committed to something and for some that may be religion, they build on their year 8 skills of seeing different perspectives. Students look at how religious believers seek to prove that God is real. Being born and growing up Jewish – what happens? Being part of a religionand taking part in ceremonies is one way of demonstrating your belief in God What happens when someone gets married? Using the principles of how adherents use the principle of commitment, what happens when someone gets married? and how does marriage show love, commitment and duty to both God and your spouse. What happens when someone dies? Commitment to God is tested when a loved one dies. Students will examine what happens when someone dies in a faith and how some mourning customs seek to reaffirm belief in God and some seek to comfort those who are mourning Influence of beliefs on the lifestyle of believers – festivals Festivals is yet another way of showing commitment and how it allows the faith to continue and flourish whilst learning about the history of the religion and its importance Applying religious teachings to a concept – wealth and poverty Through the practice of festivals for some there is the tradition of giving to charity and thinking about those less fortunate and as a religious believer their role in helping. Also give students the opportunity to study and think about the use of wealth in religion and if you can be rich and religious Influence of beliefs on the lifestyle of believers Just as commitment and faith is tested at death, it can also be tested at other times such as moral problems or situations they may encounter in modern life ie abortion and euthanasia | ||||||
Year 11
| Autumn 2 | Autumn 2 | Spring 1 | Spring 2 | Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
| Judaism The nature of God: God as one God as Creator God as Law-Giver and Judge, loving and merciful The divine presence (Shekhinah) Beliefs about life after death, including judgement and resurrection The nature and role of the Messiah, including different views on the role and importance of the Messiah The promised land and the Covenant with Abraham, Genesis 12:1-3 The Covenant at Sinai and its importance including the role of Moses and the Ten Commandments, Exodus 20:1-17 | Key moral principles including justice, healing the world, charity and kindness to others The importance of the sanctity of human life, including the concept of ‘saving a life’ (Pikuach Nefesh) The relationship between free will and the 613 mitzvot Mitzvot between man and God and mitzvot between man and man, including the difference between them and their importance. The synagogue and its importance The design and religious features of synagogues including reading platform (bimah), ark (aron hakodesh), ever burning light (ner tamid) and associated practices; differences between Orthodox and Reform synagogues. | Public acts of worship including: Synagogue services in both Orthodox and Reform synagogues the significance of prayer, including the Amidah, the standing prayer Shabbat in the home and synagogue and its significance Worship in the home and private prayer The written law (Tenakh) and the oral law (Talmud), and their study, use and significance in daily life Dietary laws and their significance, including different Jewish views about their importance Kosher and Trefah Separation of milk and meat | Festivals and their importance for Jews in Great Britain today, including the origins and meaning of: Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur Pesach Islam The six articles of faith in Sunni Islam and five roots of Usul ad-Din in Shi’a Islam, including key similarities and differences The Oneness of God (Tawhid), Qur’an Surah 112 The nature of God: omnipotence, beneficence, mercy, fairness and justice (Adalat in Shi’a Islam), including different ideas about God’s relationship with the world: immanence and transcendence Angels, their nature and role, including Jibril and Mika’il | Predestination and human freedom and its relationship to the Day of Judgement Life after death (Akhirah), human responsibility and accountability, resurrection, heaven and hell Authority Prophethood (Risalah) including the role and importance of Adam, Ibrahim and Muhammad The holy books: Qur’an: revelation and authority The Torah, the Psalms, the Gospel, the Scrolls of Abraham and their authority The imamate in Shi’a Islam: its role and significance Five Pillars of Sunni Islam and the Ten Obligatory Acts of Shi’a Islam Students should study the Five Pillars and jihad in both Sunni and Shi’a Islam and the additional duties of Shi’a Islam | Shahadah Declaration of faith and its place in Muslim practice Salah and its significance How and why Muslims pray including times, directions, ablution (wudu), movements (rak’ahs) and recitations Salah in the home and mosque and elsewhere Friday prayer (Jummah) Key differences in the practice of salah in Sunni and Shi’a Islam, and different Muslim views about the importance of prayer Duties and festivals Sawm: The role and significance of fasting during the month of Ramadan including origins, duties, benefits of fasting, the exceptions and their reasons, and the Night of Power, Qur’an 96:1-5. |
Year 11
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 | Spring 1 | Spring 2 | Summer 1 |
| Zakah The role and significance of giving alms including origins, how and why it is given, benefits of receipt, Khums in Shi’a Islam. Hajj The role and significance of the pilgrimage to Makkah including origins, how hajj is performed, the actions pilgrims perform at sites including the Ka’aba at Makkah, Mina, Arafat, Muzdalifah and their significance. | Jihad Different understandings of jihad: the meaning and significance of greater and lesser jihad; origins, influence and conditions for the declaration of lesser jihad. Festivals and commemorations and their importance for Muslims in Great Britain today Including the origins and meanings of Id-ul-Adha, Id-ul-Fitr, Ashura | Theme A: Relationships and families Contraception. Sexual relationships before marriage Homosexual relationships Sex, marriage and divorce Families and gender equality Theme B: Religion and life Abortion Euthanasia Animal experimentation The origins and value of the universe The origins and value of human life | Theme C: The existence of God and revelation Visions Miracles Nature as general revelation Philosophical arguments for and against the existence of God The nature of the divine and revelation | Theme F: Religion, human rights and social justice Status of women in religion The uses of wealth Freedom of religious expression Human rights Wealth and poverty |
Curriculum
Year 8
| No. of lessons per fortnight | Frequency and length of homework | Additional learning opportunities e.g. clubs, speakers, visits, residential … | Department support e.g. intervention classes, revision classes … | Additional guidance for parents e.g. exam board info, websites to support revision, books to read, useful places to visit … |
| 2 | Research Completion of assessments | Guest speakers will depend on timetabling and availability Humanist speaker Disability awareness Animal Rights | Catch up sessions for all students regardless of their ability | www.bbc.co.uk › Learning › Secondary https://www.truetube.co.uk/ http://request.org.uk www.christianitytoday.com |
Year 9
| No. of lessons per fortnight | Frequency and length of homework | Additional learning opportunities e.g. clubs, speakers, visits, residential … | Department support e.g. intervention classes, revision classes … | Additional guidance for parents e.g. exam board info, websites to support revision, books to read, useful places to visit … |
| 2 | Research Completion of assessments | Guest speakers will depend on timetabling and availability Humanist speaker Disability awareness Possible ‘Message Trust’ Animal Rights | Catch up sessions for all students regardless of their ability | www.bbc.co.uk › Learning › Secondary https://www.truetube.co.uk/ http://request.org.uk www.christianitytoday.com |
Year 10
| No. of lessons per fortnight | Frequency and length of homework | Additional learning opportunities e.g. clubs, speakers, visits, residential … | Department support e.g. intervention classes, revision classes … | Additional guidance for parents e.g. exam board info, websites to support revision, books to read, useful places to visit … |
| 5 | 2-3 times dependent on the work being studied | Guest speakers will depend on timetabling and availability Manchester University – why study RE? ‘My Hajj’ speaker | Catch up sessions for all students regardless of their ability Targeted revision classes General revision classes | AQA Spec 8062 Visit to a mosque Visit to a synagogue www.bbc.co.uk › Learning › Secondary https://www.truetube.co.uk/ http://request.org.uk http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/religious-studies/gcse/religious-studies-a-8062 www.christianitytoday.com |
Year 11
| No. of lessons per fortnight | Frequency and length of homework | Additional learning opportunities e.g. clubs, speakers, visits, residential … | Department support e.g. intervention classes, revision classes … | Additional guidance for parents e.g. exam board info, websites to support revision, books to read, useful places to visit … |
| 5 | 2-3 times dependent on the work being studied | Guest speakers will depend on timetabling and availability Visit to a synagogue Jewish woman perspective – Bernette Clarke Interfaith – Jewish and Muslim Forum | Catch up sessions for all students regardless of their ability Targeted revision classes General revision classes | www.bbc.co.uk › Learning › Secondary https://www.truetube.co.uk/ www.christianitytoday.com |
