Curriculum
RELIGIOUS STUDIES
Why study Religious Studies?
Religious Studies aims to promote religious understanding and appreciation of people from all backgrounds. RS equips students to meet the circumstances of living in modern society, and become good citizens. It promotes a sympathetic understanding of religions, including both those that are locally represented and those which have been formative in the lives of people in the history of the world. Students will be challenged with questions about belief, values, meaning, purpose and truth, enabling them to develop their own attitudes towards religious issues. Through Religious Studies, students gain an appreciation of how religion, philosophy and ethics form the basis of our culture. They develop analytical and critical thinking skills, the ability to work with abstract ideas, leadership and research skills.
How will I study Religious Studies?
Religious Studies provokes challenging questions about the meaning and purpose of life, beliefs about God, the self and the nature of reality, issues of right and wrong, and what it means to be human. Students are given regular opportunities for reflection, discussion and debate. Students know and understand a range of religions and worldviews, so that they can recognise, appreciate and appraise the nature, significance and impact of different ways of life and ways of expressing meanings. This allows them to identify, investigate and respond to questions posed and responses offered by some of the sources of wisdom found in religions and worldviews. This allows students to express with increasing discernment their personal reflections and critical responses to questions and teachings about identity, diversity, meaning and value, including ethical issues.
What will I study at key stage 3?
In key stage 3 students will know and understand the origin and sources of religious faith, ways of expression for religious believers and the link to events from the past. Students investigate the sources of authority for religious believers. They consider how religious believers show commitment to their faith through identity, worship and rituals. Students study how religious believers remember the past through festivals and pilgrimages. Students go onto explore some theological, philosophical and sociological viewpoints. They consider if it makes sense to believe in God. This includes a study of Theism, Atheism and Agnosticism. They study the purpose of war and why do we suffer looking into the problem of evil and our responses to it. Students also consider stewardship and healing. Students use all of their knowledge and understanding to tackle understanding different beliefs about the origin of the work and what happens after death. They study situation ethics and go onto study religious denominations.
What will I study at key stage 4?
At Key Stage 4, students study the beliefs and practices of Islam and Christianity in depth. The curriculum then takes a more thematic approach across Islam, Christianity, and non-religious worldviews. Students explore matters of life and death such as the origins of the universe and the origins of humanity. This thematic approach continues by looking at crime and punishment. Students study lawbreakers and types of crime, attitudes to suffering, and forgiveness. Students go on to study family and relationships. This includes marriage, relations outside of marriage, and gender. Students also study peace and conflict. This looks at violent and non-violent protest, war and pacifism.
Assessment
Examination Board: AQA
| Paper 1A: The Study of Religions: Beliefs, Teachings and Practices | |
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| Overview | Focus |
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| Paper 2A: Thematic Studies | |
| Overview | Focus |
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Pupils must answer a compulsory five-part question on four separate religious, philosophical and ethical studies themes:
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Enrichment Offer
We run a number of visits to various places of worship in the North West, and invite faith representatives from the local community in to the Academy to discuss issues of faith and identity in our multicultural society. Intervention sessions to consolidate prior learning and ensure maximum progress are at the heart of our delivery model.
Careers
The study of Religious Education and Philosophy can lead to careers ranging from charity fundraiser, mediator, and youth worker to equality, diversion and inclusion officer, Chaplain and editorial assistant.
Famous people who studied Religious Education and Philosophy include Bill Clinton (former US President), Christy Turlington (model and businesswoman), David Cameron (former UK Prime Minister), and Martin Luther King Jr (Civil Rights leader).