Religious Education

Year Group

Areas of Study

7

Term 1: What is Religious Education? Sikhism (1) Beliefs; concepts; authority, expressions of spirituality – What does the gurdwara tell us about Sikh beliefs?

Term 2: Sikhism (2) How do Sikh beliefs affect their actions? Sikh attitudes towards moral issues – reference to the Khalsa

Term 3: Christianity (1) Beliefs; concepts; authority: Beliefs about Jesus’ birth What do Christians believe about the importance of Jesus’ incarnation? 

Term 4: Christianity (2) Beliefs; concepts; authority – Jesus’ controversial teaching; events of the Last Week

Term 5: Buddhism (1) Beliefs; concepts; authority: Why was Gotama Buddha so special? Life of the Buddha, 4 Noble Truth, the Middle Way

Term 6: Christianity (3) Rights and responsibilities; What does justice mean to Christians? Christian idea of service and self-sacrifice; Mother Teresa; The work of TEAR Fund/Christian Aid

8

Term 1: Islam (1) Beliefs; concepts; authority – How do Muslims make decisions on ethical issues? Muhammad as the final prophet; Importance of the Qur’an Expressions of Spirituality: The Mosque – prayer; the Hajj

Term 2: Islam (2) Islam (3) Rights and responsibilities; Global issues: Islam and attitudes to women

Term 3: Christianity (4) Rights and responsibilities – Christians and attitudes to prejudice and discrimination Martin Luther King

Term 4: Interfaith unit: What do religions say about human rights and responsibilities? Apartheid

Term 5: Buddhism (2) Expressions of Spirituality; Ethics and relationships – What is a Buddhist’s goal in life? Wheel of Life, 5 precepts, the Sangha, Relevance of stillness and meditation

Term 6: Christianity (5) Expressions of Spirituality – How do Christians express their beliefs about God in worship? What would a Church for all Christians be like?

9

Term 1: Questions of meaning relating to human life – Why do some people find it hard to believe in God? Questions of meaning relating to human life (2) Are science and faith in conflict?

Term 2: Questions of meaning relating to human life (3) Beliefs about life after death

Term 3: Questions that inform people’s moral choices: Anti-Semitism + The Holocaust

Term 4: Questions of meaning: Does suffering make it impossible to believe in God?

Term 5: Interfaith unit – Religion, War and Peace – Is it ever right to fight?

Term 6: Interfaith unit – Planet Earth

Subject: Religious Studies (Exam board) AQA Spec A

Link to other subjects/degrees/careers:

Religious studies graduates have gone into careers in a variety of fields that require critical thinking, subtle analysis, and skilled articulation.

The application of ethical principles is essential to most disciplines but particularly to modern-day medicine, science, technology, environmental studies, economics and business. It obviously has great value for such careers as social work, medicine, the law, nursing and teaching.

Skills/competencies developed:

The Religious Studies GCSE is designed to link closely with other subjects, particularly Citizenship and Personal, Social and Health Education.  It encourages skills in investigation; interpretation; reflection; empathy; evaluation; analysis; synthesis; application; expression.

It also includes developing attitudes such as care and concern of others; commitment; sense of fairness; respect, including respecting those who have different beliefs and customs to one’s own, recognising the rights of others to hold their own views, and appreciating other  people’s religious convictions; self-understanding; enquiry.

Content (broken down by units at GCSE):

Year 10

The Study of Religions: Christianity: Beliefs and Teachings, Christianity: Practices

The aim of these topics is to enable students to understand and reflect upon the key concepts, teachings and practices within Christianity. This includes the study of the trinity, the afterlife and judgement, and festivals and baptism.

Thematic Studies: Religion and Life, Religion, Peace and Conflict

The aim of these topics is to encourage students to think about current issues within our society; including matters such as abortion, euthanasia and animal experimentation and whether a war can ever be considered just.

Year 11

The Study of Religions: Buddhism Beliefs and Teachings, Buddhism Practices

The aim of these topics is to enable students to understand and reflect upon the key concepts, teachings and practices within Buddhism. This includes the study of the Buddha’s enlightenment and the Four Nobel Truths, and meditations and festivals.

Thematic Studies: Religion and Life, Crime and Punishment

The aim of these topics is to encourage students to think about current issues within our society; including matters such as social justice and religious freedom, and the aims of punishment and the death penalty.

Students will take two final examinations at the end of Year 11.