RELIGIOUS EDUCATION DEPARTMENT INFORMATION
RS is one of the most important subjects on the curriculum.
RS reflects on questions we all face in the 21st century, questions which focus on the environment, equality, wealth and poverty and creation, attempting to find answers to the important questions of human life.
In RS lessons we study the views of Six Major religions, Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam. We look at important aspects of a religious life and try to understand how religion influences personal decisions.
We develop critical thinking about the world and reflect on things we cannot prove, for example, the afterlife and religious experience. We look at a wide range of worldviews, both religious and non religious, to reflect on our own personal beliefs and to develop an appreciation of the differences and similarities between different communities around the world.
RS challenges us to be inquisitive, while also developing good listening skills and clear, analytical arguments in written work.
What to expect in Y7
Autumn Term:
Introduction / Baseline Assessment
Rights and Responsibilities : Environment, Christianity, Judaism, Islam
Environment : Sikhism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Humanism
Assessment ; To demonstrate knowledge and understanding of why and how religious people care about the environment.
Spring Term
Religion and Community-New Malden Walk
Tribes-Examination of What makes a religion/How is it made up/What are the rules, initiation rites etc.
Assessment-Religious Symbols:Test in class
Assessment-Initiation Rites: Group presentation to class
Summer Term
Assessment: End of Year Exam
Beliefs and Practices: Pilgrimage, Christianity, Islam, Judaism
Presentations/Peer/self assessment
Spirited Arts Projects
What to expect in Y8
Autumn Term
Rights and Responsibilities: Wealth and Poverty
Hinduism, Islam, Christianity
Assessment -Advice booklet explaining how religious people have a responsibility to look after the poor
Religious Practice- Rites of Passage : Essay in Class
Assessment : To know the features of a religious Rite of Passage.
To demonstrate an understanding of the importance of religious rites of passage.
Spring Term
Founders of Religion: The Life of Christ and its importance for Christians today ‘The person of Jesus; Human or God?’
Assessment: Agony Aunt letter
What does Justice mean to Christians: To understand how Christians have stood up to defend the rights of others, e.g. Oscar Romero, Martin Luther King, Desmond Tutu
Assessment : Is it ever right to break the law?
Summer Term
Beliefs and Practice: Inspirational Leaders
Malala Yousafzei, Gandhi, Chico Mendes, Martin Luther King, Barack Obama
Assessment: End of Year Exam
Assessment : To demonstrate knowledge of what makes a good leader. To demonstrate understanding of an individual who is a good role model
Spirited Arts Projects
What to expect in Y9
Autumn Term
Ethical Issues – Crime and Punishment
Judaism, Hinduism, Christianity, secular views
Looking at the causes of crime, different types of crime, aims of punishment, different types of punishment.
To discuss the effectiveness of the Death Penalty as a deterrent to crime.
Assessment/Peer/self assessment-Presentation ‘The death penalty should be reintroduced in England’
Discuss 2 minute presentation
Ethical Issues : Life and Death
To cover:
When does life begin?
The sanctity of life/the importance of human life
Pro life / Pro choice arguments for and against abortion
Religious views for and against abortion
Christian arguments for and against
Assessment Essay:‘Why do many Christians oppose Abortion
Spring Term
PHILOSOPHY/Evil and Suffering: The Holocaust
Looking at different types of evil in the world, causes of suffering; natural and moral
Understanding the history of the Jewish people:
Why have they been targeted as scapegoats in history?
How the Jewish people were discriminated against during the Second World War, including; laws to segregate the Jewish community, ghettoes, concentration camps
Holocaust project / Assessment
Pros/poetry/artwork
The Jewish response to the Holocaust
Philosophy:Arguments for and Against the Existence of God -Christianity(Assessment :End of Unit Test)
To study : Images of God, key terms used to describe God, Christianity, including The Trinity.
Creation vs Evolution
First Cause vs Big Bang
Design argument
Religious experience : including miracles
Summer Term
Islam: Beliefs and Practices
The Life of the Prophet Mohammed pbuh
To understand how the important events in the life of the Prophet influenced early Islam
The Five Pillars of Islam
To know the importance of worship in Islam
Women in Islam/The Veil
Assessment : The Night of Power/To describe what happened and to understand the importance of this event for Muslims
Assessment ;End of Year Exam
Human Rights : Is it right? Issues of inequality:
Wealth and Poverty, Racism, Sexism, Religion
Spirited Arts Project
Why choose RS for GCSE?
Students consider different beliefs and attitudes to religious and non-religious issues in contemporary British society. They should be aware that the religious traditions of Great Britain are, in the main, Christian, and that religious traditions in Great Britain are diverse. They include Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism and Sikhism, as well as other religious and non-religious beliefs such as atheism and humanism. This knowledge may be applied throughout the assessment of the subject content:
3.1 Component 1: The study of religions: beliefs, teachings and practices
3.2 Component 2: Thematic studies / Relationships and Families; Religion and life; Religion, crime and punishment; Religion, human rights and social justice
Also, you will have the opportunity to travel to Rome!!
(Rome 2020 Photos coming soon)