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Religious Studies

Departmental Aims

Religious Studies plays a significant role in the curriculum and in the development of the individual pupil. It provides pupils with the opportunities to develop their personal understanding, moral character and enhance their spiritual and ethical awareness. This is done by enabling them to learn about, discuss, evaluate and learn from religious beliefs, practices and values by supplying opportunities to engage with challenging questions about the meaning and purpose of life and their place in society and the world around them.

Staff

Mrs P D McMaster (Head of Department) (Part-Time)

Mrs R Campbell (Part-Time)

Mrs R Carlisle 

Mrs J Harper (Part-Time)

Mrs C L Moore ​

Key Stage 3

At Key Stage 3 we cover a diverse and interesting range of topics which help to improve our understanding of people and the influences on our lives. Students are encouraged to reflect, to be critical and think deeply to enable them to make academically informed decisions about world matters. We study topics such as:

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  • An Introduction to Religion.

  • The impact of the lives of significant figures from history.

  • A study of different World Religions such as Hinduism, Judaism and Islam.

Key Stage 4

At Key Stage 4 our pupils follow the GCSE Short Course.

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Unit studied:

 

  •  Unit 6: An Introduction to Christian Ethics

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We follow the CCEA GCSE Specification which encourages our students to develop a critical, enquiring and reflective approach. The ethical topics studied include:

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  • Relationships

  • Matters of Life and Death

  • Developments in Bioethics

  • Contemporary Issues

  •  Modern Warfare

 

Many of these issues feature in world news. The course considers both religious and non-religious perspectives. Students are encouraged to express their own viewpoints and sympathetically evaluate the views of others.

 

There is an option to choose Full Course Religious Studies. Units studied:

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  • Unit 4: Christianity through a Study of the Gospel of Matthew

  • Unit 6: An Introduction to Christian Ethics

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This specification aims to encourage students to:

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  • be inspired, moved and changed by following a broad and worthwhile course of study that will challenge and equip them to lead constructive lives in the modern world.

  • develop their interest in and enthusiasm for the study of religion and relate it to the wider world.

  • adopt an enquiring, critical and reflective approach to the study of religion.

  • reflect on and develop their own values, opinions and attitudes in light of their learning.

  • explore religions and beliefs, giving them opportunities to reflect on fundamental questions related to belief, engage with them intellectually and respond personally.

  • enhance their spiritual and moral development, and contribute to their health and well-being; and

  • enhance their personal, social and cultural development, along with their understanding of different cultures locally, nationally and in the wider world, so they may contribute to social and community cohesion.

 

You can find the CCEA Specification details here:

https://ccea.org.uk/key-stage-4/gcse/subjects/gcse-religious-studies-2017

Key Stage 5

Pupils can continue their study of RS to A Level following the CCEA specification. This course offers an academic approach to the study of religion, ethics and philosophy. We discuss topics such as The History of the Early Church and the historical origins/central beliefs of Islam. Students also explore the relationship between the topics studied and other aspects of human experience, focusing on the relevance for today.

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Units studied:

 

  • Unit AS 2: An Introduction to the Acts of the Apostles

  • Unit AS 6: An Introduction to Islam

  • Unit A2 2: Themes in Selected Letters of St Paul

  • Unit A2 6: Islam in a Contemporary Context

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This specification aims to encourage students to:

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  • develop their interest and enthusiasm for religious studies.

  • relate their studies to the local cultural and religious environment and to the wider world.

  • draw together different areas of knowledge, skills, understanding, synthesis and evaluation via synoptic assessment.

  • develop higher order thinking skills, for example independent learning, creative thinking and problem-solving.

  • reflect on and develop their own values, opinions and attitudes in the light of their learning.

  • develop the ability to make responsible judgements on significant textual, theological, philosophical and moral issues.

  • work with others in groups both locally and further afield.

  • develop advanced study skills that help them prepare for third level education and the world of work.

  • provide extended responses and evidence of quality of written communication.

  • demonstrate through external assessments that they can understand and evaluate key concepts.

 

You can find the CCEA Specification details here:

https://ccea.org.uk/post-16/gce/subjects/gce-religious-studies-2016

Right for Withdrawal from Religious Education and Collective Worship

Please complete the link below:

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Right for Withdrawal from Religious Education and Collective Worship: Sullivan Upper School – Fill in form

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