Welcome to Religious Education, part of the Humanities Faculty at Blackfen School for Girls.
Religious education is important in preparing students for adult life, employment & lifelong learning; enabling them to develop respect for & sensitivity to others, promoting good judgment & encouraging students to approach all areas of life, with an open mind & without prejudice.
Key stage 3: Years 7 to 9
The first lesson in each year for Key Stage 3 is the same; all classes do a ‘Base Line Assessment’ so we have a starting point from which we can accurately assess throughout the year. Additionally, as a teacher this allows us to adapt our teaching as we work through the syllabus, to fill in any additional gaps in knowledge as we are able to, to ensure students have a comprehensive overview of all the major world religions, as well as a slightly more in-depth study of Christianity & plenty of opportunities to reflect on their own beliefs & values. All students are assessed twice during each half term
Year 7
| Term | Unit of Work | Summary |
| Autumn Term 1 | Beliefs & Concepts | In this unit, students look specifically at Christianity & Hinduism. Initially looking separately at their beliefs about God & then comparing them, whilst considering their own views about God. Students also learn about Jesus & some of the key basic teachings from Jesus, & consider the whether they are still applicable in today’s society |
| Autumn Term 2 | ||
| Spring Term 1 | Making Moral Decisions | Students consider how religious people (Christians & Muslims) make moral decisions, looking at the role of Holy Books, religious people, the religious community & family, as well as religious ideas of conscience & situation ethics. They will then spend time comparing these ideas to their own & non-religious ways of making moral decisions. Moving on, students consider their own lives as a journey, exploring key events in their lives so far & their visions for the future, before taking a deeper look inside one specific religion (of their choice), to complete a project based learning task of ‘A Week in the Life of…’ diary/blog, reflecting on the differences between a religious & non-religious persons life |
| Spring Term 2 | ||
| Summer Term 1 | Worship | Lastly, Year 7 students spend time studying different ways religions worship (Christian, Jewish & Buddhist), before researching two specific religious ceremonies (Initiation & Marriage) & presenting their findings through a range of ICT. Students may also have the opportunity to study a festival of their choice. |
| Summer Term 2 |
Year 8
| Term | Unit of Work | Summary |
| Autumn Term 1 | Beliefs & Concepts | Students spend time studying different creation stories (Christian, Scientific/Humanist, Native American, Chinese & Hindu) & consider how these stories affect believes lives, before considering some of life’s BIG questions: Why are we here? What happens when we die? Is there Life After Death? The work about Life after Death is studied from two main perspectives – that held by the main Western Religions (of Heaven & Hell) & that of the main Eastern Religions (Reincarnation). Students may also study religious experiences & the value they hold for people who have them |
| Autumn Term 2 | ||
| Spring Term 1 | Making Moral Decisions | Students spend time looking at issues of prejudice & discrimination, specifically racism & consider why some people are prejudice & how they can made a change. They will look into some religious & non-religious case studies & spend time investigating the work of Martin Luther King & the impact this had on the Civil Rights Movement in 1960’s America. They will then move on to considering the moral issue of war & whether is it ever right to fight in war, before contemplating the idea of having a faith & being in the armed forces & evaluating the role of a chaplain & whether having a faith is in direct conflict with the idea of war |
| Spring Term 2 | ||
| Summer Term 1 | Worship | Students spend time learning about the conflict between Israel & Palestine & consider the role of Interfaith Relationships in solving religious conflict, before applying the key teaching of forgiveness to South Africa & the issue of Apartheid, where students can reflect on their own understanding of what it means to truly forgive. Year 8 students finish the academic year learning about pilgrimage & do independent research to find out about one specific place of pilgrimage & the value it holds for the people who go their, whilst reflecting & developing their own understanding of what it means to make a special journey & how this influences their own lives |
| Summer Term 2 |
Year 9
The work done in Year 9 is slightly different to Years 7 & 8, as it is planned to act almost like a bridge between Years 7 & 8, & the GCSE style of work in Years 10 & 11, which is why throughout Year 9 we introduce some GCSE style questions & encourage students to take more responsibility for their learning
| Term | Unit of Work | Summary |
| Autumn Term 1 | Religion & Science & Free Will | Students start the year having their previously conceived ideas of religion & science being challenged – students are encouraged to consider the perceived issues of conflict between religion & sciences & evaluate whether they think this is an accurate portrayal of the work both religion & science do. Students then look at two key contemporary issues (Genetic Engineering & Transplant Surgery) from both religious & scientific viewpoints, before researching, analysing & presenting their finding on the contribution & influence Islam has had on the modern world of science. Following on from this, students learn about the ideas of conscience & free will, before further thinking about & answering the question ‘Are we ever really free to make our own decisions’, giving their own opinions |
| Autumn Term 2 | ||
| Spring Term 1 | Poverty & Suffering | Students consider what poverty actually means & determine reasons why poverty exists & what they can do to help. They take a look at two religious responses (Christian & Sikh) to poverty & how they are working to reduce poverty, before completing a research ICT task to produce a leaflet a religious aid organisation of their choice, explaining the work they do to reduce poverty in the world today & reasons behind what they do. Students then move on to examine the issue of suffering in the world today, including animal cruelty & testing, before examining some religious responses to evil & suffering & evaluating their response to the statement, ‘if everyone was religious, there would be no unnecessary suffering’ |
| Spring Term 2 | ||
| Summer Term 1 | Justice & the Holocaust | The final unit of Key Stage 3 draws together all the learning that has taken place over the past three years & applies the skills & knowledge learnt to this student-led project based unit. Students are supported throughout by their teachers, but ultimately this is a research based project that allows them the freedom to look into the Holocaust from whatever angle they choose, into the depth they choose, to be presented in the medium of their choice. Initially students will deliberate the idea of justice – what is it, why do we have it, does it work, etc.? Following this, students will start thinking about the concept of genocide & investigating some of the worst genocides in the 20th Century – Rwanda, Congo, Kosovo, etc. Students will then turn their attention to possibly the most famous genocide in modern history – The Holocaust. Students will have guidance with their study of the Holocaust, including an information booklet, which covers key areas, but ultimately this is their learning. Students will also have the opportunity to put their research into context, as one of the Challenge Days for Year 9 is based on the Holocaust, where students will have the opportunity to meet & listen to first hand accounts from Holocaust survivors, whilst also spending some time looking at the Holocaust from other angles, e.g. the role of women; the role of the media & the legal implications, whilst also exploring & expressing their feelings towards the Holocaust from more creative sides, through drama, music & art. Students complete Year 9 with a debate, one which has existed for many years & will continue to exist; ‘Can you believe in a loving God if evil & suffering exist?’ |
| Summer Term 2 |
Key Stage 4
For RE at GCSE (Years 10 and 11) we follow the RE GSCE Full Course, Unit 2 –Religion & Life based on Christianity (5RS02) in Year 10 & Unit 8 – Religion & Society (5RS08) in Year 11, focussing predominantly on Christianity, using Edexcel – www.edexcel.com. Some students in the current Year 11 cohort (2012-2013) are working to complete the RE GCSE Short Course run by Edexcel, Unit 1 – Religion & Life based on Christianity & one other religion (5RS01), instead of the Full Course. This follows the same units of work as outlined in Year 10 below, but is spanned over two years, with all units of work studied from both the Christian & Muslim perspective, as well as non-religious.
RE at GCSE is a positive qualification for your CV; many Further Education & Sixth Form Colleges & Universities want students who are interested in the world around them & are capable of considering different points of view, whilst being able to think & communicate effectively – skills learnt & honed in RE. RE GCSE also provides students with opportunities to do many things, including:
P Enhance their own spiritual & moral development
P Develop understanding & tolerance for society
P Consider religious, non-religious & personal responses to moral & ethical issues
P Investigate & respond to fundamental questions, raised by religion & society
P Explore positive aspects of living in a diverse, multi-faith & multi-cultural society, learning how they can make a difference to the society in which we live
P Make cross curricular links to other subjects studied at GCSE & develop a solid foundation for many BTEC & A-Level subjects, university degrees & jobs students may work towards for the future
Most importantly, you do not have to be religious to study GCSE RE; just open-minded & willing to give your opinion!
Lastly, RE is gradually becoming more important, as the Government are keen that all students should develop a sense of ‘community cohesion’ (a common vision & shared sense of belonging for all groups in society), whilst students are finding that RE is becoming more applicable to their lives, because it is no longer just about religion – much more time is spent looking at moral, social & ethical issues & what students think about these issues & how they do apply to the world in which they live
Year 10: Unit 2 – Religion & Life based on Christianity
| Term | Unit of Work | Summary |
| Autumn Term 1 | Section 3 - Marriage & the Family | In Section 3, students § Consider some of the major changes to society & the way in which family life is structures § Identify some of the reasons for changes to marriage & the family since the 1960’s § Investigate a range of issues & different Christian attitudes towards them, including sex before marriage, divorce, homosexuality, methods of contraception, whilst developing their own opinions for each of the topics studied § Understand the purposes of marriage within Christianity, why family life is important to Christians & how Christian churches help with the upbringing of families § Analyse the way in which an issue from this section is shown in the Media – the notion of in the TV show ‘Modern Family’ - & evaluate whether the portrayal is fair In Section 4, students § Consider how attitudes to the roles of men & women have changed over the last 150 years within society, as well as in Christianity, investigating the different Christian attitudes to women § Look at the UK as a multi-ethnic society & identify the key events in history which have lead to the UK becoming multi-ethnic, whilst research the Government’s action to promote community cohesion in the UK & whether this action is working & beneficial § Explore reasons why Christians should help promote racial harmony & investigate the work of a Christian Churches to help asylum seekers &/or immigrant workers in the UK § Look at the UK as a multi-faith society & identify benefits & issues raised from living in a multi-faith society, including differences among Christians in their attitudes to other religions & highlighting ways in which religions work to promote community cohesion in the UK § Explore how an issue from religion & community cohesion has been presented in one form of the media – the issue of racism in the film ‘A Time to Kill’ - & evaluate whether the portrayal is fair In Section 2, students § Learn Christian beliefs about Life After Death & how these beliefs affect believers lives § Identify some of the non-religious reasons for believing in Life After Death & also reason why people do not believe in Life After Death at all, whilst considering their own views about Life After Death § Explore the nature of abortion – what is abortion, when does life start, etc. & understand the laws in relation to the issue of abortion & the changes in history that have resulted in the laws we have today § Investigate different Christian attitudes to abortion § Explore the nature of euthanasia – what euthanasia is, different types of euthanasia & understand the law in relation to the issue of euthanasia § Investigate different Christian attitudes to euthanasia & how these may influence their lives § Explore how an issue from Matters of Life After Death have been portrayed in the media & consider whether this was a fair portrayal – should the media be free to criticise what religions say about matters of life & death § Research some of the causes of world poverty & the impact they have on people’s lives & how we can make a difference § Identify ways in which Christian Aid are trying to remove the causes of world poverty & the reasoning behind it In Section 1, students § Identify the features of a religious upbringing & consider how they may lead to belief in God § Examine the idea of ‘Religious Experience’ & evaluate whether they can prove God exists § Learn about two main arguments for the existence of God – the Argument from Design & the Argument from Causation - & evaluate how they lead to belief in God § Study the scientific explanations of the world & reflect on how these may lead to people not believing in God & identify ways in which Christianity might responds § Consider how unanswered prayers may lead people to not believe in God & identify ways in which Christianity responds § Investigate the issue of evil & suffering & identify ways in which Christianity responds |
| Autumn Term 2 | Section 3 – Marriage & the Family Section 4 – Religion & Community Cohesion | |
| Spring Term 1 | Section 4 – Religion & Community Cohesion | |
| Spring Term 2 | Section 2 – Matters of Life & Death | |
| Summer Term 1 | Section 1 – Believing in God | |
| Summer Term 2 | Start Year 11 Course: Unit 8 – Religion & Society Section 1 - Rights & Responsibilities See Year 11 Work Outline for Summary | |
Year 11
| Term | Unit of Work | Summary |
| Autumn Term 1 | Section 1 – Rights & Responsibilities Section 2 – Environmental & Medical Issues | In Section 1, students § Determine different ways Christians make moral decisions (Bible, Church, Conscience & Situation Ethics) & consider the value of using just one, some or all to make moral decisions § Identify what human rights are & why we have them & evaluate why they are important for Christians & whether they conflict with religious traditions § Analyse reasons why it is important to take part in voting processes § Study three main Christian teachings on moral duties & responsibilities & identify ways in which these teachings influence the way Christian behave § Investigate the nature of genetic engineering – what is it, why it is important in medicine/science, non-religious arguments for & against it & identify different Christian attitudes towards it & why they have these views In Section 2, students § Understand the environmental issues of global warming, pollution & the scarcity of natural resources, what they actually mean for the earth/world we live in & any possible solutions § Examine Christian & Muslim teachings about stewardship & how these teachings influence the way they treat the earth § Investigate the nature (what it is, different methods, etc.) & importance of infertility treatments, including non-religious arguments for & against & consider the Christian & Muslim attitudes to the different methods & reasons why they may agree or disagree § Investigate the nature (what it is, different methods, etc.) & importance of transplant surgery, including non-religious arguments for & against & consider the Christian & Muslim attitudes to it & reasons why they may agree or disagree In Section 3, students § Explore the issue of bullying, using real case studies & examples, identifying the laws surrounding bullying & the reasons that it occurs. Additionally, students evaluate the effects of bullying & consider the Christian & Muslim attitudes towards bullying § Explore the issue of conflict, both within family & on a wider scale. Students consider the Christian & Muslim ideas of forgiveness & reconciliation & develop their own opinions to these issues § Research the causes of war & identify the role of the UN in a war zone to work for/keep peace, including a case study (Serbian/Kosovo conflict) § Learn the Christian & Muslim attitudes to war, including the idea of pacifism in Christianity & the ‘Just War Theory’ § Research the work of one religious organisation, e.g. Pax Christi, in working for peace In Section 4, students § Explore the need for law & justice in society & evaluate the effectiveness of different theories of punishment (retribution, deterrence, reform, protection) & consider why justice is important for Christians & Muslims § Investigate the nature of capital punishment (what is it) & the laws surrounding it, as well as considering the non-religious arguments & the Christian & Muslim attitudes towards capital punishment & developing their own opinion § Explore & understand the laws on drugs & alcohol in the UK, & consider some of the social & health problems caused by drugs & alcohol, as well as considering the Christian & Muslims attitudes to drugs & alcohol & developing their own opinion |
| Autumn Term 2 | Section 2 – Environmental & Medical Issues | |
| Spring Term 1 | Section 3 – Peace & Conflict | |
| Spring Term 2 | Section 4 – Crime & Punishment | |
| Summer Term 1 | REVISION FOR EXAMS | |
Key Stage 5
For RE at AS & A2 Levels, students in Years 12 & 13 follow the Edexcel Religious Studies course, focussing on Philosophy of Religion & Ethics - www.edexcel.com
RE at A-Level is a lot more interesting than GCSE & despite what a lot of people think; it is actually an academic subject. In the A-Level there is the opportunity to fine tune your essay writing skills, learn bits of history with the philosophers & what they contributed & why, & the context in which they lived & argued. You also have the opportunity to have your personal beliefs challenged in a safe way, learn lots of general knowledge & just develop & grow as a person, learning to look at everything you see differently. RE at A-Level is great for students who have enjoyed RE/RS GCSE, want to develop their critical thinking skills & like having discussions & debating. It is a challenging subject, both in terms of work & topics, so is good for students who like to be challenged & also those who work well as part of a team. RE compliments subjects like History, Law, Sociology, Art, Maths, Languages & Science as lots of the philosopher & ethical ideas appear in these subjects too, but you don’t have to be doing one of these subjects to do RE & you don’t have to be religious!
Year 12
Foundations – Philosophy of Religion & Ethics (6RS01) & Investigations – Medical Ethics (6RS02, Area C)
Unit 1 & Unit 2 are studied alongside each other throughout the whole year
| Term | Unit(s) of Work | Summary |
| Autumn Term 1 | Unit 1: Foundations Philosophy of Religion § God of Classical Theism § Arguments for the Existence of God (Design & Causation) § The Problem of Evil & Suffering § Miracles Ethics § The Relationship between Religion & Morality § Utilitarianism § Situation Ethics § Sexual Ethics § War & Peace Unit 2: Investigations – Medical Ethics | Unit 1: Foundations (50%) You study the different topics within Philosophy & Ethics, learning & evaluating a range of arguments from different philosophers, & developing your own opinions & criticisms for each one. In the exam you choose three questions to answer, out of a possible eight questions – at least one Ethics question & one Philosophy question Unit 2: Investigations – Medical Ethics (50%) You spend time researching, writing & rewriting 1,500-2,000 word essays (like coursework) on the topic of your choice within Medical Ethics linked to two religions of your choice. There is an exam, but by the time you sit the exam, you will have honed you writing skills & all the relevant information to just go straight in & answer the question given, in relation to your topic & religions you chose |
| Autumn Term 2 | ||
| Spring Term 1 | ||
| Spring Term 2 | ||
| Summer Term 1 | Revision & Exams | |
| Summer Term 2 | Start Year 13 Work – see Year 13 table below | |
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Year 13
Developments – Philosophy of Religion & Ethics (6RS03) & Implications – Philosophy of Religion (6RS04, Question 1)
Unit 4 follows on from Unit 3 towards the end of the year
| Term | Unit(s) of Work | Summary |
| Autumn Term 1 | Unit 3: Developments Philosophy of Religion § Life After Death § Argument for the Existence of God (Ontological) § Religious Experience § The Non-Existence of God & Critiques of Religious Belief § Religious Language Ethics § Critiques of the Relationship between Religion & Morality § Natural Moral Law § Deontology § Virtue Ethics § Justice, Law & Punishment § Ethical Language | Unit 3: Developments (50%) A continuation on from the Foundations unit studied at AS Level, following the same principle, but with the added expectation of being able to critically evaluate the arguments made. Exam is the same as at AS Level Unit 4: Implications – Philosophy of Religion (50%) This is the synoptic unit of the course, where you study, annotate & completely pull apart three philosophical articles. In the exam you get a passage from one of the texts you have looked at, & you answer the question based on the passage & all the notes you made during the course, concluding with your analysis |
| Autumn Term 2 | ||
| Spring Term 1 | ||
| Spring Term 2 | Unit 4: Implications – Philosophy of Religion | |
| Summer Term 1 | Revision & Exams | |
| Summer Term 2 | Not in school | |