As a Catholic School, Religious Education (RE) is a core subject for all students from Y7-Y13 and central to our school ethos. The RE courses are authentic to the Catholic faith, rigorous and engaging, allowing students of all backgrounds to be fully immersed in the curriculum in an inclusive way.
All students complete a GCSE in RE in Year 11, and each student in Year 12 and 13 will study Core RE as part of their course alongside the other subject/s they have chosen.
The subject also encourages students to develop their critical thinking and evaluative skills as they form their own arguments around common and divergent views within Catholic Christianity. Throughout the course there is time allowed for spiritual reflection including opportunities to reflect on personal beliefs and how these teachings impact students personally.
The Head of RE is Mr Willis - he can be contacted via reception.
Year 7 Religious Education Course Description
Lessons per 2 week cycle : 5
How is the course taught?
The KS3 RE course is taught across three academic years. The students study Catholic Christianity alongside other world religions so they are ready to engage with the GCSE curriculum when they reach Year 10. In Year 7 students study units on Creation and Covenant, Prophecy and Promise, Galilee to Jerusalem, Desert to Garden, To the Ends of the Earth and Islam. Students develop their literacy, oracy and research skills through extended writing, research projects, presentations and group work. Formative and summative assessment is used to evaluate learning throughout the unit. There are two formal assessment points, one mid-unit which takes many forms such as essay questions, speeches, letters or presentations and one end of unit assessment which is always written and is essay-based.
How are students grouped?
Students are taught in their form groups
How are students assessed?
RE uses a range of methods to assess students including:
- Quizzes in class and on Satchel1
- Homework
- Mid-term assessments
- End of Unit assessments
Homework:
Homework is set every two weeks and based on retrieval of content taught in lesson. Homework can include research, extended writing and questions. Homework is set via Satchel1 and resources are given in class.
Textbooks and Materials provided and needed:
All material needed is provided.
Curriculum Calendar
Autumn Term 1
Creation and Covenant
- An introduction to Catholic Christianity
- The Bible and the different types of writing
- The Genesis accounts of creation
- The scientific theories about creation
- What is our responsibility to others and to the world
- The role of prayer
Autumn Term 2
Prophecy and Promise
- How to navigate the Bible
- What connects the Hebrew Bible and the Old Testament?
- Why is the Old Testament important?
- How are scripture, tradition and the magisterium connected?
- How do Catholics use scripture in Mass?
- The Book of Kells
Spring Term 1
Galilee to Jerusalem
- The Incarnation
- The Person of Jesus
- The doctrine of the Trinity
- How does Catholic worship reflect belief in the Trinity
- How is Jesus the perfect human
- Business ethics
Spring Term 2
Desert to Garden
- The Paschal Mystery
- The Sacraments
- The Last Supper and the Eucharist
- The sacrifice and structure of Mass
- Different Christian beliefs about the Eucharist
- How can we respond to world hunger?
- The Eucharist in art
Summer Term 1
The Ends of the Earth
- Who was Saint Luke
- The Holy Spirit
- The role of the Holy Spirit in Jesus’ life
- Pentecost
- The Church
- Pentecost in art and in different countries
Summer Term 2
Islam
- Why it is important to study Islam
- Muslims beliefs about the nature of Allah
- Who Muhammad (pbuh) is and his importance
- The importance of the Qur’an
- The Five Pillars of Islam
- Features of Islamic art
Year 8 Religious Education Course Description
Lessons per 2 week cycle : 5
How is the course taught?
The KS3 RE course is taught across three academic years. The students study Catholic Christianity alongside other world religions so they are ready to engage with the GCSE curriculum when they reach Year 10. In Year 8 students study units on Revelation, Sacraments, The Person of Jesus, Sacrifice and Death, Judgement and Afterlife and Sikhism. Students develop their literacy, oracy and research skills through extended writing, research projects, presentations and group work. Student progress is tracked using AWLs – Emerging, Developing, Secure and Mastery. Formative assessment is used to evaluate learning throughout the unit. There are two formal assessment points, one mid-unit which takes many forms such as essay questions, speeches, letters or presentations and one end of unit assessment which is always written and is essay-based.
How are students grouped?
Students are taught in their form groups
How are students assessed?
RE uses a range of methods to assess students including:
- Quizzes in class and on Satchel1
- Homework
- Mid-term assessments
- End of Unit assessments
Homework:
Homework is set every two weeks and based on retrieval of content taught in lesson. Homework can include research, extended writing and questions. Homework is set via Satchel1 and resources are given in class.
Textbooks and Materials provided and needed:
All material needed is provided.
Curriculum Calendar
Autumn Term 1
Revelation
- How Genesis 1 influences Christian understandings of God
- Analyse the meaning of the term the ‘Image of God’
- Covenants God made with Abraham, Noah, and Moses
- Prophets
- The importance of the Messiah
- To evaluate how far Jesus was the perfect sacrifice
Autumn Term 2
Grace and Sacraments
- To understand why grace is necessary for salvation
- To investigate the concept of original sin
- To be able to explain the theological virtues and how we practise them today
- To analyse how virtues can help Christians lead holy lives
- To know the importance of the Sacraments
Spring Term 1
Marriage and the Family
- To discuss different views of marriage
- To understand biblical teachings on marriage
- To explain why Catholics believe marriage is important
- To know the importance of the marriage vows
- To explain Catholic teachings on the importance of family life
- To explore Roman Catholic teaching on divorce and remarriage
Spring Term 2
Sacrifice and Death
- Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem
- Jesus’ anointing at Bethany
- Why Judas betrayed Jesus
- Jesus’ trial and its significance
- Mark’s account of Jesus’ crucifixion
- The impact Jesus’ resurrection has on Christians today
Summer Term 1
Judgement and Afterlife
- Original Sin
- Catholic beliefs about life after death
- The significance of the Funeral Mass
- Judgement day
- The reason and purpose of purgatory
- Explore artwork to evaluate different beliefs about the afterlife
Summer Term 2
Sikhism
- The origins of Sikhism
- Guru Nanak’s teachings
- Sewa
- The similarities and differences of Guru Tegh Bahadur’s teachings and modern examples of Sikh practice
- The Mool Mantar
- The importance of Vaisakhi
- The importance of the 5K’s in Sikhism
- The features of a Gurdwara
Year 9 Religious Education Course Description
Lessons per 2 week cycle : 5
How is the course taught?
The KS3 RE course is taught across three academic years. The students study Catholic Christianity alongside other world religions so they are ready to engage with the GCSE curriculum when they reach Year 10. In Year 9 students study units on Judaism, Women of Faith, Hearing the Call, Ethics, Lived Religion and Religion in the Media. Students develop their literacy, oracy and research skills through extended writing, research projects, presentations and group work. Student progress is tracked using AWLs – Emerging, Developing, Secure and Mastery. Formative assessment is used to evaluate learning throughout the unit. There are two formal assessment points, one mid-unit which takes many forms such as essay questions, speeches, letters or presentations and one end of unit assessment which is always written and is essay-based.
How are students grouped?
Students are taught in their form groups
How are students assessed?
RE uses a range of methods to assess students including:
- Quizzes in class and on Satchel1
- Homework
- Mid-term assessments
- End of Unit assessments
Homework:
Homework is set every two weeks and based on retrieval of content taught in lesson. Homework can include research, extended writing and questions. Homework is set via Satchel1 and resources are given in class.
Textbooks and Materials provided and needed:
All material needed is provided.
Curriculum Calendar
Autumn Term 1
Judaism
- The foundations of Judaism and the belief that God is One
- Different key writings with the Tenakh and its formation
- Key titles of God
- The qualities of the Messiah
- The Covenants with Abraham and Moses and their importance to Jewish communities today
- Key features of a Synagogue
Autumn Term 2
Following Jesus
- To describe the call of the disciples
- To describe the story of Peter’s promise and denial
- To explore whether the disciples were good role models
- To study Jesus’ teaching on service and examine its significance for 21st century Christians
- To know and understand the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30)
- To explain the different ways Christians may respond to a Christian calling
- To evaluate the ordination of women
Spring Term 1
Ethics
- Dignity
- Sanctity of Life
- Imago Dei
- Pro-life organisations
- Equality
- War and Peace
Spring Term 2
Hearing the Call
- Vocation
- Sacrament of Baptism
- Sacrament of Ordination
- Missionaries of Charity
- Modern Day Disciples
Summer Term 1
Human Rights and Social Justice
- Catholic beliefs about human dignity
- The relationship between rights and responsibilities
- Responsibilities around wealth
- Catholic attitudes towards greed
- Catholic teachings about poverty
- Christian charities that work to fight against poverty
- Catholic teachings on justice, equality, prejudice and discrimination
Summer Term 2
Introduction to Catholic Christianity
- Sources of authority with the Catholic Faith
- The nature of Jesus and the hypostatic union
- The Kingdom of God and the teachings of Jesus
- How Jesus established His Church
- How the Church is structured
- Catholic teachings about the afterlife
Year 10 Religious Education Course Description
Lessons per 2 week cycle : 6
How is the course taught?
The course is taught across two academic years. The students have been introduced to the course curriculum and given an introduction to Catholic Christianity in KS3 so are able to enter Y10 ready to engage with the GCSE curriculum. Students work through key themes in Christianity and the beliefs, practices and sources of wisdom that accompany these such as Creation, Redemption and Eschatology.
Exam questions are utilised and broken down through sentence starters and a focus on PEEL to enable them to structure answers effectively.
How are students grouped?
Students are grouped according to ability in flexible setting from Set 1-5
How are students assessed?
RE uses a range of methods to assess students including:
- Quizzes in class and on Edulink
- Exam Questions at the end of lessons
- Homework including 12 mark questions
- End of Unit assessments
- Grade indicator exams
Homework:
Homework is set every two weeks and based on retrieval of content taught in lesson or practise exam questions. Homework is set via Edulink and resources are given in class and can also be found on Google Classroom.
Textbooks and Materials provided and needed:
All students are given an AQA Revision Guide at the end of Y10 to support their learning which contains all content needed for their exam.
Curriculum Calendar
Autumn Term 1
Creation
- Different sources of authority for Catholics today
- Understand how the Bible is formed and its significance
- Know Catholic teachings about God and creation
- Understand how God is creator, transcendent and omnipotent
- Explain how Genesis influences Catholic believes about free will and stewardship
- Know different ways Genesis is interpreted today
- Understand different beliefs expressed in Michelangelo’s ‘Creation of Adam’
- Know different beliefs within Christianity about religion and science
- understand the term Natural Law and relate Natural Law to how it applies to the Sanctity of Life
Autumn Term 2
Incarnation
- Understand Catholic belief in Incarnation
- explore beliefs about Jesus
- examine different titles of Jesus including ‘Son of Man’ and ‘Son of God’
- Explore Jesus’ moral teachings including the Beatitudes and the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats
- Understand the writings of Irenaeus about the nature of Jesus
- Compare and contrast the presentations of the Incarnation in Dei Verbum 4 and Verbum Domini 12
- Analyse how belief in the Incarnation influences use of religious art and imagery
Spring Term 1
Triune God
- Catholic understanding of the glory of God and the mystery of the Trinity
- Expressions of the Trinity in music, scripture and tradition
- The authority and influence of the magisterium
The practice of prayer.
Spring Term 2
Redemption
• The Paschal mystery of salvation and its celebration in Catholic worship
• The Church as the ‘Body of Christ’ and a redeemed ‘People of God’
• Different metaphors used to express the mystery of salvation
• The shape, contents and meaning of Church buildings and decoration
The parts of a Church which speak directly about the mystery of salvation as celebrated and made present in the sacrament of the Eucharist
• The wonder of redemption as highlighted by Anselm and Irenaeus
Year 11 Religious Education Course Description
Lessons per 2 week cycle : 6
How is the course taught?
The course is taught across two academic years. The students have already completed their first component on Catholic Christianity in Year 10 so have a detailed knowledge of the beliefs, teachings and practices found within Catholic Christianity. Students complete two more components during Y11, one on Themes which cover key ethical issues and one on Judaism which includes beliefs, teachings and practices.
Exam questions are utilised and broken down through sentence starters and a focus on PEEL to enable them to structure answers effectively.
How are students grouped?
Students are grouped according to ability in flexible setting from Set 1-6 in the girls school and Set 1-5 in the boys school
How are students assessed?
RE uses a range of methods to assess students including:
- Quizzes in class and on Edulink
- Exam Questions at the end of lessons
- Homework including 12 mark questions
- End of Unit assessments
- Grade indicator exams
Homework:
Homework is set every two weeks and based on retrieval of content taught in lesson or practise exam questions. Homework is set via Edulink and resources are given in class and can also be found on Google Classroom.
Textbooks and Materials provided and needed:
All students have been given an AQA Revision Guide at the end of Y10 to support their learning which contains all content needed for their exam. They are also given flashcards and further Revision Guides in Y11 which have been created by the RE Faculty.
Curriculum Calendar
Autumn Term 1
Theme A: Religion, Relationships and Families
- Ethical themes including Christian and non-religious beliefs in contemporary British society about Relationships and Families
- Love and sexuality
- Relationships such as marriage
- Roles of men and women
- Gender equality
Autumn Term 2
Theme B: Religion, Peace and Conflict
- Ethical themes including Christian and non-religious beliefs in contemporary British society about Peace and Conflict
- Human violence
- Just war
- Holy war
- Pacifism
- Terrorism
- Conflict resolution
- Peace making
Spring Term 1
Judaism: Beliefs and Teachings
- The beliefs and teachings of Judaism and their basis in Jewish sources of wisdom and authority
- The influence of the beliefs and teachings and practices studied on individuals, communities and societies.
- Common and divergent views within Judaism in the way beliefs and teachings are understood including for Orthodox, Reform and Liberal Jews
Spring Term 2
Judaism: Practices
- The practices of Judaism and their basis in Jewish sources of wisdom and authority.
- The influence of the practices studied on individuals, communities and societies
- Common and divergent views within Judaism in the way beliefs and teachings are practiced including in Orthodox, Reform and Liberal Judaism
Summer Term 1
Revision
We complete Revision in class to ensure all content has been sufficiently covered. This will include a range of revision techniques including crib sheets, A3 sheets, exam questions, videos, podcasts and quizzes.
Year 12 Core RE Curriculum Calendar
Autumn Term 1 Human Rights Students will be introduced to key Catholic teachings around the implementation, status, and origins of human rights, and To know the meaning and message of human rights. In this unit students will:
explain the Church’s teaching on human rights particularly through Gaudium et Spes
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Autumn Term 2 Human Trafficking Students will be introduced to the current status and issues surrounding human trafficking, and to allow the students the chance to reflect on the Church’s teaching in relation to the treatment of the most vulnerable in society. In this unit students will:
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Spring Term 1 Religion and Science Students will explore the relationship between Religion and science. Students will consider differing perspectives on key questions of science and how this links and effects religious belief.
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Spring Term 2 Medical Ethics Students will look at moral dilemmas found in medical ethics and evaluate the various religious In this unit students will:
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Summer Term 1 War and Peace To consider the causes of conflict with a religious basis. To explore the differing views on Conflict, Peace and Pacifism, evaluating whether these are compatible with views on Justice and the Catholic Faith. In this unit students will:
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Summer Term 2 Religious Experience To consider how the basis of Faith. How does experience develop a religious perspective and lead to an individual choosing to live a religious life. In this unit students will:
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Year 13 Core RE Curriculum Calendar
Autumn Term 1 Stewardship Students will learn the Catholic Belief of Stewardship and how our actions and views on environmentalism effect the world today and in the future. understand the importance of stewardship and environmental protection in the Catholic Church. In this unit students will:
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Autumn Term 2 Living Faith today The unit explores the challenges to religious belief in the 21st Century and how the Catholic Church responds to these challenges. In this units student’s will:
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Spring Term 1 Faith and Politics Students will learn the importance of politics for Christians today, both within Britain and around the world. Lessons will explore differing perspectives of Jesus’ politics form the Gospel accounts. This will allow students to evaluate how much faith should play in political decisions of a Catholic. In this unit students will:
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Spring Term 2 Crime and Punishment Students will explore differing views on crime and punishment and evaluate whether these are compatible with Catholic perspectives on justice and peace. In this unit students will:
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Summer Term 1 Differences within Christianity This unit explores different opinions within Christianity on a variety of issues. Students will gain an understanding of why there are multiple denominations. In this unit students will:
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Summer Term 2 |