Within these pages you will find lots of information about the subject and how the department operates.

If you have any queries regarding RE please do not hesitate to get in touch with me.

Amanda McAree
Head of RE

All pupils study Religious Education as a core subject, keeping Christ at the centre of all that we do for the pupils and school community. As RE teachers, we are aware of our mission to not only educate but to bear witness to the Gospel of Christ in both our words and actions. We seek to support our pupils spiritually on life’s journey as they learn about Christ, his teachings and Catholic Church. Pupils are encouraged to analyse and evaluate their own beliefs, attitudes, values and opinions in order to develop academically, spiritually, socially, morally and emotionally.

The RE department reflects the Catholic ethos of the school. Our curriculum is in line with the Bishops Conference Directory and the Catechism of the Catholic Church. The department strives to help pupils develop knowledge, understanding and skills and to remind them of the importance of love, compassion, justice and equality in their approach to life in and outside of school, along with an awareness of themselves and God. The need to respect other beliefs and traditions, whilst challenging common stereotypes, whilst also informing pupils of common issues will also be addressed. The RE department is inclusive in its opportunities and will assist any pupil who has barriers to their learning and address any gaps in their learning.

As well as opportunities for spiritual development, the department will provide the skills for pupils to justify ethical and theological views. Pupils will have retrieval practice built into lessons to incrementally increase confidence in their knowledge and use of subject specific vocabulary. We encourage the pupils to be curious, articulate their opinions confidently, reflect on their strengths and areas of development and learn from their mistakes by seeing these as positive learning experiences.

Pupils are encouraged to always produce work to the very best of their ability and this is recognised and celebrated through Student of the month awards and other forms of praise. Pupils reflect on, amend and improve their work so that continual progress is being made. Pupils will develop a deeper knowledge and understanding of Catholicism, Judaism and see the links between the two faiths that have been greatly influential in the modern world. There will also be opportunities to build on knowledge of other religions studied at KS2. The curriculum has been designed to prepare pupils for the next steps and the world of work, recognising both local and global employment opportunities through the development of transferrable skills.

Religious Education provides pupils with the opportunities to debate and discuss leading to improved oracy skills and extended writing. Progression is secured by using effective resources, questioning, verbal feedback, marking and challenge. Religious literacy is developed through the use of key terminology and sources of wisdom and authority.

Extended writing, oracy and literacy activities allow pupils to develop their use of language and vocabulary. Regular retrieval practice activities lead to pupils collecting and retaining key information.

In Year 7 pupils follow the Religious Education Directory for Catholic schools, colleges and academies in England and Wales. This year provides the theological foundations of Catholicism. The focus is on God’s revelation and salvation history. The topics covered are:

• Creation and Covenant – the mystery of God and how humans come to know God through general and special revelation, Creation and how humans come to know God through natural reason.

• Prophecy and Promise – the mystery of God and how humans come to know God through divine revelation and the role of Sacred Scripture for Catholics.

• Galilee to Jerusalem – Jesus Christ the incarnation and the full and final revelation of God, and the Trinity

• Desert to Garden – the presence of Christ with the Church through the sacraments and the transformative effect of the sacraments on the lives of the faithful. Main emphasis is on the Sacrament of the Eucharist.

• To the ends of the Earth – the presence of the Holy Spirit within the life of the Church

• Dialogue and Encounter – Councils of the Church and the study of worldviews

In Year 8 pupils also follow the Religious Education Directory for Catholic schools, colleges and academies in England and Wales. This year provides opportunities to consider questions that lie at the heart of humanity and reflect on the meaning of suffering and the meaning of death.

• Creation and Covenant – the account of the Fall in Genesis 3 and the implications this has for human beings and the world, an understanding of ‘original sin’ and how this is distinguished from ‘personal sin’.
• Prophecy and Promise – the role of the prophets, Advent liturgies and cultural practices, the promise of a new covenant and a messiah
• Galilee to Jerusalem – the ministry of Jesus, treatment of sinners and outcasts, parables of the kingdom and his miracles.
• Desert to Garden – the mystery of suffering and the problem of evil, how suffering is transformed by the passion, death and Resurrection of Jesus.
• To the ends of the Earth – all suffering is overcome by the love of God and death will be defeated, Resurrection and the hope of eternal life
• Dialogue and Encounter – Second Vatican Council

Pupils start the Year by following The Life which consists of the topic areas listed below.

1. Spiritual Quest
2. The Gospels
3. Life in the Spirit
4. God’s Call
5. Morality & Conscience
6. Dialogue with Other Faiths

Pupils then look at the religion of Judaism by looking into what Jewish people believe about God, the covenants made with God and the impact these have on the lives of Jewish people today. The main Jewish beliefs, teachings and practices are studied.

Pupils follow the Edexcel GCSE Religious Studies course pathway A. Pupils sit three exams the weightings of which are detailed below. Year 10 currently focuses on Judaism and Catholic Christianity, whilst Year 11 focuses on Catholic philosophy and ethics.

Area of study 1 – Catholic Christianity (50%)

• Beliefs and teachings (The Trinity, Bible, Creation, Humanity, Incarnation, Paschal Mystery, Eschatology)
• Practices (Sacraments, Liturgical worship, funeral rites, prayer, popular piety, pilgrimage, social teaching, evangelism)
• Sources of wisdom and authority (Bible, Interpretation of the Bible, magisterium, Vatican II, Body of Christ, Four Marks of the Church, Mary)
• Forms of expression and ways of life (church architecture, sacred objects, artwork in Catholicism, sculpture and statues, religious art, drama, music)

Area of study 2 – Judaism (25%)

• Beliefs and teachings (Almighty, Shekhinah, Messiah, Covenant at Sinai, Covenant with Abraham, sanctity of life, moral principles and the Mitzvot, life after death)
• Practices (worship, Tenakh, Talmud, private prayer, Shema and Amidah, ritual and ceremony, Shabbat, festivals)

Area of study 3 – Catholic philosophy and ethics (25%)

• Arguments for the existence of God (revelation, miracles, experiences, design, suffering, solutions)
• Religious teachings on relationships and families in the 21st century (marriage, sexual relationships, family, divorce, annulment and marriage, equality, gender prejudice)

Further details on the course, including specification and past papers, can be found at: https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel-gcses/religious-studies-a-2016.html

 All pupils in Sixth Form have a one hour RE lesson each week focussed on ethics, philosophy and theology. It is designed to develop knowledge and understanding of key issues linked to Catholic beliefs and worldviews. Pupils are encouraged to reflect on their own, and other people’s assumptions, whilst developing the skills to analyse, evaluate and reflect. It is designed to help pupils to become more knowledgeable, thoughtful and self-aware so they can develop into the person they are meant to be.

As part of the course, pupils work towards the EPQ qualification which has a moral and ethical dimension. This involves them choosing an area of independent study which they focus on to produce a dissertation and a presentation on the process of their study. The qualification prepares for Higher Education and future employment as pupils take ownership of their organisation and problem-solving to arrive at a finished piece of work.

Further information is available at: Project qualification | Level 3 Extended Project | Pearson qualifications

Pupils can opt to study an A Level in Religious Studies which focuses on Philosophy and Ethics.

Year 12

Pupils study Philosophy of Religion learning about Ancient Greek influences, Religious Experience, the existence of God, Problem of Evil, Mind, Body, Soul

Ethical theories and applied ethics

Developments in Christian Thought learning about Augustine on Human Nature, Afterlife, Jesus Christ, Knowledge of God, Moral Principles, Bonhoeffer

Year 13

Pupils study Philosophy of Religion learning about Attributes of God, religious language

Ethics learning about Metaethics, Conscience, and Sexual Ethics

Developments in Christian Thought learning about Pluralism, Gender, Secularism, Liberation Theology

Further details on the course, including specification and past papers, can be found at: AS and A Level - Religious Studies - H173, H573 - OCR