Religious Studies
Year 7 Curriculum plans
Term | What are we learning? | What Knowledge, Understanding and Skills will we gain? | What will excellence look like? | How will these be assessed? |
Autumn |
How do we know? |
A brief introduction to the philosophical lens for learning, beginning with the Ancient Greeks and moving towards the 21st Century. We will learn from Plato, Diogenes, Aristotle, Confucius, Rumi and Phillipa Foot. We will look at the philosophical approach to some of the big questions we have been asking – Who is God? Who am I? What is the purpose of humanity? Students will gain an understanding of the philosophical lens and be able to understand there are many ways of looking at a question. Students will build their critical and analytical skills, applying knowledge to situations. |
Students who can translate their understanding of ancient philosophies and religions into the world around them, leading to a better understanding of why we have the British values of Democracy and the Rule of Law. Students who can reflect on and evaluate the Golden Rule. | Students will be assessed through a mixture of knowledge quizzes and an individual written report on which Philosopher or philosophy they believe to be the most important. |
Autumn |
Why do we celebrate?
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Students will investigate the different reasons for religious celebrations, focusing on festivals that tell the story of a religion.
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A student who can consider a range of beliefs and see their value.
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Students will be assessed through a mixture of knowledge quizzes and an individual creative project on a festival of their choice. |
Spring |
Why do we celebrate? (Continued) |
Students will investigate the different reasons for religious celebrations, focusing on festivals that tell the story of a religion.
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A student who can consider a range of beliefs and see their value.
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Students will be assessed through a mixture of knowledge quizzes and an individual creative project on a festival of their choice. |
Spring |
What does it mean to believe in God? |
Using the sociological lens students will investigate how believing in God can impact your everyday life. Students will study key practices from the main six religious’ faiths, including pilgrimage, food laws, dress and holy days. Students will also consider a non-religious worldview. |
A student that can see how a particular worldview can impact your life and form part of your identity.
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Students will be assessed through a mixture of knowledge quizzes and a reflective written piece. |
Summer |
What does it mean to believe in God? (Continued)
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Using the sociological lens students will investigate how believing in God can impact your everyday life. Students will study key practices from the main six religious’ faiths, including pilgrimage, food laws, dress and holy days. Students will also consider a non-religious worldview. |
A student that can see how a particular worldview can impact your life and form part of your identity.
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Students will be assessed through a mixture of knowledge quizzes and a reflective written piece. |
Summer |
What does it mean to experience God? |
Investigating historic claims that someone has experienced God and exploring the impact this has had on society. Using the theological lens to investigate prayer, worship, music, art and meditation as ways of experiencing God. |
Students who can express creatively what it means to experience God.
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Students will work on a creative piece that expressed what it means to experience God. |
Year 8 Curriculum plans
Term | What are we learning? | What Knowledge, Understanding and Skills will we gain? | What will excellence look like? | How will these be assessed? |
Autumn |
Why do we have religion? |
Students will use the philosophical, theological and psychological lenses to focus on different questions about the emergence and practice of religion. This will include a non-religious world view. |
Students who are able to look at different beliefs and practice through the philosophical, historical, theological and psychological lenses and understand that there are different ways of seeing the world. | Students will be assessed using a formal written assessment. |
Autumn |
The Problem of Pain and Suffering |
Students will use the theological and philosophical lenses to explore questions such as, if there is a God why does he allow evil to exist? Students will be introduced to the concept of Original Sin and how it is interpreted by different religious groups. Students will also be introduced to the concepts of atonement in Judaism and Christianity and the concept of skilful and unskilful means in Buddhism.
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Students that can understand that there can be different interpretations of an idea.
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Students will be assessed using a formal written assessment. |
Spring |
The Problem of Pain and Suffering (Continued) |
Students will use the theological and philosophical lenses to explore questions such as, if there is a God why does he allow evil to exist? Students will be introduced to the concept of Original Sin and how it is interpreted by different religious groups. Students will also be introduced to the concepts of atonement in Judaism and Christianity and the concept of skilful and unskilful means in Buddhism.
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Students that can understand that there can be different interpretations of an idea.
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Students will be assessed using a formal written assessment. |
Spring |
What happens when we die? |
Students will investigate a range of beliefs about what happens after death. They will evaluate the impact of these beliefs on religious practice.
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Students will be able to apply their knowledge and skills to sources of authority and work as a team to discover information. | Students will be assessed using a formal written assessment. Students will also produce a creative piece of work. |
Summer |
What happens when we die? (Continued)
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Students will investigate a range of beliefs about what happens after death. They will evaluate the impact of these beliefs on religious practice.
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Students will be able to apply their knowledge and skills to sources of authority and work as a team to discover information. | Students will be assessed using a formal written assessment. Students will also produce a creative piece of work. |
Summer |
What does it mean to be religious? |
Using the sociological and theological lenses to explore the impact of religion on people’s lives. Students will have the opportunity to consider personal accounts of how religious belief has impacted the lives of a selection of individuals. Then will then consider how these individual beliefs have impacted society. Finally, students will research and produce their own reports on a religious person they think has made a difference. |
Students will be able to identify and relate the ways in which faith has impacted an individual.
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Students will produce their own independent project which will showcase their evaluative skills. |
Year 9 Curriculum plans
Term | What are we learning? | What Knowledge, Understanding and Skills will we gain? | What will excellence look like? | How will these be assessed? |
Autumn |
What does religion say about the environment?
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Students will learn about the concepts of stewardship and ahimsa. They will apply this knowledge to modern situations and produce a short project about how these beliefs are put into practice. | Students will be able to articulate balanced arguments whilst showing an understanding that their view will not be shared by everyone. Students will be able to reflect on other peoples beliefs and understand the reasons for them, being able to reference and recognise the religious sources for these beliefs. | Throughout Year 9 students will be assessed through formative questioning and short written response in class, developing into longer written responses.Summative project on practical applicatin of Ahimsa or Stewardship. |
Autumn |
How does the media impact our understanding of religion? |
Students will use the three lenses to investigate how the media presents religion and how this impacts our understanding. Students will have the opportunity to explore issues surrounding Islamophobia, Anti-Semitism, misrepresentation and under-representation |
Students will be able to explain, with empathy, how misrepresentation impacts an individual.
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Students will produce a formal written assessment. |
Spring |
How does the media impact our understanding of religion? (Continued)
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Students will use the three lenses to investigate how the media presents religion and how this impacts our understanding. Students will have the opportunity to explore issues surrounding Islamophobia, Anti-Semitism, misrepresentation and under-representation |
tudents will be able to explain, with empathy, how misrepresentation impacts an individual.
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Students will produce a formal written assessment. |
Spring |
Is it ever right to go to war? |
Exploring the concept of Just war with a focus on Jihad of the Sword and the Christian theory of Just War. Evaluating the concept of Pacifism in Buddhism. Students will consider arguments for and against war from all the major religious worldviews by investigating sacred scriptures. |
Students will be able to give more than one viewpoint in answer to the question – Is it ever right to go to war?
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Students will produce a formal written assessment. |
Summer |
Is it ever right to go to war? |
Exploring the concept of Just war with a focus on Jihad of the Sword and the Christian theory of Just War. Evaluating the concept of Pacifism in Buddhism. Students will consider arguments for and against war from all the major religious worldviews by investigating sacred scriptures. |
Students will be able to give more than one viewpoint in answer to the question – Is it ever right to go to war?
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Students will produce a formal written assessment. |
Summer |
Finding God in… |
Students will learn about different areas of the world where people have found faith in God in the most unusual circumstances. Students will be challenged to use their own research and evaluative skills to find God in a particular area… Examples are: Finding God in Covid; Finding God in the Ukrainian Conflict; Finding God in Climate Change |
Students that will be able to use their own interpretative, evaluative and investigative skills to research their own individual project.
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Students will produce creative projects that will incorporate the skills they have acquired though using the lenses approach to RE. |
Year 10 Curriculum plans
Term | What are we learning? | What Knowledge, Understanding and Skills will we gain? | What will excellence look like? | How will these be assessed? |
Autumn |
What does it mean to be a Citizen?
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Students will be introduced to the Active Citizen Project. Students will review their knowledge of Parliament and electoral processes.
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A student who is able to give their own opinion based on a considered evaluation of the evidence.
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Students will be monitored throughout KS4 by questioning, a range of homework tasks and short quizzes. |
Spring |
Issues with Good and Evil |
Students will learn about the religious concepts of Good and Evil
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Students who can discuss ideas of faith and belief in a respectful way, whilst understanding that these ideas permeate the way we live everyday.
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Students will be monitored throughout KS4 by questioning, a range of homework tasks and short quizzes. |
Summer |
Issues of Human Rights |
Students will learn about human rights and the law, including international law and freedom of religious expression. Censorship and the Freedom of the Press and Issues of wealth and poverty. | Students that understand their own human lights and how they are protected by Law. Students that different interpretations of sources of authority can lead to different outcomes. Students that form opinions based on evidence and understanding of different views. | Students will be monitored throughout KS4 by questioning, a range of homework tasks and short quizzes. |
Year 11 Curriculum plans
Term | What are we learning? | What Knowledge, Understanding and Skills will we gain? | What will excellence look like? | How will these be assessed? |
Autumn |
Government & The constitution
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Students will learn about the key elements of the Constitution of the United Kingdom. Students will also explore the different roles of the executive, legislature and judiciary. Students will gain knowledge of the different electoral process.
Active Citizenship -students will learn about how citizens can hold the Government to account. |
A student who is able to give their own opinion based on a considered evaluation of the evidence.
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Students will be monitored throughout KS4 by questioning, a range of homework tasks and short quizzes. |
Autumn |
Issues with Life & Death |
Students will have the opportunity to evaluate different beliefs about life, omniscience and free will. Students will learn about different views about sanctity of life, euthanasia and the right to die debate. Students will learn different beliefs about the value of human life, abortion and the when does life begin debate. |
Students who can discuss ideas of faith and belief in a respectful way, whilst understanding that these ideas permeate the way we live every day. |
Students will be monitored throughout KS4 by questioning, a range of homework tasks and short quizzes. |
Spring |
Issues with Life & Death (Continued)
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Students will have the opportunity to evaluate different beliefs about life, omniscience and free will. Students will learn about different views about sanctity of life, euthanasia and the right to die debate. Students will learn different beliefs about the value of human life, abortion and the when does life begin debate. |
Students who can discuss ideas of faith and belief in a respectful way, whilst understanding that these ideas permeate the way we live every day. | Students will be monitored throughout KS4 by questioning, a range of homework tasks and short quizzes. |
Spring |
Issues of Human Rights |
Students will learn about human rights and the law, including international law and freedom of religious expression. Students will learn about censorship and the freedom of the Press and Issues of wealth and poverty. | Students that understand their own human lights and how they are protected by Law. Students that different interpretations of sources of authority can lead to different outcomes. Students that form opinions based on evidence and understanding of different views. | Students will be monitored throughout KS4 by questioning, a range of homework tasks and short quizzes. |
Year 10 GCSE Curriculum plans
Term | What are we learning? | What Knowledge, Understanding and Skills will we gain? | What will excellence look like? | How will these be assessed? |
Autumn |
Christianity: Key Beliefs and Practices
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Students will gain an understanding of key Christian beliefs and practices by studying the incarnation and life of Jesus Christ and engaging with key sources of authority including the Bible. Students will also study Christian beliefs about the nature and existence of God.
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A reflective and empathetic student who can articulate their own thoughts and feelings whilst accepting that these are not shared by everyone. A student who is able to give a balanced argument on religious issues and also feels confident in their own opinion. |
Students will be monitored throughout KS4 by questioning, a range of homework tasks, short quizzes and reflective written pieces to develop exam style skills.
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Spring |
Buddhism Key beliefs and Practices
The Buddhist Path |
Exploring Buddhist beliefs through the Life & teachings of the Buddha. Students will use the life of the Buddha as the basis for their understanding of his teachings. Students will engage with fundamental Buddhist sources of wisdom and authority. Students will be encouraged to evaluate and reflect on Buddhist doctrines including dependant arising, the Eightfold Path and the Three marks of Existence.
Exploring the impact of religion on culture and society. Responding imaginatively. Understanding identity and belonging. Independent learning. |
Students who can discuss ideas of faith and belief in a respectful way, whilst understanding that these ideas permeate the way we live everyday. |
Students will be monitored throughout KS4 by questioning, a range of homework tasks, short quizzes and reflective written pieces to develop exam style skills.
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Buddism
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Evaluating and reflecting on the diverse ways in which the Buddha’s teachings have been celebrated and interpreted. They will learn about Theravada, Mahayana and Pure Land Buddhism, the importance of Buddhist places of worship, puja and the significance of meditation within Buddhist practice.
Exploring the impact of religion on culture and society. Responding imaginatively. Understanding identity and belonging. Independent learning. |
Students will be able to articulate the reasons behind particular Buddhist practices and reference sources in religious scriptures for these practices. Students will be able to reflect on the impact of these beliefs and evaluate their importance. |
Students will be monitored throughout KS4 by questioning, a range of homework tasks, short quizzes and reflective written pieces to develop exam style skills.
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Summer |
Theme Choice 1 & 2 |
This will be a thematic approach to RS based on Student Voice in conversation with the teacher.
Theme B: Religion and life. Theme C: The existence of God and revelation. Theme D: Religion, peace and conflict. Theme E: Religion, crime and punishment. Theme F: Religion, human rights and social justice. Students will be aware of ethical and philosophical approaches to these themes and a range of religious viewpoints including a humanistic and atheistic view.
Exploring a range of values and beliefs Developing Empathy Developing Critical Responses Exploring the connection between moral values and faith Understanding diversity Responding imaginatively Self Reflection |
A student who can clearly verbalise and write a balanced analysis of a range of religious viewpoints on their theme of choice. | Assessment will be through a mixture of presentation and exam question practice. |
Year 11 GCSE Curriculum plans
Term | What are we learning? | What Knowledge, Understanding and Skills will we gain? | What will excellence look like? | How will these be assessed? |
Autumn |
Theme Choice 3 & 4 |
This will be a thematic approach to RS based on Student Voice in conversation with the teacher.
Theme B: Religion and life. Theme C: The existence of God and revelation. Theme D: Religion, peace and conflict. Theme E: Religion, crime and punishment. Theme F: Religion, human rights and social justice. Students will be aware of ethical and philosophical approaches to these themes and a range of religious viewpoints including a humanistic and atheistic view.
Exploring a range of values and beliefs Developing Empathy Developing Critical Responses Exploring the connection between moral values and faith Understanding diversity Responding imaginatively Self Reflection |
A student who can clearly verbalise and write a balanced analysis of a range of religious viewpoints on their theme of choice. |
Assessment will be through a mixture of presentation and exam question practice |
Spring |
Reflective Learning |
Christianity & Buddhism
Building on the knowledge gained in Year 10 we will reflect on the role of Christianity in Society today and how this role has changed over time. This will give students an opportunity to revisit the themes and ideas that we have studied. We will also revisit the three refuges of Buddhism.
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A student who can apply their knowledge and understanding of Buddhism and Christianity to various different ethical questions.
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Exam question practice and discussion. |
Summer |
Revision | Attentive, well prepared students who are able to articulate and apply their knowledge in an exam environment. |