Religious Studies

Subject Leader: Miss Brzozowski - tbrzozowski@tqacademy.co.uk

AIMS OF THE RELIGIOUS STUDIES DEPARTMENT

To promote tolerance and understanding of a variety of faiths, cultures and worldviews, which not only shape our own history and culture but which guide our own development.
To engage students in discussion and debate about contemporary moral issues; recognising and accounting for the ways in which people put their beliefs into action in diverse ways, in their everyday lives, within their communities and the wider world.
To equip students to have moral awareness and social understanding, to enable them to be sufficiently confident in their own beliefs and values that they can respect the religious and cultural differences of others and contribute to a cohesive and compassionate society

RELIGIOUS STUDIES CURRICULUM

OVERVIEW OF KEY STAGE 3 CURRICULUM

Key stage 3 religious studies aims to introduce students to critical thinking and evaluation skills to enable discussion, debates and reasoned opinion making. Year 7 students begin by exploring philosophical concepts of morality and how do we actually know anything at all. Students explore the idea of identity and knowledge. This thinking process continues into cycle 2 as students learn about the non-God based religion of Buddhism, investigating if the teachings of the Buddha can help to overcome suffering. In cycle 3 students explore Christianity through logical inquiry and objective evaluation, considering if Jesus really was resurrected, and if there are other explanations for the miracles in the Bible. In cycle 4, year 7 students are introduced to the key beliefs of Hinduism and explore how this religion is a living faith by examining how beliefs may influence whether a Hindu chooses to eat meat or recycle.

Year 8 students explore foundational figures of faith in cycle 1 by investigating if religion makes revolutionaries by exploring the actions of Jesus, Muhammad and Moses, as well as Malala Yousafzai, Martin Luther King Jnr. and Mahatma Gandhi. Cycle 2 encourages insightful analysis and comparisons between religious and scientific beliefs about the origins of the world and human life. Both of these units provide a skills and knowledge basis for the start of GCSE learning which begins in cycle 3 of year 8 which begins with Crime and Punishment.

OVERVIEW OF KEY STAGE 4 CURRICULUM

Course Title: GCSE Religious Studies

Examining Body: AQA

Course Lead: Miss Brzozowski

What will I study?

GCSE religious studies is the study of people and how they behave. The course explores the key beliefs and practises of Christianity and Islam and the application of this knowledge to a variety of contemporary moral issues:

Families and Relationships: what is the purpose of families? Is marriage important in today’s world? Should different genders have different roles in society, in the family and in different religions?

Matters of Life: Where do we come from? Can religious believers accept scientific theories of the Big Bang and evolution? Should we test on animals and use them for food? Should abortion be allowed? Is euthanasia something that we should allow in our society?

Crime and Punishment: Why do people commit crime and what are the different types of punishment? What is the purpose of punishing people? Is prison effective and does it fulfil the purposes of punishment? Should the death penalty be a valid punishment for some crimes?

Human Rights: What are human rights and how do they impact our everyday lives? Should freedom of religion and religious expression be a human right? How are vulnerable people exploited (pay-day loans, human trafficking, unfair pay)? What can be done to help those who have their human rights violated both locally and globally?

How and when will I be assessed?

2 exams at the end of year 11. Both papers are 1 hour 45 minutes each:

Religions Paper:

Christian Beliefs
Christian Practices
Muslim Beliefs
Muslim Practices

Thematic Paper:

Families and Relationships
Matters of Life
Crime and Punishment
Human Rights

CLIMBING THE MOUNTAIN TO UNIVERSITY

Top 5 UK universities to study Religious Studies:

University of St Andrews
Durham University
King’s College London
University of Exeter
University of Cambridge

CAREERS INFORMATION

If you enjoy learning about Religious Studies, you might consider one of the following careers:

Journalist: Investigates and gathers information, verifies its accuracy, and presents it in a way that informs the public about important issues and stories. Salary Range - £25,000 - £45,753

Mediator: Acts as a neutral third party in a disagreement to help those involved reach a solution themselves. They don't take sides or impose their own judgement, but rather guide the conversation and facilitate communication between the disputing parties. This may include family disputes, workplace conflicts and community disputes. Salary Range - £24,000 - £52,267

Teacher/ Lecturer: Inspire people of all ages to explore faith, culture and human diversity by planning lessons, helping students to think for themselves and develop their own reasoned opinions. Salary Range - £36,000 - £54,000