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Religious Education
KS3 Religious Education
At KS3 all students follow the Catholic Religious Education Directory “To know You
more clearly.”
The content of the course is delivered and explored through six knowledge lens: Hear, Believe, Celebrate, Live, Dialogue and Encounter.
In Year 7 the following branches are studied:
1. Creation and covenant
This branch examines what Catholics believe about God and what is meant by revelation and how people can know about God. Students will look at the creation accounts in Genesis and what these accounts teach Catholics about God. They will have an opportunity to reflect upon artwork inspired by creation. They will critically examine the relationship between science and religion and will study Catholic Social Teaching and our responsibility to the environment and our role as stewards of God’s creation.
2. Prophecy and promise
This branch examines what is meant by special revelation and how the Bible can be understood. Students will learn to navigate the Bible and explore how Catholics make sense of scripture. They will learn about the relationship between sacred scripture and sacred tradition and how Christians show reverence for the Bible and how the Bible influences people’s lives
3. Galilee to Jerusalem
In this branch, students will learn about the person of Jesus Christ. They will understand what is meant by the incarnation and what is meant by the Son of God. They will be introduced to the doctrine of the Trinity and the titles of Jesus such as ‘Christ’ ‘Messiah’, ‘Lord’ and ‘Son of Man.’ Students will learn about how the Mass is a trinitarian expression of lex orandi, lex credendi. They will explore how Jesus is a model of holiness.
4. Desert to garden
Students will learn about the connection between the Passover, the Last Supper and the Eucharist. They will learn about the Paschal Mystery and the sacraments. Students will learn about how the Mass is structured and how Catholics show respect and adoration to the Blessed Sacrament. Students will have the opportunity to reflect upon how the Eucharist has impacted the lives of people throughout history.
5. To the ends of the earth
In this branch, students will learn about Catholic beliefs about the Holy Spirit and what beliefs about the Holy Spirit are in the Nicene Creed. Students will learn about the Holy Spirit in Luke’s Gospel and what happened at Pentecost. They will know and understand the symbols of the Holy Spirit and be given the opportunity to reflect upon and respond to artistic expressions of Pentecost.
6. Dialogue and encounter
This branch focuses on dialogue between different Christian denominations and world religions. Students will look at what we mean by ‘dialogue and encounter’ and what happened at the Council of Jerusalem. They will explore why Paul was so concerned about instructions given to the gentiles. Students will learn about Ecumenical Church Councils and the reasons why the Catholic Church might call a council. They will learn about the Second Council of Nicaea, the Council of Trent and the Second Vatican Council.
Within this branch, students will study the beliefs and practices of one world religion.
In Year 8 the branches covered in year 7 are further developed as follows:
1. Creation and covenant
Students will learn about the Fall and the consequences of this. They will learn about Baptism and reflect upon what is meant by freedom. They will learn about the Sinai Covenant and evaluate whether the ten commandments are still relevant today. Students will study the role of the conscience and its importance.
2. Prophecy and promise
Within this branch, the nature of prophecy is covered. Students will explore how prophets are called by God and how Jesus fulfilled the messianic hope in his threefold office of priest, prophet and king. Students will explore the role of St Oscar Romero as a prophetic voice for today and common prophetic themes in the messages of the prophets.
3. Galilee to Jerusalem
Students will learn about the Kingdom of God and Jesus’ relationship with those marginalised within society. They will consider the nature of parables and miracles and will reflect upon how people today view miracles.
4. Desert to Garden
Building on from the learning in year 7, students will examine and reflect upon the nature of suffering and responses to suffering. They will explore what the Old Testament and the Church teaches Catholics about suffering. Students will learn about how Jesus suffered and how Catholics commemorate Jesus’ suffering, death and resurrection. They will examine the Sacrament of Reconciliation and how, as Catholics, we can respond to suffering.
5. To the ends of the earth
In this branch, students will learn about what happened after Jesus died and the importance of Jesus’ resurrection. They will have the opportunity to evaluate arguments for and against the Resurrection. Students reflect upon the Resurrection in art and what Catholics and other Christians believe happens when we die. They will also learn about and reflect upon what followers of other religions and non -religious people believe happens when they die. Students will be given the opportunity to evaluate arguments for and against life after death.
6. Dialogue and Encounter
Building on from the Dialogue and Encounter branch in year 7, students will explore some of the challenges to dialogue. They will examine what Pope St Paul VI taught about dialogue. They will explore the patrimony, music and art of Byzantine Catholics.
Within this branch, students will have the opportunity to study the beliefs and practices of a second world religion.
KS4 Religious Education
Examination Board: AQA
Specification no.:
Religious Studies B (8063) http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/religious-studies/gcse/religious-studies-b-8063
Course Content
Specification Route B:
Component 1: Catholic Christianity
Catholic beliefs, teachings, practices, sources of authority and forms of expression in relation to six topics:
• Creation
• Incarnation
• The Triune God
• Redemption
• Church and the Kingdom of God
• Eschatology.
How it's assessed
• Written exam: 1 hour 45 minutes
• 96 marks (plus 3 marks for spelling, punctuation and grammar)
• 50% of GCSE Questions
Questions
• In each exam series, questions will be set on any four of the topics listed above.
• Students must answer all the questions.
• Each topic is marked out of 24 marks.
• There will be one five-part question per topic of 1, 2, 4, 5 and 12 marks.
• The 12 mark questions will require extended writing and test analysis and evaluation.
Component 2: Perspectives on faith Judaism: Beliefs and Practices
St Mark’s Gospel: the life of Jesus and St Mark’s Gospel as a source of spiritual truth.
How it's assessed
• Written exam: 1 hour 45 minutes
• 102 marks (marks are awarded for spelling, punctuation and grammar)
• 50% of GCSE
Questions
• In each exam series, questions will be set on the four topics listed above.
• Students must answer all the questions.
• Each topic is marked out of 24 marks.
• There will be one five-part question per topic of 1, 2, 4, 5 and 12 marks.
• The 12 mark questions will require extended writing and test analysis and evaluation.
Textbook/Materials
A textbook will be given to pupils. Pupils will be expected to look after this textbook and return it in good condition at the end of the three year course. The textbook is AQA Religious Studies B Catholic Christianity with Islam and Judaism by Peter Wallace, Marianne Fleming, Peter Smith, David Worden.
There is also a helpful revision guide. This is called Revision Guide: AQA Religious Studies B Catholic Christianity with Islam and Judaism by Harriet Power and David Worden.
How Parents can help
Ensure that homework is completed to the best of your son’s ability.
Visit the AQA website to access past papers and view the specification. To access past papers you need to: visit the AQA website, click on subjects, click on Religious Studies, click on GCSE, click on Religious Studies B, click on assessment materials. You will find past papers and mark schemes which will help you to understand how your son will be assessed at GCSE.
Help your son to revise for end of unit topics and exams by encouraging him to make notes, practise past paper questions and learn religious teachings and key words.
Possible jobs, careers and courses
Religious Education often leads pupils to study Religious Studies, Theology, Philosophy and English at A level. All major universities offer Theology and Philosophy degrees. By studying Religious Studies, pupils will develop transferable skills such as:
• Critical analysis and evaluation skills
• Listening to and being informed by different viewpoints.
• Using reason and evidence to support and defend your own arguments.
• Deepening and enriching their understanding of their Catholic faith. It will help pupils to appreciate the role of religion in the world and have a better understanding of the world and of different religious traditions such as Judaism.
Religious Studies can lead people to go into a variety of careers including ordained ministry, to other types of careers requiring strong verbal communication: law, teaching, art history, journalism and the medical professions, where the ethical issues are highly valued as healthcare moral decisions are becoming more and more complex.
Core RE in the Sixth Form
All students in the Sixth Form study Core RE. A range of ethical and religious topics are taught through a series of lessons and talks. Students are encouraged to debate and share their own opinions on the issues covered and to listen sensitively to the views of others. Students will study Catholic teaching on the range of ethical topics and will recognise that there are divergent attitudes and practices within Catholicism. They will evaluate the issues and will consider non-religious views and the views of different Christian denominations and other world religions.
The following topics are taught in Core RE:
Relationships and Ethics
1. What makes a healthy relationship?
2. Chastity
3. Marriage including sacramental marriage and civil marriage.
4. The difference between an arranged marriage and a forced marriage.
5. Cohabitation
6. Adultery
7. Divorce and re-marriage
8. Contraception
9. Homosexuality
10. Same sex marriage
11. Trans Rights
12 . Pornography
13. Dating
14. Abortion
Crime and Punishment
1. Introduction to Crime and Punishment
2. Age of Criminal Responsibility
3. Forgiveness
4. FGM (Female Genital Mutilation)
5. Prisons
6. Banality of Evil
7. Punishment and the Death Penalty
8. Case Study Shamima Begum
World Religions
1. Freedom of Religious Expression
2. Secularism and the Laicite Laws
3. Afterlife and Reincarnation
4. Suffering and Buddhism
5. Islam
Enrichment Opportunities
Retreats and Trips
The department organises an annual retreat programme for each year group in the Lower School. These include trips to SPEC Westminster Youth Ministry Retreat Centre, The Friars Aylesford Priory, Tyburn Convent, Westminster Cathedral, St James’s Roman Catholic Church, Spanish Place.
Clubs
The department offers a Philosophy club for the Lower School.
The department has links with the Royal Philosophy Institute. They have provided philosophy enrichment sessions for the Sixth Form at The Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School. These have been led by a member of the Royal Philosophy Institute, who has delivered engaging, interactive talks on a range of philosophical themes and topics such as Free Will and Determinism, Epistemology, Meta-Ethics and Forgiveness.
The Philosophy and Theology A-level students regularly attend a range of external lectures and conferences in London on topics on Religion, Theology and Philosophy.