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Religious Education

To view our curriculum plans, please click the following:

Year 7      Year 8      Year 9      Year 10      Year 11      Year 12      Year 13

To view the Religious Education Department Feedback Policy, please click here.

Intent

We believe that our curriculum engages and inspires pupils to consider challenging theological and moral questions. We aim to develop pupil confidence and skills to articulate and debate their own response to questions such as ‘Why do we suffer?’  We want to equip them with the knowledge of differing faith and non-faith responses with a specific focus on the Christian values of Hope, Wisdom, Equality, Community and Dignity. We intend pupils to understand, respect and learn from the numerous religious traditions that are followed in Liverpool and the wider world and feel proud of our shared identity.  We believe and want pupils to know how religious education promotes discernment and enables pupils to combat prejudice, preparing them for adult life, employment and life-long learning.

The Key Stage 3 curriculum has been designed to ensure that students become fluent in key terms and concepts so they will be able to discuss and explore issues of faith and practice within a modern society. At KS3 we aim to promote pupils ability to critically question the world around them and make sound judgments and reach logical conclusions. This program of study incorporates both Illuminating Pathways and Understanding Christianity in line with the Liverpool diocesan framework for Religious Studies.

At Key Stage 4 all students follow AQA Religious Studies and will sit full course GCSE in Year 11. This course covers the study of two religions (Christianity & Islam) and a thematic study of moral issues shaping the world today. The course is challenging and inspiring, requiring students to actively respond to issues and evaluate the viewpoints and teachings of religions in a modern world, they are required to analyse and reach a justified conclusion on a variety of issues. The skills required at key stage 4 rely on the foundations and knowledge developed at key stage 3. Students should be fluent in the concepts and language required to effectively address religious issues and be able to access the examination skills required with confidence and structure.

At KS5 pupils can opt to study OCR Religious Studies A Level. Units include Philosophy, Ethics and Developments in Christian Thought. The course is designed to build up on the knowledge acquired at KS3 & 4 and further promotes skills of critical thinking, questioning, evaluation and analysis to difficult philosophical, moral and theological concepts and dilemmas.


Gold award for the
Religious Education Quality Mark

Congratulations on achieving the Gold award for the Religious Education Quality Mark. We are delighted that your school has been recognised for its outstanding contribution to the teaching of religious studies.

Religious Education Council of England and Wales

 


At St Hilda’s we put Christian values at the heart of community.

Religious Studies is taught across all key stages. At KS3 we take a thematic approach to lessons, considering how different religions would respond to different ethical issues such poverty, prejudice and war. At KS4 all pupils study GCSE which comprised of two key strands.  Part 1 is a study of religion and consists of a detailed study of the key beliefs, teachings and practices of Christianity & Islam.  Part 2 is thematic and focus’ on contemporary ethical issues and how Christianity and Islam respond to them. At KS5 we offer A-Level Religious Studies which consists of 3 components; philosophy of religion, religion and ethics and developments in Christian thought.

As a department, we recognise the importance of meeting people of faith first hand and aim to provide students with as many out of the classroom learning opportunities as possible. We have well-established links with local places of worship, visiting the Al-Rahma Mosque and Anglican Cathedral regularly.  We also visit places of religious and historical significance abroad, such as Auschwitz concentration camp in Poland and the Vatican City. Each year, we welcome the Holocaust Education Trust and hear the testimony of survivors.

 

Years 7-9

The Key Stage 3 curriculum has been designed to ensure that students become fluent in key terms and concepts so they will be able to discuss and explore issues of faith and practice within a modern society. At KS3 we aim to promote pupil’s ability to critically question the world around them and make sound judgments and reach logical conclusions.  This program of study incorporates both Illuminating Pathways and Understanding Christianity in line with the Liverpool diocesan framework for Religious Studies.  

 

GCSE

At GCSE all pupils follow the AQA Specification A full course. This consists of two parts, the first a study of the beliefs, teachings and practices of Christianity and Islam. The second, is a thematic study of contemporary ethical issues.

Detailed specification is available at http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/religious-studies/gcse/religious-studies-a-8062

Text books used:
Religious Studies GCSE Specification A Christianity – Oxford University Press
Religious Studies GCSE Specification A Islam – Oxford University Press
Religious Studies Specification A GCSE 1-9 – Hodder
GCSE AQA A Religious Studies (1-9) Revision guide – CGP

 

A Level

We follow the OCR examination board. The course consists of 3 units; philosophy of religion, religious ethics and developments in Christian thought.  We aim to inspire students to engage with themes relevant to the 21st century. Students are encouraged to acquire knowledge and a critical understanding of theological, philosophical and moral issues.

Philosophy of religion:
This is the study of ideas and thinking. Students are expected to gain knowledge of Philosophers who have had a major influence on the world. The course will also examine the influence of, and the challenges to religion made by Darwin, Hume and Russell.  Students will discuss and critically examine the strengths and weaknesses of various philosophical arguments. 

Religious ethics:
This is a study of right and wrong. Students will critically examine a number of ethical theories and how they are applied to several key issues. The course will include applied ethics where students will carry out a detailed study of topics such as euthanasia, business ethics and sexual ethics.

Developments in Christian Thought
This is an attempt to explore the questions raised by religion (in this case Christianity) from the point of view of the beliefs Christians live by. It includes the study of key thinkers and themes, such as what constitutes sin, sexuality, the afterlife, the person of Jesus, gender and liberation theology.

Detailed specification is available at

http://www.ocr.org.uk/qualifications/as-a-level-gce-religious-studies-h173-h573-from-2016/

Textbooks used:
Religious Studies A-Level Year 1 and AS – Wilkinson, Wilcockson & Campbell – Hodder
Religious Studies A-Level Year 2 – Wilkinson & Wilcockson – Hodder
Religious Studies A-Level Year 1 – Ahluwalia & Bowie – OPU
Religious Studies A-Level Year 2 – Ahluwalia & Bowie – OPU

OCR A Level Religious Studies: Philosophy of Religion by Julian Waterfield – ISBN: 1510479937
OCR A Level Religious Studies: Religion and Ethics by Julian Waterfield – ISBN: 1510479953
OCR A Level Religious Studies: Developments in Christian Thought by Julian Waterfield – ISBN: 1510479961

Further reading/resources:
Please click here to view A Level philosophy reading list
Please click here to view DCT reading list
Please click here to A Level Ethics reading list