RE

Religious Education is taught by

Curriculum overview and aims

RE is taught over Key Stage 3 and 4 to all year groups.  At Key Stage 3 the Newham agreed syllabus for Religious Education is followed.  At Key Stage 4 students who opt for Religious Studies complete a GCSE with the OCR examining board.  Aims of RE over both key stages include:

• RE at KS4 will give you the opportunities to have dialogue and discussions that you may not have in other lessons.

• RE will help you develop intellectually by engaging in discussions of different viewpoints, think critically about issues and interpret and apply different sources.

• RE will help promote spiritual development by allowing you to think about how you relate to you yourself, to others, to the world around you, and for some, to God.  It will also help you to engage with some of the deepest questions of life such as ‘why are we here?’

• RE will help with your social development by allowing you to discuss a range of social issues relating to life in contemporary society. It will also allow you to think about your identity and place in society.

• RE will help your cultural development by understanding and learning about different cultures and traditions and how they relate to meaning, belief and value.

• RE will contribute to your emotional development by developing effective communication and using empathy to understand the feelings and opinions of others.  It will also help you develop positive relationships with others.

• RE will help you to develop and demonstrate skills and attitudes that will allow you to contribute positively to life in modern Britain.

• RE serves to promote and develop mutual respect and tolerance for others which is essential for living in a multi-cultural society.

KS3 - Taught from years 7-9

Year 7

During the year students will focus on four topics:

• Is Newham the most religious borough in the UK? An introductory unit which focuses on faith in Newham

• Why don't Hindus want to be reincarnated? Explores Hinduism as a world view.

• What is it like to be a Jewish young person in the UK? Explores how young jews live and express their faith in modern Britain.  Explores diversity within Judaism.

• What does it mean to be human? Explores philosophical and theological viewpoints sound being human

Year 8

During the year students will focus on four units: 

• Jesus: human or divine? Explores Jesus’ life and teachings according to the Gospels.

• How are Sikh teachings on equality and service put into practice today?  Explores the concept of sewa in Sikhism and its importance to the daily lives of Sikhs living in Britain.

• Does religion help people to be good?  Explores what it might mean for people to belong to different world views in the modern world.

• Is death the end? Explores the purpose of life and death from Buddhist and Humanist world views

Year 9

During the year students will focus on four units: 

• Why is the prophet Muhammad so important for Muslims? Explores the life and teachings of the prophet Muhammad.

• Why is there suffering?  Explores how Christian and Buddhist worldviews make sense of suffering in the world.

• Should we all be vegan? This unit explores and assesses whether there is a need for society to move towards a vegan based diet.  Different worldviews are explored in relation to the question.

• Does the media portray religions fairly? Through case studies, this unit explores whether the media is balanced and fair in its portrayal of religion.

LInk to Key Stage 3 Long Term Plan

How students are assessed

At Key Stage 3 students will have one formative assessment consisting of multiple choice and short answer questions.  They will also have an end of Unit assessment which requires them to demonstrate a number of key skills needed for GCSE, including explanation, analysis and interpretation.

Home learning (frequency and expectations)

Home learning tasks are set every fortnight and will range from research tasks to more creative ways of consolidating and enhancing learning that has taken place in lessons.  Non submission, incomplete homework or homework that is not up to standard will warrant a behaviour point and a 1 hour detention.

How parents/carers can support their child:

Please check student diaries and satchel:one via RM unify to keep track of homework that has been set.  Encourage your child to extend their knowledge and understanding through independent research.  Additionally, use the websites in the ‘Useful websites section’ to help your child with their learning.

KS4 - taught across year 10 and 11

Curriculum content and aims

The department follows the OCR board. The specific details of the course are outlined below:

Beliefs and teachings & Practices (01–06)

• Christianity (J625/01)

• Islam (J625/03)

• Religion, Philosophy and Ethics in the modern world from a religious perspective (07–12) (J625/07)

Year 10:

• Christianity – Beliefs Practices and Teachings

• Nature of God, Creation, Problem of evil and suffering, Beliefs about Jesus, Jesus’ teachings and example, Eschatological beliefs and teachings, Worship, sacraments, prayer, The role and importance of pilgrimage and celebrations to Christians, The role of the church in the local community and living practices, Mission and The role of the church in the wider world.

• Islam – Beliefs Practices and Teachings:

• Core beliefs, The nature of Allah, Priesthood (Risaalah), Books (kutub), Angels (Malaika), Eschatological beliefs and teachings, Afterlife (Akhirah), The five pillars of Islam, Public and Private worship and The concept of Jihad.

Year 11:

Religion, Philosophy and Ethics in the modern world from a religious perspective:

Learners will be required to study this component from the perspective of one of the following religions:

• Christianity (J625/06)

• Islam (J625/07)

Four themes to be studied:

• Relationships and families

• The existence of God, gods and the ultimate reality

• Religion, peace and conflict

• Dialogue between religious and non-religious attitudes.

How are students assessed?

Students will be assessed on a regular basis in class through quizzes, tests, mock exams and practice of exam style questions.  They will also have mock exams at the end of a unit of study.  The actual GCSE exams have a number of questions that test key skills. The two assessment objectives for RE are:

AO1

Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of religion and belief including

• Beliefs, practices and sources of authority

• Influence on individuals, communities and societies

• Similarities and differences within and/or between religions and their beliefs.

AO2

Analyse and evaluate aspects of religion, including their significance and influence.

At the end of Year 11 students will sit 3 exams:

Home learning (frequency and expectations)

Home learning tasks are set every fortnight and will range from research tasks to more creative ways of consolidating and enhancing learning that has taken place in lessons.  Non submission, incomplete homework or homework that is not up to standard will warrant a behaviour point and a  1 hour detention.  All home learning can be found on satchel:one (an online platform for setting homework).

How parents/carers can support their child

Please check student diaries/satchel:one website to keep track of homework that has been set.  Encourage your child to extend their knowledge and understanding through independent research.  Additionally, use the websites in the ‘Useful websites section’ to help your child with their learning.

Possible careers include:

The study of religion provides many opportunities for personal and intellectual growth, but religious studies also develops a set of very practical skills for students:

In RS you will gain some fundamental skills including cultural literacy, interpreting and expressing your position on perplexing questions, exercising your analytical skills and developing your critical intelligence, with the ability to empathise with your fellow human beings in order to understand his or her perspective.

Starting with GCSE RS, there are many places to go. As an academic major in the humanities, the study of religion is like a History or English major; it imposes no limitations. But it also lends its own particular strengths to a number of different career choices. People who have studied religion or theology at school, college or university have successfully gone on to professional training in:

Useful websites:

https://www.ocr.org.uk/qualifications/gcse/religious-studies-j625-j125-from-2016/

BBC Bitesize - RE

RE Revision website

RE Online

BBC Religion webpage

RE:Quest

How can parents or other members of the public find out more about the curriculum/syllabus?

Newham agreed Syllabus – The school will have a copy of this.  Alternatively, you can find an e copy on Fronter.

For Key Stage 4 RS you can also go on to the OCR website and search for RS GCSE (9-1) to gain access to the specification as well as other resources.

https://www.ocr.org.uk/qualifications/gcse/religious-studies-j625-j125-from-2016/

Name of person parents can contact if they need more information about the RE syllabus.

Mr Ali Khan (CTL)

Ms Claudia Allison