Religious Studies

Curriculum Intent

At Grace Academy, we believe it is Religious Education that promotes these virtues and encourages students to respect and immerse themselves into the wider world around them. Our broad curriculum allows pupils to use their knowledge to justify their opinion on controversial topics, as well as consider opposing views. Our systematic approach to curriculum delivery ensures that we are building upon that knowledge throughout their time at Grace Academy to prepare them for life outside of Grace.

Religious Education is the subject to provide pupils with the knowledge they need to become good human beings in line with our school ethos and values. This is to reflect the need of accepting, informed and respectful young people entering the diverse workplace and higher education.

Our wider curriculum ensures that students gain experiences of a variety of faiths, the perspectives held by individuals of different faiths and where our Christian Ethos guides our values and approach to both education and life.

“The whole purpose of religion is to facilitate love and compassion, patience, tolerance, humility and forgiveness” - Dalai Lama

This term, we are studying… stand the complexities and depth of moral situations e.g. the justifications of war.

Year	Topic(s)	Why this? Why now?
Year 7	BQ: What are different religious beliefs about the afterlife?	Pupils are reflecting and building upon KS2 knowledge This topic helps to build a foundational knowledge of key religious teachings of life after death (which links into GCSE topics within Christianity/Islamic Beliefs and Teachings) It also allows pupils to apply these teachings to the life of a religious believer – how would a belief in the afterlife affect how a person lives now?
Year 8	BQ: Does God exist?	To understand the key arguments used to prove and disprove the existence of God To analyse the idea of a deity/God and what this means to religious believers To start evaluating arguments and coming to a justified conclusion as a key skill required for Year 9 and the GCSE curriculum.
Year 9	BQ: Is religion a power of peace or a cause of conflict in today’s world?	This topic includes some of the foundational knowledge required for the GCSE Theme D – Religion, Peace and Conflict. Pupils will study in depth Sikh, Christian and Muslim teachings which both justify war but also promote peace, and why there are contrasting teachings. It allows pupils to apply religious teachings to current events, and to understand the complexities and depth of moral situations e.g. the justifications of war.
Year 10	Christianity Practices Islam Beliefs and Teachings	Pupils will be completing Christianity Practices which followed on from Christianity Beliefs and Teachings. The practices explain how the beliefs and teachings are relevant to Christians in their day-to-day lives. Pupils will also be starting the third topic of Paper 1 – Islam Beliefs and Teachings, and studying Islam for the second half of this academic year.
Year 11	Theme E: Religion, Crime and Punishment Revision	Pupils will be completing the last topic of Paper 2: Themes in this term. Theme E covers different religious and ethical teachings regarding crime, attitudes to criminals, and punishments. They should be aware of contrasting perspectives in contemporary British society on all of these issues. This topic will be followed on by revision of Paper 1 content.

Religious Education for all is delivered through:

PSHE lessons
Our form time curriculum
Explicit "Drop-down" immersion days

At Key Stage 5, Religious Education is delivered through:

Timetabled lessons for all students

The impact across both key stages is assessed, and this informs future delivery and content. At Key Stage 4, assessment is both formative and summative. At Key Stage 5, assessment is formative.

Qualification information:

https://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/religious-studies/gcse/religious-studies-a-8062

Curriculum content:

Attached are the curriculum maps which outline the sequence we use in order to structure our learning. If you would like to support your child's learning, we have attached links to Oak National Academy who provide lessons, activities and resources for commonly taught topics. Please use the curriculum map for this subject before visiting:

https://teachers.thenational.academy/subjects/religious-education/key-stages/key-stage-3

https://teachers.thenational.academy/subjects/religious-education/key-stages/key-stage-4

RE Curriculum Term 1 2023/2024

Religious Studies

Curriculum Intent

Qualification information:

Curriculum content:

Our Values