“Religion has been an important part of my understanding, my inquiry into what it means to be human”

Ayad Akhtar

“Religion does not just concern one’s personal relationship with God; it’s more about the manner in which we interact with others – about our broader responsibilities to the human family and the earth we share.”

Desmond Tutu

Our Curriculum

Religious Studies is organised to allow students to access the rich discourse of religious (including Abrahamic and Dharmic faiths) and non-religious traditions that have shaped the UK and the wider world. There are connections within each year, between beliefs and living/expressions as well as across the years, to allow for a firm, in-depth foundation of knowledge and understanding. By going into the local communities to experience ‘living faiths’, this enables students to reflect on a diverse multi-religious and multi-secular society. Each theme encourages students to explore, explain and evaluate key religious, philosophical and ethical ideas, for example, Does God exist? What is ‘good’? And debate these within the classroom setting.

Getting Better at Religious Studies

Within this academic discipline, students are intellectually challenged and have personally enriching experiences. Key skills and virtues are developed such as respect, courage and meaningful dialogue. Students are encouraged to explore sources of authority and wisdom alongside key subject specific terminology, each year becoming more complex and developed. Students will then be able to form comparisons between Abrahamic, Dharmic and secular beliefs and in writing, use effective language to weigh up issues and appreciate conflicting viewpoints. By the end of the course, students will have an excellent understanding of key religious and secular faiths and the role religion and atheism have in modern day society. On a personal level, it affords students the opportunity to make sense of their own place in the world.

Beyond School

With strong performance, all students take RE at GCSE. We hope that many of our students enjoy learning about religious beliefs and practices, as well as having the opportunity to explore philosophical and ethical issues such as Human Rights and Relationships which is further unpacked at A Level and beyond. By the end of the GCSE course, all students should be able to explain key beliefs and sources of authority and wisdom alongside evaluating and exploring differences within tradition. This discipline remains constantly relevant today with strong links to major global issues, some of which are explored in the media, many of which pertain to the students we teach. It is about students learning about others, and understanding beliefs and the impact these have on their lives.

Careers

A ‘facilitating subject’ which opens the doors to many careers, including but not limited to: Law, Public services, Education, Tourism, Journalism, Health & Social Care and Medicine.