Curriculum Vision

The core purpose of Religious Studies at KEVI HWGA:

• Encourages philosophical thought, decision-making skills, collaboration and independent working skills and the search for compromise and conflict resolutions that work.

• Makes a key and unique contribution to understanding British heritage, plurality, values and futures.

• Enables pupils to be able to learn how to respect themselves and understand their own identity, to respect others, and to understand their own and others’ rights and responsibilities.

• Plays a key role in creating social cohesion and generating genuine understanding between communities reducing friction, intolerance and social unrest.

RESPECT agenda:

We endeavour to develop in learners a respect for:

ALL RELIGIONS even those that seem very different from their own

THEMSELVES and a growing sense of the values that are important to them

FOR OTHERS learning to live at peace with all

FOR THEIR TALENTS which they have and need to build on

SOCIETY and the contribution they can make to it

THE CREATED WORLD which we have a duty to care for so it can provide for future generations

Overview

Key stage 3

In year 7 students will understand the concepts and the development of skills and attitudes so that they can explore wider issues of religion and belief in religiously literate ways. KS3 RS prepares the students for active citizenship in a diverse and rapidly changing world, exploring some aspects of British values in relation to religions and world views. Promoting social and ethnic harmony through the exploration of multiple identities and local communities, and through a deepening understanding of beliefs and practices, our aim is for students to come to an informed and empathetic understanding of different groups which will help promote cohesion and integration.

Year 9

Religion and life Christianity & Islam

The origins of the universe, including:

• religious teachings about the origins of the universe, and different interpretations of these

• the relationship between scientific views, such as the Big Bang theory, and religious views.

The value of the world and the duty of human beings to protect it: including religious teaching about stewardship, dominion, responsibility, awe and wonder.

• The use and abuse of the environment, including the use of natural resources, pollution.

 The use and abuse of animals, including:

• animal experimentation

• the use of animals for food.

The origins and value of human life

 The origins of life, including:

• religious teachings about the origins of human life, and different interpretations of these

• the relationship between scientific views, such as evolution, and religious views.

The concepts of sanctity of life and the quality of life.

Ethical arguments related to abortion and euthanasia.

The sanctity of life and quality of life.

Beliefs about death and an afterlife, and their impact on beliefs about the value of human life

Key stage 4

At KEVI HWGA we study AQA’s GCSE (9–1) Rs offers distinctive opportunities to promote

pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Students will develop an increasing understanding of wide areas of RE subject knowledge, and develop religious literacy, including the skills of:

• Reflect on some of the fundamental questions about being human and to be open to change, appreciation and challenge.
• Appreciating the complexity of the roots and history of religious faith in Britain and the wider world
• Studying key religious beliefs and practices within the historical context and that of the sacred writings
• Developing an understanding of religious views on ethical and current affairs
• Reflecting on and expressing their own ideas and the ideas of others with increasing creativity and clarity in the 21^st century

Section A The study of religions: Beliefs and teachings

Section B Thematic Studies

Christianity

Key beliefs:

• The nature of God:

• God as omnipotent, loving and just, and the problem of evil and suffering

• the oneness of God and the Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

• Different Christian beliefs about creation including the role of Word and Spirit (John 1:1–3 and Genesis 1:1–3).

• Different Christian beliefs about the afterlife and their importance, including: resurrection and life after death; judgement, heaven and hell.

Jesus Christ and salvation

• Beliefs and teachings about:

• the incarnation and Jesus as the Son of God

• the crucifixion, resurrection and ascension

• sin, including original sin

• the means of salvation, including law, grace and Spirit

• the role of Christ in salvation including the idea of atonement.

Islam:

Key beliefs

• The six articles of faith in Sunni Islam and five roots of ‘Usul ad-Din in Shi’a Islam, including key similarities and differences.

• The Oneness of God (Tawhid), Qur’an Surah 112.

• The nature of God: omnipotence, beneficence, mercy, fairness and justice (Adalat in Shi’aIslam), including different ideas about God’s relationship with the world: immanence and transcendence.

• Angels, their nature and role, including Jibril and Mika’il.

• Predestination and human freedom and its relationship to the Day of Judgement.

• Life after death (Akhirah), human responsibility and accountability, resurrection, heaven and hell.

Authority

• Risalah (Prophethood) including the role and importance of Adam, Ibrahim and Muhammad.

• The holy books:

• Qur’an: revelation and authority

• the Torah, the Psalms, the Gospel, the Scrolls of Abraham and their authority.

• The imamate in Shi’a Islam: its role and significance.

Section B Thematic Studies

Theme A: Relationships and families

Sex, marriage and divorce

• Human sexuality including: heterosexual and homosexual relationships.

• Sexual relationships before and outside of marriage.

• Contraception and family planning.

• The nature and purpose of marriage.

• Same-sex marriage and cohabitation.

• Divorce, including reasons for divorce, and remarrying.

• Ethical arguments related to divorce, including those based on the sanctity of marriage vows and compassion.

Families and gender equality

•The nature of families, including:

• the role of parents and children

• extended families and the nuclear family.

• The purpose of families, including:

• procreation

• stability and the protection of children

• educating children in a faith.

• Contemporary family issues including:

• same-sex parents

• polygamy.

• The roles of men and women.

• Gender equality.

• Gender prejudice and discrimination, including examples

Theme B: Religion, peace and conflict

•Violence/Weapons of mass destruction/ Pacifism.

•Religion, violence, terrorism and war

• The meaning and significance of: • peace • justice • forgiveness • reconciliation

• Violence, including violent protest.

• Terrorism.

• Reasons for war, including greed, self-defence and retaliation.

• The just war theory, including the criteria for a just war. • Holy war. • Pacifism. Religion and belief in 21st century

•Religion and belief as a cause of war and violence in the contemporary world.

• Nuclear weapons, including nuclear deterrence.

• The use of weapons of mass destruction.

• Religion and peace-making in the contemporary world including the work of individuals influenced by religious teaching.

• Religious responses to the victims of war including the work of one present day religious organisation

Key Stage 5

At KEVI HWGA we study AQA A Level in Religious Studies which aims to encourage learners to develop a range of essential skills for Higher Education. Students will gain critical and evaluative skills sought by higher education and employers – particularly in law, education, social work, politics, medicine, administration and the media. Students will develop their own interest of religion and beliefs and be able relate it to the wider world to appreciate religious thought and its contribution to individuals, communities and societies. Students will learn to be critical and reflective thinkers and to develop their own values, opinions and attitudes in light of their study in the 21^st Century.

 Component 1: Philosophy of religion and ethics

Section A: Philosophy of religion

• Arguments for the existence of God

• Evil and suffering

• Religious experience

• Religious language

• Miracles

• Self and life after death.

Section B: Ethics and religion

• Ethical theories

• Issues of human life and death

• Issues of animal life and death

• Introduction to meta ethics

• Free will and moral responsibility

• Conscience

• Bentham and Kant.

Component 2: Study of religion and dialogues

Section A: Study of religion – Christianity

• Sources of wisdom and authority

• God/gods/ultimate reality

• Self, death and the afterlife

• Good conduct and key moral principles

• Expression of religious identity

• Religion, gender and sexuality

• Religion and science

• Religion and secularisation

• Religion and religious pluralism.

Section B: The dialogue between philosophy of religion and religion. How religion is influenced by, and has an influence on philosophy of religion in relation to the issues studied.

Section C: The dialogue between ethical studies and religion. How religion is influenced by, and has an influence on ethical studies in relation to the issues studied.