Religious Studies

YEAR 7

Students begin the year by studying a module called Ultimate Questions. This is a philosophy module with each lesson looking at a big, unanswered question such as ‘Do we have free will?’ Students also study modules in Buddhism and Sikhism. Lessons are focused on learning about these religions as well as lessons that can be learned from these religions. Students also do an investigative module in Humanism.

YEAR 8

Students study modules in Hinduism and Islam. Lessons are focused on learning about these religions as well as lessons that can be learned from these religions. A third module on Evil and suffering is studied during which students look at the nature of evil from a religious as well as a non-religious point of view. Finally, students also study Inspirational figures from history.

YEAR 9

Students study an Ethics module looking at scholars such as Joseph Fletcher and Jeremy Bentham and their reactions to moral issues such as abortion and euthanasia. They also study a unit developing knowledge in Christianity and a unit that looks at the reasons for Conflict as well as the effect of it. Minor world religions are studied at the end of Year 9.

HOMEWORK

Students in KS3 are set one piece of extended homework per topic, at least one piece of knowledge retention homework and a revision homework that they are expected to do for any end of unit assessment. The extended homework is designed to add on to and extend the knowledge students are learning in class and the content of the homework will be used in the end of topic assessment. Learning how to successfully work at home is an important skill to attain at KS3. The extended homework allows students to go above and beyond to gain LOC’s. Further challenge homework’s can be obtained from the challenge board in each RS classroom and on teams.

GCSE RELIGIOUS STUDIES

GCSE full course Religious Studies is an option subject that is studied in Years 10 and 11. Students have 5 or 6 hours of lessons spread over 2 weeks with two final exams taking place at the end of Year 11. The final mark is based 100% on exam results. There is no coursework.

GCSE Religious Studies cohort gained the following results when national examinations have taken place. All statistics are well above the school and the national average.

Students currently use the AQA specification the content of which is detailed below. Students take 2 exams at the end of Year 11 both 1 hour 45 minutes long.

COMPONENT 1; STUDY OF RELIGION; BELIEFS AND PRACTICES

Students study Christianity and Islam and look at topics such as prayer, pilgrimage, festivals, the nature of God, baptism, communion, the five pillars, prophets and the crucifixion.

COMPONENT 1; THEMATIC STUDY

Students study four themes. Within each theme they look at the relevance of different topics both in today’s society as well as within Christianity and Islam.

Crime and Punishment; Forgiveness, Capital and Corporal Punishment.

Religion and Life; Abortion, Euthanasia, Life after death.

Peace and Conflict; War, Pacifism, Violent Protest, WMDs, Just and Holy War.

God and Revelation; Evil and suffering, Arguments for the existence of God and Religious experience.

HOMEWORK

At Key Stage 4 homework is focused towards building knowledge through extra reading and tasks as well as preparation for assessments. Homework may involve a practice exam question, research on an upcoming topic, consolidation of knowledge or use of a revision document in preparation for an assessment. Homework will be geared primarily to aid in the end of unit assessment which takes place on average once a half term. Homework will be set on Seneca or Teams.

Religious Studies AQA A level is offered at Jo Richardson Community School. It is a demanding but highly thought provoking course which focuses on the skills of explanation, analysis and evaluation. Students are asked to balance philosophical and ethical theories alongside modern issues such as Capital Punishment and use of animals for medical testing meaning the course is varied and allows for debate, discussion and opinion.

Studying Religious Studies opens many doors for the future. Many public servants studied PPE (Philosophy, Politics and Economics) at university. The skills gained through this A-Level are well related to careers in Law, Medicine, Social Work and Business.

Students study a 2 year linear course and at the end of the 2 years  students take two 3 hour exams based on the following.

Component 1; Study of Philosophy of Religion and Ethics

What’s assessed

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

What’s assessed

Section A: Study of religion – Christianity – the following topics are covered:

• 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.

Since the summer of 2018 A-Level students have gained 100% pass rate in Religious Studies (A*-C). IN the summer of 2023 22% of students achieved an A* or A grade and 56% of students achieved an A*, A or B grade.

Homework

At Key Stage 5 homework is focused towards building knowledge through extra reading and tasks as well as preparation for assessments. A homework task will be set at least once a week but students will be expected to supplement this through extra reading and revision of topics by themselves.

More information on this program of study is available in the specification at

• https://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/religious-studies/as-and-a-levelhttp://web.aqa.org.uk/qual/gce/humanities/religious_studies_materials.php?id=10&prev=10

KS3

Regular competitions are run by the RS department at KS3.

KS5

A debate club is run by the student team at KS5.

At the core of our approach to marking at JRCS is task marking.

In non-practical subjects one substantial piece of work will be task marked at least once every eight hours of teaching. Students will respond to the tasks and they will be checked by staff. In between that time students’ work may be peer or self-assessed or briefly checked by staff.

It is likely the same piece of work will be assessed for literacy. Staff will mark work using the literacy marking code: 

Levelling and Assessment

KS3

To develop a growth mindset and reflect ‘life after levels’ work in KS3 books will not usually be levelled; assessment will be formative and highlight how students can improve. Students will record areas of strength and development on their ‘reflection sheets’ which will be at the front or back of the book. At the end of each term a level is reported for students in each subject, which reflects all their work over that term. These are found on students’ pale yellow progress cards, which are stuck into their planners. These cards show students whether they are in line to meet their end of key stage target. With the move away from National Curriculum levels, the school is trialling a new ‘skills thermometer’ and 1 to 9 levelling in English. Other KS3 subjects will be using NC levels for the remainder of this year.

KS4

KS4 practice exam questions and mock exams are likely to be graded. This work might not be in student books. Students will record grades and areas of strength and development in their ‘reflection sheets’ which will be at the front or back of the book. All students receive an attainment and predicted grade at the end of each term. These are found on their pale yellow progress cards, which are stuck into their planners. These cards show students whether they are in line to meet their end of key stage target.

KS5

At KS5 students take a series of VIMAs (Sixth Form Milestone Assessments) during their course. Students receive developmental comments to help them improve their work. Each VIMA result includes four parts: the grade for that assessment, a comparison of the grade with their expected progress grade (EPG), a Learning Capability mark and a prediction of their end of year grade (PEG). The outcomes of these assessments and other graded work will be in student folders. They are also sent home to parents. A summary of VIMA marks and the students’ expected progress grade is also recorded in their planner.