Whether you consider yourself Christian, religious or secular, or whether you think religion has played a positive or negative role in history, it is clear that religion and belief have had an impact on almost every aspect of society.

Curriculum Intent: Religious Studies is the cornerstone of our educational provision and we are proud that it is taught exclusively by subject specialists. Building on the rich Christian heritage of our school community, we aim to deepen students’ understanding of Christianity as a living and diverse faith and its foundational role in shaping societies. Excellence within Religious Studies would mean that each student will discover more about religion and worldviews by becoming young theologians, philosophers, sociologists, readers and interpreters in order to think critically and make sense of the bigger picture of a multi-religious and multi-secular world. Our intention is to spark students’ curiosity, deepen their spiritual awareness, and inspire all students to lead lives of integrity and purpose, rooted in the values of Hope, Compassion and Endurance.

We are dedicated to equipping students with the knowledge, skills and resilience to understand the world around them and develop their own ideas, values and identities. We aim to develop students’ capability of articulating their own personal beliefs while respecting the right of others to differ, in order to prepare them to participate positively in a pluralistic society and to challenge misconceptions and prejudice. Students will not only examine the evolution of beliefs and practices of major world religions, but they are also encouraged to open their hearts and minds to the biggest questions of life, beliefs about God, issues of morality and what it means to be human.

Grounded in theology, philosophy and social sciences, our ambitious curriculum aims for all students to flourish both spiritually and academically, whatever their situation or starting point, and empowers them to become knowledgeable, articulate, respectful, empathetic and courageous advocates against injustice and discrimination.

What will students learn at KS3?

The KS3 curriculum follows the Diocesan’s ‘Illuminating Pathways’ syllabus and all students have Religious Studies three hours per fortnight. Students will begin to explore central beliefs, values and practices of Christianity and other carefully selected religions and worldviews. Our curriculum is sequenced to identify threshold concepts and skills that enable students to build upon prior learning and integrate new content into their existing schema in order to access subsequent topics at KS4.

What will students learn at KS4?

The KS4 curriculum follows the AQA Religious Studies (Specification A) syllabus. All students have Religious Studies five hours per fortnight and will sit the full course GCSE examination at the end of Year 11. In Year 10, students will develop a deep knowledge of Christianity and Judaism. They will examine diverse beliefs and key practices within these religions including their contributions in supporting local and world-wide communities. In Year 11 students apply their knowledge of Christianity and Judaism to four contemporary ethical themes: Religion and families – Religion and life – Religion, peace and conflict – Religion, crime and punishment.