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Rivington & Blackrod High School

ofsted

Religious Education 

Contact:

Head of RE - Head of RE Ms P Sullivan - psullivan@rbhs.co.uk     

 

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

“Inspiring and developing the mind, heart and soul for today’s world.”

Religious Education at Rivington and Blackrod High School is an exploration of the deeply personal and profoundly spiritual, encouraging students to respectfully question their own and others’ beliefs. Religious Education is unique among the subjects because it is not a subject that leads students to one particular end. It is a subject that forms the whole character.

Religious Education is a distinctive and wide-ranging discipline which offers an opportunity for students to understand and consider alternative perspectives on contemporary matters. Through this, they develop a deeper understanding of their own attitudes and values and become independent critical thinkers, active participants and future leaders.

Click here to view the Curriculum Overview  

RE Key Stage 3 Overview:

The Key Stage 3 curriculum follows the requirements of the 2020 Bolton Agreed Syllabus. During their Education, students will have an opportunity to explore a combination of:

Ethics - the study of what makes us think certain actions are right or wrong

Philosophy - the study of the fundamental nature of knowledge, reality, and existence

Theology - the study of the nature of the divine and religious belief.

Students also study Relationship and Sex Education in the summer term which supports the wider PSHCE curriculum. More information on this can be found on the Personal Development page of the website.

In Year 7, students discover what one in three people on our planet mean when they call themselves a Christian. Students will look at the lives and teachings of some important accounts and figures from the Old Testament of the Bible, many of whom are found in the Holy Books of the Jews, Christians and Muslims, meaning they are influential to two thirds of the world's population today. As well as looking at influential characters of the Old Testament, students study the role of Jesus as prophet and messiah and the importance of Christianity in the modern world while looking at sources from the Old and New Testament that have had and are still having an impact on the world and society, we live in. 

In Year 8, students deepen their understanding of Christianity as a living religion through their study of theological concepts, in particular creation and love of neighbour. We also consider the identity and practices of Muslims in Britain today and the importance of community cohesion in our school and in our society. This unit of work covers beliefs and practices as it allows students to prepare for their GCSE when they will need to have good knowledge of another religion apart from Christianity. Students go on to study a range of people of different faiths who have been an inspiration in society in order to develop their understanding of the concept of love of others. 

In Year 9, students will be challenged with questions about belief, values, meaning, purpose, and truth, enabling them to develop their own attitudes towards religious issues. We look at a unit entitled Faith and Belief’ and the challenges that are faced by Christians in today’s society. We consider the Design Argument, Big Bang Theory and why there is so much evil and suffering in the world. We also look at what influences the moral decisions we make and how our ethics will affect our choices. Students look at further ethical issues in the summer term when we ask the big question of what happens when we die and what a variety of faiths believe about the afterlife.

RE Key Stage 4/5 Overview:

All students study CORE Religious Education at Key Stage 4. This course is designed to complement and enhance what students have learnt at Key Stage 3 with a focus on ethics, including units such as Life and Death, Medical Ethics and Crime and Punishment. 

Students who have opted to study GCSE Religious Education, study the EDEXCEL B specification on Christianity and Islam. Click here to see the Specification Overview https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel-gcses/religious-studies-b-2016.html

Students develop knowledge and understanding of these two religions, enabling them to understand and articulate their own and others’ beliefs, values and commitments. Students develop analytical and critical thinking skills to enable them to present a wide range of well-informed and reasonable arguments, aiding not only in progression to AS and A level study but also for living in a modern world.

In Key Stage 5, students follow a Moral, World and Religious Views Programme which enables students to broaden their understanding of current issues affecting society today. The curriculum is bespoke and follows a calendar based on recognition of religious festivals and awareness days. This is delivered through form sessions on a weekly basis.