Religious EDUCATION         

Exam Board: AQA

Course: GCSE Religious Studies A - Unit 10 Judaism (4050)

Members of Department:

Mr. M. Cobbold, Head of Religious Education
Miss A. Hunter
Mrs. L. Ramsay
Mrs. C. Schmidt

VISION

Religious Education (RE) is a key subject in helping our students develop into well-rounded, culturally aware citizens. RE intentionally tackles some of the biggest (and oldest) questions, not just about how different people live their lives, but also about values, identity and the very nature of existence itself.  We aim to understand more about the world we live in by considering both religious and non-religious responses to these big questions, as well as our own worldviews. Alongside the academic nature of the subject, RE plays an important role in the Spiritual, Moral, Social & Cultural (SMSC) development of our students

INTRODUCTION

Religious Education (RE) is a key subject in helping our students develop into well-rounded, culturally aware citizens. RE intentionally tackles some of the biggest (and oldest) questions, not just about how different people live their lives, but also about values, identity and the very nature of existence itself.  We aim to understand more about the world we live in by considering both religious and non-religious responses to these big questions, as well as our own worldviews. Alongside the academic nature of the subject, RE plays an important role in the Spiritual, Moral, Social & Cultural (SMSC) development of our students.

The RE curriculum at Debenham High School works in accordance with Suffolk Agreed Syllabus and the non-statutory QCA guidelines for effective RE teaching.  Students are taught for one 50 minute lesson each week in Years 7 – 9. In Years 10 & 11, all students take Re for GCSE and have three 50 minute lessons per week.

RE aims to:

• Provoke and discuss challenging questions;
• Develop students’ knowledge of Christianity and other religions, as well as non-religious worldviews;
• Develop students’ awareness and understanding of religious belief and practice;
• Encourage students to learn about different religions and traditions;
• Challenge students to reflect on, consider, analyse, interpret and evaluate issues;
• Encourage students to develop a sense of identity, purpose and belonging within their communities;
• Prepare students for adult life;
• Connect learning to topical issues and current world events;
• Encourage students to develop respect and sensitivity towards others.

  RE at Debenham - What, Why & How

PROGRAMME OF STUDY

Each subject programme of study will:

• Provide a clear and coherent learning journey
• Foster subject-based understanding of new knowledge, concepts and methods
• Ensure students acquire knowledge and give opportunities for recall and application of this knowledge so that fluency is developed
• Require students to think and reason for themselves
• Explanations and resources enable students to engage with and master learning
• Learning should develop a depth of understanding that brings richness to the subject but also a breadth of understanding that enriches wider life and learning
• Develop a readiness for the next stage: be this the next lesson, the next unit of work, the next year or key stage; it prepares students for both academic, A Level, and future degree study, or vocational learning
• Contain appropriate, regular and robust assessment methods for measuring student progress and to allow intervention where progress is not as expected.

In order to see an overview of the sequence and progression of learning please see their Programme of Study:

   RE Programme of Study

Trips and Visits

Year 7 to St. Mary's Church, Debenham
Year 9 to a local Mosque
Year 11 to Norwich Synagogue and Norwich Cathedral

KEY STAGE 3

Across KS3 students are encouraged to develop their knowledge and understanding of a range of religious beliefs. Christianity (as the dominant religion of the UK) is used as a focal point, with specific attention also given to Buddhism, Sikhism and, in Year 9, Islam. There will always be flexibility in order to address and/or respond to current/topical world events. Students are encouraged to consider what people believe, why they believe and how they live out these beliefs. An outline of the topics studied in each year group is as follows:

Year 7

1. Why Do People See The World Differently?
2. How does Buddhist dhamma change lives?
3. Thinking Philosophically
4. Inspired – Why & How Do Holy Books Change Lives?
5. Why Do Shaivas & Vaishnaivas Worship Differently?

Year 8  

1. Can there be good without God?
2. Is Jesus God incarnate?
3. Does becoming gurmukh create a better society?
4. Should all humans be stewards of the earth?

Year 9

1. Why is it hard to believe in God?
2. Does belief in al qadr mean that Muslims don’t control their own lives?
3. Life after teath
4. Identity – Who am I?

KEY STAGE 4

At KS4, students study the following AQA GCSE specifications. These qualifications encourages students to build on the knowledge and skills developed in KS3.

Year 10 & 11

CORE RELIGIOUS STUDIES FOR ALL

Exam Board: AQA

Course: Specification A (Christianity & Judaism)

Content:

The course is split into two key components, outlined as follows:

A more detailed outline of the course content can be found at https://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/religious-studies/gcse/religious-studies-a-8062