Religious Studies

Our Department

The aims of RE which inform the curriculum are based on the Worcestershire Agreed Syllabus for RE, which states that the principle aim of RE is to "explore what people believe and what difference this makes to how they live, so that pupils can gain the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to handle questions raised by religion and belief, reflecting on their own ideas and ways of living." (Worcestershire Agreed Syllabus, 2020)

At Bishop Perowne Church of England College we seek to:

• Provide students with knowledge and understanding of Christianity and other principal religious traditions represented in Great Britain;
• Develop their understanding of the ways in which beliefs influence people in their behaviour, practices and outlook;
• Develop in students a capacity to engage with challenging questions about meaning and purpose in life, beliefs about God, moral issues and what it means to be human in order to enhance their own spiritual and moral growth; and
• Encourage students to develop a positive and respectful attitude towards other people who hold religious beliefs different from their own.

Key Stage 3

Year 7

Students are introduced to key Christian beliefs, teachings and practices and follow units from the Worcestershire Agreed Syllabus for RE. Students engage in a study of Christianity, Buddhism, Sikhism and Islam through a series of themed questions. Students also study PSHE topics related to Relationships, Sex and Health Education as well as our place in the local and global community.

• Autumn Term 1 – Understanding Christianity
• Autumn Term 2 – Personal Safety (Relationships Education)
• Spring Term 1 – Do we need religious buildings or should we sell them and use the money to help the poor?
• Spring Term 2 – Health and Puberty (Relationships, Sex and Health Education)
• Summer Term 1 – What is good and what is challenging about being a teenage Muslim in 21st Britain?
• Summer Term 2 – Living in the Wider World (PSHE)

Year 8

Students continue to study religion and philosophy through key questions alongside PSHE topics. Students continue to study Christianity as their main religion whilst also studying other religious and non-religious world views.

• Autumn Term 1 – Does religion help people to be good?
• Autumn Term 2 – Healthy Relationships (Relationships and Sex Education)
• Spring Term 1 – How can people express the spiritual through Music and Art?
• Spring Term 2 – Healthy Lifestyles - Drugs and Alcohol (Health Education)
• Summer Term 1 – Do we need to prove God's existence?
• Summer Term 2 – Living in the Wider World (PSHE)

Key Stage 4

Students study for the Eduqas GCSE in Religious Studies (Route A). This course is examined through three exam papers at the end of Year Eleven. The structure of the course is:

• 50% - Religious, Philosophical and Ethical Studies in the Modern World (from the perspective of Christianity and Islam). This includes the study of four themes:
  • Issues of Relationships
  • Issues of Life and Death
  • Issues of Good and Evil
  • Issues of Human Rights
• 25% - A study of Christianity. Students study Christian beliefs, teachings and practices and sources of Christian authority in depth.
• 25% - A study of Islam. Students are study Muslim beliefs, teachings and practices and sources of Muslim authority in depth.

Resources

A student e-textbook written for this course has been published by Hodder and Stoughton and is available to purchase here

A revision guide written for this course has also been published by Hodder and Stoughton, a limited number are available to purchase from the PSRE department or an e-version is available here

Bitesize revision resources written specifically for the Eduqas course can be accessed here