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Religious Studies

 

Key Stage 3 Overview

Year 7

  • Topic 1 - Creation & Covenant - Students will study the Catholic understanding of the origins of creation and their role as stewards of creation, with reference to the book of Genesis and Laudato Si.
  • Topic 2 - People of the Church - Students will be able to identify the People of the Church, with reference to the Catholic hierarchy as well as lay people and Saints. They need to know why these members are important and be able to compare their roles and responsibilities.
  • Topic 3 - From Galilee to Jerusalem - Students will explore the biblical understanding of Jubilee with a focus on forgiveness, freedom and mercy of God. They will also study key features of Jesus' ministry with a focus on the poor, marginalised and lost and how the Church responds to these issues today.
  • Topic 5 - To the Ends of the Earth - Students will explore the institution of the Eucharist both at the Last Supper and in the Early Church. This topic will focus on the importance of the Eucharist both in the mass and as the real presence of Christ. Finally students will understand divergent views towards the Eucharist.
  • Topic 6 - Dialogue and Encounter - Students will explore Hinduism, Sikhism and Buddhism as major world religions, focusing on the key figures, holy texts, places of worship and practices of faith.

Year 8

  • Topic 1 - Islam - In the section, students will explore Islam and the key elements of Islamic faith, exploring the importance and significance of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), the Qur’an, and how Muslims pray and worship. In addition, students will develop their understanding of the Five Pillars of Islam as a way of life and devotion.
  • Topic 2 - Creation & Covenant - In this unit students will explore what it means for humans to have a covenant relationship with God. Students will explore what it means to have free will and the rules that God gave to support and guide our free will. Students will then explore what it means to make moral decisions and the different influences that help us make these decisions. Finally they will explore Jesus as the culmination of God's revelation and how we can live out the call to the covenant relationship today.
  • Topic 3 - From Galilee to Jerusalem - In this unit students will understand the titles of Jesus as presented in Mark's Gospel. Students will understand the importance of the incarnation and the belief in Jesus as both fully human and fully divine. Students will also explore what is meant by the Trinity and how this is reflected in worship. Finally students will be able to focus on what is meant by humility with a focus on the beatitudes and making moral and ethical considerations.
  • Topic 4 - From Desert to Garden - In this topic students will explore the fall of humanity and how sin and evil entered the world. Students will explore the problem of evil and suffering and both the biblical and Church's responses to this. This topic will also focus on the Paschal Mystery and the significance of the Easter Triduum liturgies.
  • Topic 5 - To the Ends of the Earth - In this topic students will focus on the Gospel of John and Luke and the biblical account of Pentecost. This unit will focus on the gifts of the Holy Spirit and its importance in the Church today, especially through the sacrament of Confirmation.
  • Topic 6 - Dialogue and Encounter - In this unit students will explore the historical context of the Second Vatican Council and its impact on the life of the Church, particularly concerning the importance of dialogue with other faiths. Students will make connections between Islam and Christianity as Abrahamic faiths, linking back to the work they did on Islam at the beginning of the year.

Year 9

  • Old Testament Patriarchs: Abraham – Students will develop knowledge and understanding of the foundations of faith by exploring Abraham as the father and founder of faith. Students will explore the covenants God made with Abraham and how his descendants developed this faith. They will also explore the sacrifice of Isaac and the conflict between Jacob and Esau.
  • Moses – Students will explore the life of Moses including God’s revelation through the burning bush. They will also explore the 10 plagues that led to the Exodus. Students will then go on to explore the Mosaic Covenant and the importance of the Torah, Talmud and Shekhinah for Jewish faith.
  • Mark’s Gospel – Students will explore who Mark was and the genre he was writing in. This will give students an insight to hermeneutics and the message the Mark was trying to deliver. Students will also explore the accounts of Jesus’ life according to Mark and what it teaches us about Jesus and his mission.
  • Foundations of the Church – In this section students will explore the history of Christianity including the Great Schism and the Reformation. They will also explore different Christian denominations and how Catholics and other Christians practice their faith today.
  • Beatitudes in the Media – Students will explore the meaning and importance of the beatitudes in a modern context. Students will explore each beatitude with a piece of media to illustrate the importance and significance of each action and reward of the beatitudes.