| Departmental Staff | |
| Mr D Sheehan | Curriculum Leader |
| Mrs E Mcveigh | Second in Department |
| Mrs K Earl | Key Stage 3 Co-ordinator |
| Mrs A Nattriss | Religious Education Teacher |
| Miss F Ridley | Religious Education Teacher |
The distinctive character of All Saints’ Academy is found in its striving to be a faith community which communicates a Catholic vision of life.
The Religious Studies Department at All Saints’ is committed to serving the needs of students from the Catholic tradition and indeed from all faith traditions as part of the mission of the Church. It is our hope that in doing so all of the students at All Saints’ may become religiously literate young people who have the knowledge, understanding and skills – appropriate to their age and ability – to think spiritually, ethically and theologically and to be aware of the demands of religious commitment in everyday life. ?
Religion is a significant force in the contemporary world. It motivates human ideas and behaviors, shaping societies and cultures both for good and ill. Understanding how religion works can help you to understand current events, such as the tragedy of 9/11/01, the conflict in Israel and the tensions in Ireland between Catholics and Protestants. Understanding religion also helps you to understand people and what inspires them.
The religious studies programme at All Saints’ RC School is designed to encourage thoughtful reflection about such matters of faith. In so doing we aim to put the mission statement of our Catholic school at the heart of everything we do. In order to achieve this, the department aims to:
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Enable students to approach religion as an academic discipline, and as a means of developing and understanding their own faith position.
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Develop the skills required to engage in the critical examination of and reflection upon religious belief and practice in our culture;
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Enable students to reflect critically on the ultimate questions of life, and investigate how religious people grapple with them;
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Enable students to cultivate a critical awareness of and appreciation for the Catholic tradition including how the Catholic tradition informs and is informed by its historical situation.
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Enable each student to develop and be able to articulate their own faith positions;
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Enable each student to explore and to respect the different faith traditions and significance of religion as it is embedded in diverse cultures and contexts.
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Enable each student to appreciate the relationship between religious belief, personal faith and lived experience;
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Enable each student to develop the skills and attitudes to respond to the opportunities responsibilities and experiences of life.
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Empower a greater integration of faith and work in the lives of students, especially as concerning the aspects of charity and vocation.
Key Stage 3: Y7-Y8
Students cover a two-year curriculum which introduces each student to a wide range of key Catholic teachings, beliefs and practices. This is then developed and expanded to take into account Catholicism’s place in the world alongside other major world religions.
The outline for the units covered is below:
| Year 7 | Year 8 |
| Introduction to Catholicism | The Bible and Key Figures |
| Catholic Community and Celebration | The Morality of Jesus |
| Jesus as Priest, Prophet and King | Church History |
| Love and Sacrifice | The Journey of a Catholic |
| RSE Unit 1 | RSE Unit 2 |
| Islam | Judaism |
| Vocation | Experiential RE |
Key Stage 4: Y9-Y11
Students follow the Eduqas Route B GCSE. The course is divided into three papers and the break down is below.
| Component 1 Foundational Catholic Theology37.5% |
90 mins 90 marks +6 SPaG |
Section 1: Origins and Meaning Answer: x2 a) questions x2 b) questions x2 c) questions x1 d) question (SPaG assessed on d)Section 2: Good and Evil Answer: x1 a) question x1 b) question x1 c) question x2 d) questions |
| Component 2 Applied Catholic Theology37.5% |
90 mins 90 marks + 6 SPaG |
Section 1: Life and Death Answer x1 a) question x1 b) question x1 c) question x2 d) questions (SPaG assessed on d)Section 2: Sin and Forgiveness Answer x2 a) questions x2 b) questions x2 c) questions x1 d) question |
| Component 3 Study of a World Faith Judaism25% |
60 mins 40 marks |
Judaism Beliefs and Teachings Answer x1 a) question x1 b) question x1 c) question x1 d) question Practises Answer x1 a) question x1 b) question x1 c question x1 d) question |
Key Stage 5: Y12-Y13
Eduqas Religious Studies A Level with the study of Christianity
In studying this A-Level, students are able to develop their interest within religion, across three distinct components: Christianity, Philosophy and Ethics.
The A-Level is a highly academic subject which develops a student’s knowledge, understanding and evaluation skills which in turn allows them to develop and formulate their own ideas and views of the world.
An A level in Religious Studies encourages students to:
Develop their interest in the study of religion and belief and relate it to the wider world
Develop knowledge and understanding of Christianity and associated Philosophical and Ethical thought.
Develop an understanding and appreciation of religious thought and its contribution to individuals, communities and societies
Adopt and develop an enquiring, critical and reflective approach to the study of religion and wider thought and contemplation.
Reflect on and develop their own values, opinions and attitudes in the light of their study.
The A-Level is divided into the following components and areas of study:
Component 1: A Study of Religion:
This component offers the choice of the study of one religion which is Christianity. There will be four themes: religious figures and sacred texts; religious concepts and religious life; significant social and historical developments in religious thought; religious practices and religious identity.
Students are required to answer one question from Section A out of a choice of two and one question from Section B out of a choice of three in this component. Questions can be taken from any area of the specification. Written examination: 2 hours 33⅓% of qualification Component 2:
Component 2: Philosophy of Religion:
There will be four themes within this component: arguments for the existence of God; challenges to religious belief; religious experience; religious language.
Students are required to answer one question from Section A out of a choice of two and one question from Section B out of a choice of three in this component. Questions can be taken from any area of the specification. Written examination: 2 hours 33⅓% of qualification
Component 3: Religion and Ethics:
There will be four themes within this component: ethical thought; deontological ethics; teleological ethics; determinism and free will.
Students are required answer one question from Section A out of a choice of two and one question from Section B out of a choice of three in this component. Questions can be taken from any area of the specification. Written examination: 2 hours 33⅓% of qualification.
Extended Project Qualification
All students complete the Edexcel Extended Project Qualification in General R.E. The course involves two hours per week, where students are taught various ethical and religious theories in order to guide them in completing a 7,000 word dissertation on a religious ethical issue of their choosing, for example medical ethics.
