Religious Education is a subject that requires a depth of knowledge and academic skills that we seek to develop across the key stages. We aim to add to student knowledge and language in a coherent, developmental way, especially how to use evidence, including scripture and other sources of authority, to substantiate explanations and arguments. For example, at KS3 in Year 7 term 1 students are taught how to use the Bible to find specific passages. This is then developed further across the year by guiding them in how to use quotes/passages from scripture to support arguments, e.g., what is our responsibility to care for the world and why do we have this.

The grade (A-E) descriptors at Key Stage 3 make it clear what knowledge and skills students need to master to make progress. This is taken further in Key Stage 4 when regular and explicit use of sources of wisdom and authority, including scripture, are expected in explanatory and evaluation answers. The Key Stage 4 grade descriptors stuck into students’ books make this clear, but it is something that staff regularly remind students of and practice in lessons.

Religious Education is a subject in which our students do well, in all key stages. We have a continuing responsibility to ensure that the courses we deliver meet the needs of our young people. It is also our duty to pass on our own passion and enthusiasm for our subject to our students in the manner in which it is delivered.

Throughout the course and at points during lessons, themes, knowledge, and content are revisited to help embed learning and assess understanding. This this particularly important where prior knowledge is being used as a foundation of new learning or previous knowledge is being developed to a greater depth. For example, in Year 10 in the teaching of whether science (Big Bang and evolution) or religion (Christianity and Judaism) have the answer as to why life exists, we rely on the teaching about creation in Genesis 1 and 2 covered in KS3

Key Stage 3

Timetable commitment 12%

At Key Stage 3 in Year 7 in September 2023 we introduced a new scheme of work based around the RED (Religious Education Directory) from the Bishops of England and Wales published in 2023, largely using ‘Source to Summit’ to provide a clear and coherent structure. This will be rolled out to Year 8 in 2024 and Year 9 in 2025 to ensure we are revisiting and building on prior knowledge and skills each year as well as ensuring compliance with the guidance from our Bishops.

Key Stage 4

Timetable commitment 10%

At Key Stage 4 in September 2023 Year 10 began a study of Eduqas Route B which will rolled out to Year 11 in September 2024, thus ensuring we are fulfilling the guidance from our Bishops. A small number of students are entered for the AQA Short Course in Religious Studies based on prior attainment and data, where they study Christian beliefs and two broad ethical themes. Both GCSE courses include a study of Jewish beliefs and the Eduqas specification also involves the study of Jewish practices, thus enabling students to learn about their cultural heritage as followers of Christ.

Key Stage 5

Timetable commitment 5%

All students have a weekly PRE (Philosophy, Religion & Ethics) lesson which covers a new topic each half term in a discussion-based format. A table outlining the various topics is below.

A level

At Key Stage 5 students who choose A Level Religious Studies study the Edexcel Perason specification and complete papers in Philosophy of Religion, Religious Ethics, and New Testament, with three equally weighted exams at the end of Year 13.

Catholic Social Teaching

How we address values and virtues through the Curriculum

Catholic Social Teaching recognises is based on the belief that God has a plan for creation, a plan to build his kingdom of peace, love, and justice. Elements of our curriculum lend themselves to the development and teaching of these beliefs.

1.Dignity of the Human Person – Within the curriculum each year group have topics which lead them to consider the unique place we, as humans, have in God’s creation, and the respect we are therefore due. This includes study of scripture and Church teaching to understand the foundations of these beliefs……… click to continue

2. Peace – Peace comes from within, and thus before the curriculum is taught, RE staff are effective in creating caring and nurturing learning environments where students feel able to study and grow in self-belief. To create peace, all people must learn to accept the rights of every individual ……….. click to continue

3. The Common Good – Commitment to the Common Good means respecting the rights and responsibilities of all people. No one should miss out on the opportunity to flourish and grow. As Acts 2 43-47 tells us, we should do all in our power to provide the necessities for those who are lacking. In RE this means ensuring all students receive their right to a high calibre education and with this comes the responsibility to allow all in the class to access this work. …………. click to continue

4. The Option for the Poor –Throughout the Bible, and especially in the Gospel narratives of the life of Jesus, we see many examples of God’s special concern for the poor and the powerless. This reading of scripture developed with Liberation theologians during the 1960’s and is very much evident in the thinking of Pope Francis who comments that “where injustices abound and growing numbers of people are deprived of basic human rights and considered expendable” the principle of the common good is “a summons to solidarity and a preferential option for the poorest of our brothers and sisters.” (Laudato Si)………. click to continue

5. Solidarity – For the RE Department, solidarity works on two levels: 1) the responsibility of states in a more interdependent world and 2) Christ’s birth, death and resurrection as the ultimate model of solidarity for Christians. Hence the elements of the RE curriculum which support this include: Key Stage 3 every year group follows a common pattern of topics beginning with creation and covenant and ending with dialogue and encounter thus exploring the beliefs that unite us as a Catholic faith as well as the sources of our faith such as the Nicene creed. ………. click to continue

6. Dignity of Work – The Catholic Church believes that work is more than simply a way to earn money – it’s a way to participate in God’s creation. Examples of where students are exposed to this concept in the RE curriculum include: Year 8 consider the Parable of the Good Samaritan; Year 9 look at sweat shops, working conditions and pay………. click to continue

7. Care for God’s creation –Care for creation is rooted in our earliest scripture where we read in Genesis of God making the universe and all that is in it, simply by the power of His words. We also learn that God’s creation is to be valued since not only does He proclaim it to be ‘good’ but he places a responsibility of care upon us when he tells Adam and Eve,

“Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground”. Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food”. (Genesis 1:28-29)………. click to continue

Supporting learners

The department uses a range of resources and skills to support disadvantaged learners. A range of students has to learn passports that include implementation strategies to support learning. One of the strategies that assist many SEND children is the use of learning maps or task lists. Others might include glossaries of key words, adaptive worksheets, printouts of PowerPoints (for students or in the case or hearing SEND, for the LSA to notate for later use), careful and suitable seating in class, use of specific pastel colour backgrounds on PowerPoints for those with visual stress or ensuring handouts are on a specific color paper.

Assessment and Feedback

The department uses assessment and feedback astutely; at one level this occurs on a lesson-by-lesson basis and through feedback on work completed, students are told what they have done well and areas for improvement are identified. Low stake testing is common to assess where gaps in knowledge exist. Across the department there are assessment points each half term. The department has a clear understanding of the age-related expectations (What a student should master at a particular point). Assessment is used to model and adapt the curriculum so that students master sufficient knowledge and skills to make progress to the next stage. Students are aware of what they should aim to achieve by the end of the year.

High Prior Attainers are supported in RE by the range of differentiation in class, especially at GCSE where challenging texts are used from newspapers, philosophers, and theologians. Across the key stages there are opportunities in schemes of work/lessons for thinking harder tasks or use of different texts. Models of student work is often used to ensure the most effective structure and content is used.

External competitions are also a regular way for all key stages to engage in learning on a more challenging scale, such as the NATRE Spirited Arts in Key Stage 3, the Catholic Writers essay in Key Stage4/5 and other university essays in Key Stage 5.

Extra Curricular and Cultural Capital

In addition to developing cultural capital through the formal curriculum, historically we have offered various off-site opportunities for students locally, nationally, and internationally. We are gradually returning to offering a variety of extra-curricular opportunities including Year 7 Pilgrimage to Sacred Heart & St Peter the Apostle Church, Year 8 Ethics and Philosophy Day, Year 9 Relationships Day and Year 10 Residential with CYE (Christian Youth Enterprises). In addition, it is hoped that our Sixth Form students will be able to go on retreat to SPEC in Pinner. We have been supporting the school chaplaincy in the delivery of in-school mission days, encouraging students to reflect on the values they hold and the life they lead. We also include a module of RSE for all year groups in KS3, KS4, and KS5 to enable them to consider the intrinsic value of their lives and the nature of the relationships they build with those around them. In KS3 and KS4 we base this on the TenTen resources and videos recommended by our diocese.

Development of Literacy through RE

The RE department works closely with other departments to support literacy across the school this includes the fling start initiative where children are given a short period of time each day to read the literature of their choice.
The development of children’s literacy skills is complex. In RE children are given regular opportunities to develop their literacy skills as well as being taught through the subject. The RE department has a range of approaches with some of the strategies including:

Prioritising disciplinary literacy

• Using talk and debate to clarify ideas
• Use of think, pair, and share to encourage confidence in sharing ideas
• Writing in class
• Class tasks where students have to become an expert in a sub-section of a topic and teach other groups of students
• Homework tasks where students have to go home and use subject-specific language to explain a concept to their family
• Reading subject-specific content in lessons and as part of homework activities
• Development of precise and accurate written answers to demonstrate knowledge and skill
• Using the writing of other students and experts as a model to develop their own answers
• Interpreting the writing of others including staff to elucidate the most appropriate structure and content including the use of salient and succinct written supporting evidence

Giving students the ability to read complex academic texts. 

• Reading specific subject complex academic text as part of normal lessons for meaning (for example using various textbooks, especially source materials such as scripture and catechism to draw out key knowledge and supporting evidence
• Providing articles relevant to the area of study.
• Breaking down complex paragraphs so students can understand the meaning
• Summarizing
• Chunk complex material into discrete parts with describable functions.
• Help students understand the purpose and audience for academic work, both contemporary and historical

Targeted vocabulary instruction 

• Target reading text with complex vocabulary
• Ask students to explain words in a complex task or text
• Revisit complex vocabulary
• Deconstruct subject specific vocabulary before it is used
• Providing similes and metaphors to students so they can understand complex words.