Religious Education

Religious Education affords pupils the opportunity to develop both their knowledge and understanding of foundational beliefs held within Christian and Jewish religions and develop an understanding of non-religious perspectives.  Pupils are able to study in depth these beliefs and their influence, and evaluate the meaningfulness of them in the world they live in today. 

What does the course involve?

At GCSE, pupils will study three components; Foundational Catholic Theology, Applied Catholic Theology and Judaism.  This is done through the study of scripture, sources of authority, philosophy, ethical debate, interpretation of art and reflection on beliefs and practices in both Catholicism and Judaism.  The course will ask challenging questions about life and death, good and evil, the origins of religious belief and the world.   

What skills will I develop?

The skills that pupils will develop include being able to analyse critically complex arguments, reading and note taking, essay writing and presentation, evaluating the nature of human existence and thinking about what motivates people.  The key skill that Religious Education encourages is that of thinking for yourself and being able to make your own justified decisions having considered different viewpoints.  Pupils should be prepared to be challenged!

How will I learn?

You will learn through a variety of activities which include reading, discussion, group work, interpretation of art and essay writing guided by the teacher.  There is also a strong emphasis on independent learning. 

How will I be assessed?

Assessment involves three exams at the end of Key Stage 4 testing skills of knowledge, understanding, evaluation and analysis based on the content covered in the course. 

What could a qualification lead to?

Religious Education is both a practically useful subject and one which encourages you to examine and develop your ideas about what life is all about.  Practically, Religious Education leads to a range of career opportunities, mainly people-orientated; all employers accept the GCSE in Religious Education as a qualification – the police, retail organisations and the Civil Service to mention a few.  It also provides a good basis for Medicine and Law and for pupils studying Arts degrees.