Religious Studies
Whether you consider yourself a religious person or not, or whether you think religion has played a positive or negative role in history, it is clear that religion and belief have had an impact on almost every aspect of society.
Religious Studies is an important subject and we are proud that at The Coopers’ Company and Coborn School it is taught by subject specialists. In lessons, students not only examine the beliefs and practices of major world religions but they are also encouraged to grapple with thought-provoking and challenging questions about the meaning and purpose of life, beliefs about God, issues of morality and what it means to be human. Students learn about and from religions and worldviews in local, national and global contexts, to discover, explore and consider different answers to these questions. With the knowledge and skills gained through taking part in Religious Studies, students are enabled to develop their own ideas, values and identities.
A real strength of our department lies in the regular and systematic developing of dialogue skills, which is further encouraged through embedding P4C lessons within the KS3 curriculum, so our students can participate positively and respectfully in our diverse society. We aim to develop students capable of articulating clearly and coherently their personal beliefs, ideas, values and experiences, while respecting the right of others to differ.
Course description / What will you learn about?
What will students learn in KS3?
Students have Religious Studies two hours per fortnight. The content studied within KS3 is designed to promote students’ curiosity, skills of analysis and develop a deeper understanding of the world that we live in. The content studied and skills gained at KS3 will provide a strong platform for students learning at GCSE.
Year 7:
- Old Testament
- Judaism
- Hinduism
Year 8:
- Islam
- New Testament
Year 9:
- Buddhism
- Philosophy of Religion
- Holocaust
What will students learn in KS4?
KS4 follow AQA Religious Studies (Specification A). Students study in Year 10, Christianity and Islam. They will examine key beliefs within those religions such as the nature of God, creation and life after death. Students will also learn about key practises within these religions such as worship and their role within the community. In Year 11 students apply their knowledge of Christianity and Islam to four contemporary ethical themes: Peace and conflict, Religion and life, The existence of God and revelation and Crime and punishment.
This GCSE course is 100% exam based and is assessed in two papers:
- Christian beliefs and practice and Islam beliefs and practices (1 hour 45 minutes exam)
- Thematic studies (1 hour 45 minutes exam)
For further information regarding this GCSE course please visit the AQA website below:
https://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/religious-studies/gcse/religious-studies-a-8062
To be successful in this subject students will need to be good at and enjoy:
Understanding, interpretation and evaluation of texts, sources of wisdom and authority and other evidence is key to being successful in Religious Studies. Furthermore, students will need to be able to use and apply the skills of analysis, creativity and evaluation to the content taught.
Progression routes & career opportunities
Employers recognise the valuable and transferable skills that come with studying Religious Studies. Additionally, UCAS states that…
“Knowledge of other cultures and world religious beliefs can be useful in many jobs where you are working with the public or communities. These include counselling and social services, marketing, sales and advertising, catering and hospitality, leisure, sport and tourism, retail sales and customer services, education and training, medicine and nursing, and service sector roles.”
How is the course divided?
Philosophy of Religion – 2 hour written paper – (33.3% of A level)
Ancient philosophical influences, the nature of the soul, mind and body, arguments about the existence or non-existence of God, the nature and impact of religious experience, the challenge for religious belief of the problem of evil, ideas about the nature of God and issues in religious language.
Religion and Ethics – 2 hour written paper – (33.3% of A level)
Ethical theories such as Utilitarianism, Situation Ethics, Kantian Ethics and Natural Moral Law theory. The application of these ethical theories to two contemporary issues (business ethics and euthanasia), ethical language and thought, debates surrounding the conscience and sexual ethics.
Developments in Christian thought – 2 hour written paper – (33.3% of A level)
Christian beliefs, values and teachings, their interconnections and how they vary historically and n the contemporary world, sources of Christian wisdom and authority, practices which shape and express Christian identity and how these vary within a tradition and significant social and historical developments in theology and religious thought.
Textbook
Ahluwalia and Bowie (2016) Oxford A Level Religious Studies for OCR AS and Year 1 Christianity, Philosophy and Ethics (Oxford)
Further Information
For further information on the OCR specification, please visit the website below:
http://www.ocr.org.uk/Images/242913-specification-accredited-a-level-gce-religious-studies-h573.pdf