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Smithdon High School

RE Department

RE at Smithdon High School aims to prepare all students for a life in a culturally diverse modern world.

Students at Smithdon will explore big questions about life, find out what people believe, and what difference this makes to how they live. It will help students make sense of religion and belief, reflecting on their own ideas and ways of living. Students are then equipped with understanding of a range of religious and non-religious worldviews.

These days, issues of religion and belief frequently top the news agenda and the RE curriculum helps students to navigate and understand them. Our curriculum encourages students growing up in a diverse society to understand the varied views and opinions of people whose beliefs and values differ from their own: promoting not just tolerance but genuine understanding and respect for other people.

RE at Smithdon provides a safe space for students to reflect on their own ideas and develop their thoughts about questions of meaning and ethics such as:

  • Why do we have rules?
  • What is truth?
  • What does right and wrong mean?
  • Why are some people very committed to their religions and others not?

Through the RE curriculum, students are equipped to handle issues in their own lives, preparing them for the workplace and adult life in modern, diverse Britain.

RE Teachers

Mrs E. Fysh – Head of Department

Mr A. Duncan - Teacher of RE

Mr Tilley - Teacher of RE

Key Stage 3 RE

 

Topic 1

Topic 2

Topic 3

Year 7

Introduction to world religions and rule systems

Rites of passage

Holy Books and festivals

Year 8

Prejudice and discrimination

Religion, War and Peace

Creation and the environment

Year 9

Religion, crime and punishment

Philosophy of religion – Does God exist?

Ethics and religion


 

GCSE RE

The department follows the AQA Religious Studies A specification which has two written exams:

  • Paper 1:

A study of world religions: Christianity and Islam (50% of the exam)

1 hour and 45 minutes exam.

  • Paper 2:

Thematic Studies (50% of the exam)

1 hour and 45 minutes exam.

The aim of the RE GCSE is to build on the skills the students have developed during Key Stage 3, such as evaluating moral arguments and understanding issues from several points of view.

The topics covered are divided into the following two categories:

  1. A study of Christianity and Islam
  2. Religious, philosophical and ethical studies

 

Year 10 Study

Topic 1

Topic 2

Topic 3

Topic 4

Christianity: Beliefs and teachings

Christianity: Practices

Islam: Beliefs and teachings

Islam: Practices

 

Year 11 topics

Topic 1

Topic 2

Topic 3

Topic 4

Theme A:

Relationships and families

Theme B:

Religion and life

Theme E: 

Religion, crime and punishment

Theme F:

Religion, human rights, and social justice

 

RE KS3 Curriculum Topics

 

 

Autumn Term 1

Autumn Term 2

Spring Term
1

Spring Term 
2

Summer Term 1

Summer Term
2

Year
7

Introduction to world religions and rule systems

Religion and rites of passage

Holy books and festivals

Year
8

Prejudice and discrimination

Religion, War and Peace

Creation and the environment

Year
9

Religion, crime and punishment

Philosophy of religion - Does God exist?

Ethics and religion

RE KS4 Curriculum Topics

 

 

Autumn
Term 1

Autumn
Term 2

Spring
Term 1

Spring
Term 2

Summer
Term 1

Summer
Term 2

Year
10

Christianity: 
Beliefs and teachings 
The Nature of God, the 
Trinity, Creation, 
the incarnation and Jesus,
the crucifixion, 
the resurrection and 
ascension.

Christianity: 
Beliefs and teachings 
Life after death, the 
afterlife and judgement,
Heaven and hell, 
Sin and salvation,
the role of Christ in 
salvation.

Christianity: 
Practices
Worship, Prayer, the 
sacraments, Baptism,
Holy Communion, 
Pilgrimage, celebrating 
festivals.

Christianity: 
Practices
The role of the Church in
the local community: Food
Banks and street Pastors,
the place of mission and 
evangelism, Church 
growth, the importance of
the worldwide Church, 
Christian persecution, the 
Church's response to 
world poverty.

Islam: 
Beliefs and teachings
The oneness of God and 
the supremacy of God's
will, key beliefs of Sunni 
and Shi'a Islam, the nature
of God, angels, 
Predestination, life after 
death, Prophethood and 
Adam, Ibrahim and 
Muhammad, the Imamate, 
Holy Books. 

Islam: 
Practices
The Five Pillars, the Ten
Obligatory Acts, 
Jihad, the festivals of 
Id ul - Fitr, Id ul - Adha and 
Ashura

Year
11

Theme B: Religion and life Origins of the universe, value of the world, use and abuse of the environment, pollution, the use and abuse of animals. The origins of human life, abortion, euthanasia, Death and the afterlife.

Theme A
Relationships and families
Human sexuality, 
Sexual relationships before
and outside marriage, 
Contraception and family
planning, marriage, 
divorce and remarriage, 
the nature and purpose
of families, gender equality.

Theme E: 
Religion,crime and 
punishment
Reasons for crime, 
attitudes to law breakers, 
different types of crime, 
Aims of punishment, 
religious attitudes to 
suffering, the 
treatment of criminals,
prison, corporal punishment, 
community service, 
forgiveness, 
religious attitudes to the 
death penalty.

Theme F: 
Religion, human rights and social justice
Social justice, prejudice and discrimination, 
religious freedom, racism, the status and role of women, 
teachings about wealth, exploitation of the poor

Revision

N/A

 

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