Religious Studies
Religious Studies at Davenant is truly unique compared to what other schools may offer.
Our vision is that students will have an awareness and appreciation of all world faiths and none, together with what they can offer but at the same time a firm grounding in the history and beliefs of Christianity, which is central to the school’s ecumenical status.
Approximately 60% of our curriculum at Key Stage 3 is focussed around Christianity, at Key Stage 4 we choose to follow the specification from AQA, which dictates a 50/50 split between two major world faiths. We choose Christianity and Islam. Details for Key Stage 5 can be found below.
“I have really enjoyed learning about all the world’s faiths; however, it has also been interesting learning more in depth knowledge about Christianity and church history”
KEY STAGE 3
The topics listed below are taught during years 7 and 8. In order to give a flavour of content, below each topic is a list of possible homeworks which might be set for each module:
Year 7 |
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Half term 1 - Belonging
Half term 2 - Aspects of God
Half term 3 - Matriarchs and Patriarchs
Half term 4 - Judaism
Half term 5 - Greek Gods
Half term 6 - Hinduism
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Year 8 |
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Term 1 -Buddhism
Term 2 - Sikhism
Term 3 - Passion to Pentecost
Term 4 - Christ to the Crusades
Term 5 - Denominations
Term 6 - Islam
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KEY STAGE 4
From Sept 2017 onwards all students starting year 9 will follow the AQA GCSE Full Course for Religious Studies. Details of the topics are found below.
The course is assessed by two 1h45 minute exam at the end of year 10.
Year 9 |
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Unit 1… 3.2.1 Theme A: Relationships and families Students should study religious teachings, and religious, philosophical and ethical arguments, relating to the issues that follow, and their impact and influence in the modern world. They should be aware of contrasting perspectives in contemporary British society on all of these issues. They must be able to explain contrasting beliefs on the following three issues with reference to the main religious tradition in Britain (Christianity) and one or more other religious traditions: •• Contraception. •• Sexual relationships before marriage. •• Homosexual relationships 3.2.1.1 Sex, marriage and divorce •• Human sexuality including: heterosexual and homosexual relationships. •• Sexual relationships before and outside of marriage. •• Contraception and family planning. •• The nature and purpose of marriage. •• Same-sex marriage and cohabitation. •• Divorce, including reasons for divorce, and remarrying. •• Ethical arguments related to divorce, including those based on the sanctity of marriage vows and compassion. 3.2.1.2 Families and gender equality •• The nature of families, including: •• the role of parents and children •• extended families and the nuclear family. •• The purpose of families, including: •• procreation •• stability and the protection of children •• educating children in a faith. •• Contemporary family issues including: •• same-sex parents •• polygamy. •• The roles of men and women. •• Gender equality. •• Gender prejudice and discrimination, including examples. Unit 2… 3.2.2 Theme B: Religion, peace and conflict Students should study religious teachings, and religious, philosophical and ethical arguments, relating to the issues that follow, and their impact and influence in the modern world. They should be aware of contrasting perspectives in contemporary British society on all of these issues. On the following three issues they must be able to explain a belief from the main religious tradition in Britain (Christianity) and one or more other religious traditions: •• Violence. •• Weapons of mass destruction. •• Pacifism 3.2.2.1 Religion, violence, terrorism and war •• The meaning and significance of: •• peace •• justice •• forgiveness •• reconciliation. •• Violence, including violent protest. •• Terrorism. •• Reasons for war, including greed, self-defence and retaliation. •• The just war theory, including the criteria for a just war. •• Holy war. •• Pacifism. 3.2.2.2 Religion and belief in 21st century conflict •• Religion and belief as a cause of war and violence in the contemporary world. •• Nuclear weapons, including nuclear deterrence. •• The use of weapons of mass destruction. •• Religion and peace-making in the contemporary world including the work of individuals influenced by religious teaching. •• Religious responses to the victims of war including the work of one present day religious organisation. |
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YEAR 10 | ||
3.1.1 Christianity Students should be aware that Christianity is one of the diverse religious traditions and beliefs in Great Britain today and that the main religious tradition in Great Britain is Christianity. This knowledge may be applied throughout the assessment of the specified content. Students should study the beliefs and teachings of Christianity specified below and their basis in Christian sources of wisdom and authority. They should be able to refer to scripture and/or sacred texts where appropriate. Some texts are prescribed for study in the content set out below and questions may be set on them. Students may refer to any relevant text in their answers and AQA will publish a list of appropriate texts as part of the supporting material for this specification. These additional texts will not be required for study, alternatives may be used, and questions will not be set on them. Students should study the influence of the beliefs and teachings studied on individuals, communities and societies. Common and divergent views within Christianity in the way beliefs and teachings are understood and expressed should be included throughout. Students may refer to a range of different Christian perspectives in their answers including Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant. They must study the specific differences identified below. 3.1.1.1 Key beliefs •• God as omnipotent, loving and just, and the problem of evil and suffering •• the oneness of God and the Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. •• Different Christian beliefs about creation including the role of Word and Spirit (John 1:1–3 and Genesis 1:1–3). •• Different Christian beliefs about the afterlife and their importance, including: resurrection and life after death; judgement, heaven and hell. 3.1.1.2 Jesus Christ & salvation •• Beliefs and teachings about: •• the incarnation and Jesus as the Son of God •• the crucifixion, resurrection and ascension •• sin, including original sin •• the means of salvation, including law, grace and Spirit •• the role of Christ in salvation including the idea of atonement. 3.1.2 Islam Students should be aware that Islam is one of the diverse religious traditions and beliefs in Great Britain today and that the main religious tradition in Great Britain is Christianity. This knowledge may be applied throughout the assessment of the specified content. Students should study the beliefs and teachings of Islam specified below and their basis in Islamic sources of wisdom and authority. They should be able to refer to scripture and other writings where appropriate. Some texts are prescribed for study in the content set out below and questions may be set on them. Students may refer to any relevant text in their answers and AQA will publish a list of appropriate texts as part of the supporting material for this specification. These additional texts will not be required for study, alternatives may be used, and questions will not be set on them. Students should study the influence of the beliefs and teachings studied on individuals, communities and societies. Common and divergent views within Islam in the way beliefs and teachings are understood and expressed should be included throughout. Students may refer to a range of different Muslim perspectives in their answers, including those from Sunni and Shi’a Islam. They must study the specific differences identified below. 3.1.2.1 Key beliefs •• The six articles of faith in Sunni Islam and five roots of ‘Usul ad-Din in Shi’a Islam, including key similarities and differences. •• The Oneness of God (Tawhid), Qur’an Surah 112. •• The nature of God: omnipotence, beneficence, mercy, fairness and justice (Adalat in Shi’a Islam), including different ideas about God’s relationship with the world: immanence and transcendence. •• Angels, their nature and role, including Jibril and Mika’il. •• Predestination and human freedom and its relationship to the Day of Judgement. •• Life after death (Akhirah), human responsibility and accountability, resurrection, heaven and hell. 3.1.2.2 Authority •• Prophethood (Risalah) including the role and importance of Adam, Ibrahim and Muhammad. •• The holy books: •• Qur’an: revelation and authority •• the Torah, the Psalms, the Gospel, the Scrolls of Abraham and their authority. •• The imamate in Shi’a Islam: its role and significance. |
http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/religious-studies/gcse/religious-studies-a-8062
A LEVEL
Students studying the subject at A Level follow the OCR Spec. During the course the following topics are covered.
Year 12 |
Year 13 |
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For A Level Religious Studies, students follow the specification from OCR. The title of the course is ‘Christianity, Philosophy and Ethics’. (Many other schools and colleges will refer to this only as Philosophy and Ethics A Level; this is misleading. If this is the way it is presented in a post 16 prospectus you should be aware that the wording on the A Level Certificate will say ‘Religious Studies’. There is no such A Level course offered by any exam board simply called Philosophy and Ethics and as of September 2016, all Religious Studies courses have to contain the study of theology from at least one major world faith.) Over the duration of the course students complete units; The Philosophy of Religion
Varying Religious and Non-Religious Approaches to Ethical Theories
Development of Christian Thought
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The course is assessed at the end of Year 2 in three, 2-hour exams. Each exam relates to one of the units above and in each paper, students are required to write three 40-minute essays. |
For more detailed information about the course content and assessment requirements, please refer to the examination board website.