Our approach
Subject Leader
Curriculum Overview
Year 7
Year 8
Year 9
Year 10
Year 11
Year 12
Year 13

Our approach

The substantive content of the curriculum is grounded in what is known about religion and non-religion from academic study. The seven year curriculum journey is interweaved with five golden threads of understanding which grow and augment over time, they are: History, Beliefs, Practices, Philosophy and Ethics. Pupils begin their RE journey with a detailed study of the Bible, this provides pupils with a foundation on which to grasp Jewish, Christian and Islamic beliefs.

The six major world religions (Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam), and significant debates in the disciplines of philosophy of religion and ethics are explored. When studying each religion, pupils examine how the religion started, spread and split. The key ideas and core beliefs of the religion are tied into this narrative. Pupils then consider the ways in which each religion is practised, and the debates within and about the religion in the modern world. Within each religion, there is a focus on internal diversity to illustrate the contested nature of ideas and variety of expression within religions.   

Exam Boards
GCSE: Edexcel
A Level: WJEC

Subject Leader

Ms Harriet Mawdsley

harriet.mawdsley@arkstalbans.org

Curriculum Overview

Year 7

Autumn 1 Autumn 2
What does the Old Testament teach us about the relationship between God and humanity?  What does the Old Testament teach us about the relationship between God and humanity? 
Spring 1 Spring 2
What does the history and the traditions of Judaism teach us about what it means to be Jewish?  What does the history and the traditions of Judaism teach us about what it means to be Jewish? 
Summer 1 Summer 2
Who was Jesus?  Who was Jesus? 

All Year 7 subjects Next Year 7 Subject - Art

 

Year 8

Autumn 1 Autumn 2
How did Christianity start, spread and split?  What are the main issues raised by the interaction of Christianity and the modern world? 
Spring 1 Spring 2
How did Islam start, spread and split? What are the main issues raised by the interaction of Islam and the modern world?
Summer 1 Summer 2
What does it mean to be Hindu?  What are the main issues raised by the interaction of Hinduism and the modern world? 

All Year 8 subjects Next Year 8 Subject - Art

Year 9

Autumn 1 Autumn 2
How did Buddhism start and spread?  How is Buddhism practised? 
Spring 1 Spring 2
How did Sikhism start and spread?  How is Sikhism practised?
Summer 1 Summer 2
Does God exist?  How do we know what is right and wrong? 

All Year 9 subjects Next Year 9 Subject - Art

 

Year 10

Autumn 1 Autumn 2
How do Muslims live an Islamic life?   What do Muslims believe?
Spring 1 Spring 2
What do Christians believe? What do Christians believe?
Summer 1 Summer 2
How do Christians live a Christian life? What do Christians believe about Marriage and the Family?

All Year 10 subjects Next Year 10 Subject - Art

Year 11

Autumn 1 Autumn 2
What do Christians believe about Life and Death? What are the main philosophical ideas evidenced in the Qur'an?
Spring 1 Spring 2
What do Muslims believe about equality? Revision
Summer 1 Summer 2
   

All Year 11 subjects Next Year 11 Subject - Art

Year 12

Autumn 1 Autumn 2

Islam 
How did Islam start and spread? 

What is the nature, purpose, use and treatment of the Quran? 

What are the key religious beliefs of Islam? 

Ethics 
Which Christian based theories inform ethical decision making?

Islam 
What are the key religious practices of Islam?

How do the masjid, Ashura, Ramadan and Eid shape the religious identity of Muslims? 

Ethics 
What do Christians believe about the purpose and reason for the existence of evil?
Spring 1 Spring 2

Islam 
What are the beliefs and practices distinctive of Shi’a and Sufi Islam? 

What do Muslims believe about crime and punishment? 

Ethics
How does Situation Ethics inform Christian morality?

Philosophy
What do Christians believe about the cause of the universe? 

Ethics
How does Utilitarianism inform Christian morality? 
Summer 1 Summer 2

Philosophy
What do Christians believe about the purpose of and reason for the existence of evil?

Ethics
To what extent is morality a part of human nature?

Philosophy 
What is religious language? Does religious language have meaning? 
   

All Year 12 subjects Next Year 12 Subject - Art

Year 13

Autumn 1 Autumn 2

Islam
What are the sources of Shariah and how is it used by Muslims? 

What is jihad and how is it used by Muslims? 

How was Medina the first Islamic state and how does this influence the governance of Muslim countries today? 

Ethics
How do developments of Natural Law shape our understanding of morality? 

Islam 
What issues arise when Islam interacts with the modern world? With reference to Scientific views about the origins of the Universe, Pluralism, Family and Migration. 

What are Western perceptions of Islam? 

Ethics
Ethics Theme 4
Spring 1 Spring 2

Philosophy 
How does Freud argue religion is a product of the human mind? 

  
Summer 1 Summer 2
   

All Year 13 subjects Next Year 13 Subject - Art