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Religion and Worldviews
In Religion and Worldviews we explore the big questions about life, ourselves and the world around us.
Our curriculum intent:
The purpose of Religious Studies at Mossley Hollins High School is to equip our students to handle life decisions with honesty, integrity and sensitivity. We aim to build cultural capital through our ambitious curriculum which engages pupils in systematic enquiry into significant human questions which religions and other worldviews address. Religion and Worldviews promotes the spiritual, moral, social, cultural and mental development of our students and provides students with an opportunity to develop the understanding and skills needed to appreciate and appraise varied responses to significant questions whilst reflecting on their own beliefs and values and how they affect their own behaviour and aspirations. In lessons, we explore contemporary issues to keep it relevant to young minds whilst maintaining the traditional values of a variety of worldviews. We challenge pupils to consider, analyse, interpret and evaluate issues of truth, belief, faith and ethics. Students are able to gain an understanding of the worldwide and local community from a religious, philosophical and ethical perspective throughout each key stage.
Key Stage 3
At Key Stage 3, all students participate in Religion and Worldviews (RW) lessons twice per fortnight. These follow the Manchester, Stockport, Salford, Tameside and Trafford Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education and focus on key themes of religion, ethics and philosophy. These lessons are intrinsically linked to the Life Skills curriculum (health education, relationships and sex education, citizenship, and living in the wider world) in order to further student’s understanding of the world around them and their own place within it.
| Study Topic | Knowledge and skills | Assessment | How to support your child |
| Judaism | An enquiry based approach to understand what it means to be Jewish today. Students will explore the Torah as a means of providing moral code for Jews and link this with their own ideas of morality. The will investigate the social requirements of Judaism, including celebrations and festivals as well as the duty of Jews to provide for the less fortunate. Students will have the opportunity to make links between their own social obligations and those of the Jewish community. The overarching question for the topic is, “What difference does it make to believe in Judaism?” | Students will be formally assessed in their whole school T1 as well as in two assessed pieces through the unit. | Discuss their learning at home and make links to the beliefs and values you hold as a family. |
| Atheism | A introduction to non-religious worldviews where students will explore the question “What difference does it make to be atheist or agnostic in Britain today”. Students will investigate what it means to be atheist or agnostic today and will examine the changing religious landscape of Britain. They will consider what a non-religious community may look like and will look at how we measure what is true. They will study Humanism as a non-religious organisation, investigating their shared values and their attitudes towards some ethical issues. | Students will be assessed in two extended pieces of writing as part of the unit of work and in their T2, later in the year. | Discuss their learning at home and make links to the beliefs and values you hold as a family |
| Buddhism | Our second religion-centred topic focusses on the question, “What difference does it make to believe in Buddhism?” Students will explore the history of Buddhism as one of the oldest world religions. They will investigate the concepts of impermanence and the self. Students are encouraged to consider the Buddhist perspective on the state of the world and the solutions for ending suffering. They will experience meditation, a Buddhist practice, which aims to improve concentration and awareness – a skill that students can utilise throughout their lives. | Students will be assessed on their understanding of this unit, and other units studied this year, in their end of year exam (E1) | Discuss their learning at home and make links to the beliefs and values you hold as a family. Arrange a visit to the Buddhist centre in Manchester on your next trip into the city centre https://manchesterbuddhistcentre.org.uk/ Vist https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/zh4mrj6/articles/zdbvjhv for information on central Buddhist beliefs. |
| Spirituality | Our final unit of the year will focus on what it means to be spiritual and how religious and non-religious people express themselves through music, art and writing. We will focus specifically on how the Jewish and Buddhist communities express their faith. Students will be given the opportunity to create an entry for the nationwide ‘Spirited Arts’ competition run by NATRE. | Students will be assessed based on their competition entry which will include a piece of creative work and a supporting written piece. | Visit the following website for the criteria of the competition and examples of previous entries. https://www.natre.org.uk/about-natre/projects/spirited-arts/spirited-arts-2020/ When listening to music, or reading together, discuss what the artist is trying to express and how they do this. |
| Study Topic | Knowledge and skills | Assessment | How to support your child |
| Sikhism | An enquiry based approach to understand what it means to be Sikh today. Students will explore fundamental aspects of the Sikh religion including their place of worship, holy book and beliefs about God. They will investigate the practice of sewa, selfless service to others and the impact this could have on society if everyone undertook it. The overarching question for the topic is, “What difference does it make to believe in Sikhism?” | Students will be formally assessed in their whole school T1. | Discuss their learning at home and make links to the beliefs and values you hold as a family. Arrange to support your child in undertaking some voluntary work, which reflects the Sikh practice of sewa. |
| Suffering | An ethical investigation based around the questions, “Why is there suffering and are there any good solutions?” This unit will explore different types and causes of suffering in the modern world. Students will investigate religious teachings about the origins of evil and suffering and its purpose. They will also gain an understanding of how religious and non-religious people respond to suffering and the reasoning behind their responses. | Students will be assessed in two extended pieces of writing as part of the unit of work and in their T2, later in the year. | Watch the news regularly and discuss the causes, nature and impact of suffering in the modern world. Identify where possible the responses of organisations and individuals to a variety of suffering. |
| Islam | Our second religion-centred topic focusses on the question, “What difference does it make to believe in Islam?” Students will investigate key aspects of Islam, including fundamental beliefs about God and prophets. Students will explore Muslim practices such as prayer, fasting, and the daily struggle to live as a good Muslim. | They will be assessed on their understanding of this unit in their E1. | Discuss their learning at home and make links to the beliefs and values you hold as a family. |
| Religion and Drugs | Students will gain an understanding of the legal status and classification of a wide range of drugs. They will understand the effects of different intoxicants and the harms that these can do to both physical and mental health. Students will explore the reasons why people choose to take drugs, including social and legal drugs such as alcohol and tobacco. They will gain an understanding of the impact of addiction on the individual and their relatives/friends. Students will investigate religious and non-religious attitudes, beliefs and teachings on these drugs and will gain an understanding of the Rastafari view on cannabis in worship. | Students will be assessed throughout the unit with discussion pieces and extended writing. | Visit reputable websites such as www.talktofrank.com for honest and informative explanations of the classification, effects and appearance of a wide range of drugs. Look out for documentaries relating to the impact of addiction or drug-taking, smoking or drinking alcohol. Talk to your child about the difference between consuming alcohol in moderation and binge-drinking or alcoholism. Watch the news for changes in legislation and the impact of drug use. |
| Study Topic | Knowledge and skills | Assessment | How to support your child |
| Peace and Conflict | The first unit in Year 9 is a combination of Philosophy and Ethics. Students will explore the concept of non-violence in relation to important historical figures such as Martin Luther King and Gandhi. Students will explore religious organisations work for those caught up in conflict as well as gaining an understanding of methods of protest against injustices, considering the link between religious groups and social justice. Conversely, students will also gain an understanding of religiously motivated conflict throughout history and in the modern world. Students will investigate acts of terrorism justified by extremist religious groups and will investigate religious, philosophical and ethical issues relating to war. The aim of the unit is to be able to critically evaluate the question, “Is religion a cause for peace or conflict in the world?” | Students will be assessed throughout the unit with discussion pieces and extended writing. They will also be assessed on this as part of their T1. | Watch the news regularly and make links to religion, peace and conflict. This should be religious motivation and response to conflict so that they are gaining a broad understanding of the world around them. |
| Christianity | Our first religion-centred topic of Year 9 focusses on the question, “What difference does it make to believe in Christianity?” Students will investigate key aspects of Christianity, including fundamental beliefs about Jesus as the messiah. Students will explore the Christian festival of Christmas, gaining an understanding of how modern Christians prepare for this important time and will conduct an investigation into how the human rights of some Christians across the world have been impacted at Christmastime. | Students will be assessed in two extended pieces of writing as part of the unit of work and in their T2, later in the year. | Visit a local church or a place of Christian significance. Talk to your child about the Christian celebration of Christmas and look out for as many Christian-related elements of the festive season as possible Watch the film, ‘The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe’ and look for parallels between the story of Aslan and the story of Jesus |
| Death | This unit poses the question ‘Is death the end and does it matter?’ and asks students to investigate worldviews on the concept of the soul, life after death and funerals. Students will explore beliefs about life after death in a variety of religious and non-religious traditions. They will gain an understanding of the content and significance of funeral rites in religious and non-religious celebrations, including Christian, Muslim and Humanist funerals. Students will be given the opportunity to debate whether a belief in life after death is important, or whether life before death is more significant in the modern world. | Discuss the concept of death with your child, considering what they believe will happen after death as well as what you and your family believe and why. Watch series one of ‘The Good Place’ on Netflix (parental guidance advised) and discuss how this links with your child’s learning in school. Does it fit with beliefs from home? Does it link closely with any religious belief your child has learnt about? Does it prompt any thought about the afterlife and this life? At this point, you could purchase a revision guide which will support your child through the GCSE topics they are about to begin. Revision guides are available via school, contact Mrs R Harrison for more information. | |
| Relationships and the family | Students will explore the varying types of family in modern Britain and will investigate what ‘family’ means today. They will gain an understanding of the characteristics of positive, long term relationships and their role in human happiness and bringing up children. Students will investigate religious attitudes, beliefs and teachings on the role of the family, marriage, and sexual relationships. | Students will be assessed formally as part of their end of year assessment (E1). | Watch ‘Modern Family’ on Netflix or Now TV to gain a further understanding of the variety of family types learnt about in lesson. Discuss your own family and the roles and responsibilities of people within it with your child. |
Key Stage 4
At Key Stage 4, students are able to opt to study towards a GCSE qualification in Religious Studies.. Those who do not opt for GCSE RS will continue their study of Religion and Worldviews once per half term as part of their English lessons in Year 10 and in a collapsed timetable day in Year 11.
The GCSE qualification is assessed in three papers, outlined below:
Paper 1: Religious, Philosophical and Ethical Issues in the Modern World (50%)
- Issues of Relationships including topics such as the family, marriage, homosexuality and gender equality
- Issues of Life and Death including topics such as the origins of the universe, abortion, euthanasia and funerals
- Issues of Good and Evil including topics such as the aims of punishment, the death penalty, evil and suffering
- Issues of Human Rights including topics such as campaigns for social justice, discrimination, censorship and wealth and poverty
Paper 2: A Study of Christianity (25%)
- Section One: Beliefs and Teachings such as the qualities of God, the creation of the universe, the life of Jesus, sin, salvation and grace
- Section Two: Practices such as prayer and worship, festivals, pilgrimages, Christianity in Britain and the worldwide Church.
Paper 3: A Study of Islam (25%)
- Section One: Beliefs and Teachings such as the nature of Allah, prophethood, angels, the afterlife, and the foundations of faith
- Section Two: Practices such as the Five Pillars of Sunni Islam, the Ten Obligatory Acts of Shi’a Islam, Jihad, Festivals and commemorations.
For GCSE specifications at KS4 students will be following the EDUQAS GCSE Religious Studies 9-1 specification. A revision guide is available for purchase from school.
For more details visit: http://www.eduqas.co.uk/qualifications/religious-studies/gcse/ or contact Mrs R Harrison at school.
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EDUQAS GCSE Religious Studies 9-1 specification
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