Course Overview
Religion plays an important role in our society and can influence what people think, feel, and believe. Through studying Religious Studies, students get a broad look at how religion and spirituality form the basis of our culture.
Religious Studies also helps students develop marketable skills and aptitudes including:
- analytical and strategic thinking;
- research skills;
- critical judgement;
- the ability to work with abstract, conceptual ideas;
- an ability to 'understand both sides' and negotiate and resolve conflict;
- problem-solving skills;
- leadership skills;
- understanding of the impact of conflicting ideologies; and
- an appreciation of human diversity, belief systems, cultural and spiritual experiences.
These skills are particularly useful for future careers in law, education, social work, politics, medicine, administration or the media.
The schemes of work at Light Hall School approaches Religious Education from a multi-faith perspective and we pride ourselves on actively involving all pupils of any, or no, religious background in the lessons. We encourage students at Light Hall to be open to new ideas, to share their own views and to be respectful of all religions.
FAQs
What are the aims of the course?
All students in year 9 will begin this course in the Summer Term of this year, while still in Year 9. This is to enable us to teach the full GCSE to the students rather than entering them for a short course (half) GCSE only. This course leads to a full GCSE qualification. However the topics covered are of vital importance to students as they prepare for a full and active role as an adult in modern society. Therefore it aims not only to give students a good academic qualification but also to help develop their thinking as more mature young people.
What topics will I study?
Unit 3 (Year 9 and 10) –
- Matters of Life (e.g. scientific methods of helping childless couples, cloning, transplant surgery etc.)
- Matters of Death (e.g. euthanasia)
- Drug Abuse
- Crime and Punishment
- Rich and Poor in Society
Unit 2 (Year 11) -
- Animal Rights
- Planet Earth
- Prejudice and Discrimination
- Abortion
Each topic studied focuses on Christian and Muslim responses.
What skills will I develop?
Students from any or no religious background are equally valued. The course is particularly attractive to students with inquiring minds who enjoy listening to alternative points of view, discussing these orally and on the written page and who want to show their own beliefs and thoughts through clear and informed conclusions.
What examination will I take?
AQA Religious Studies Syllabus B, Units 2 and 3.
What is involved with the examination?
This is a modular course. It offers the advantage of giving students experience of a GCSE examination towards the end of Year 10 (May/June - Unit 3) with Unit 2 being taught and examined in Year 11.
What coursework will I have to complete?
There is no coursework requirement for this course
What independent study will I have to undertake?
Throughout the course the highest grades are kept for students who show evidence of extra research. This may involve using books, the Internet, newspapers/magazines and other sources of information such as seeking the views and reactions of friends and family
What career opportunities could the course help to give me?
A Religious Studies qualification is widely recognized as particularly useful for careers working with people from different backgrounds e.g. journalism, law enforcement, legal professions, medicine and health care professions, the armed services, and retail work.
Year 7 Overview
In year 7, all students follow our Skills Curriculum programme (hyperlink to Skills Curriculum page please) which features various Religious Education elements, including:
- The Life of Jesus
- The Life of Martin Luther King
- Equality, Justice and Fairtrade
- Hinduism in Birmingham today
- different ways.
KS3
Through year 8 and partly into year 9, students follow a dedicated scheme of Religious Education topics:
Does God Exist?
- What do different people believe about God?
- Why do some people believe in God?
- Why do some people not believe God exists?
- Why do some people think we can never know if God exists or not?
- How have famous thinkers (such as William Paley and St Aquinas) claimed to prove that God exists?
- How was our world created?
- What are the arguments in the debate between religion and science?
- Festivals
- What are the important events in history (and our own lives) that we wish to celebrate?
- Why do we celebrate important events and in what way?
- How does the Jewish festival of Pesach reflect the story of the Israelites in Egypt?
- What does the Sikh festival of Vaisakhi teach us about the Sikh faith?
- How do the events of Easter remind Christians of the last days of Jesus Christ?
The Five Pillars of Islam
- How has Islam contributed to world culture?
- What are the five pillars of Islam?
- How do Muslims view God?
- How is the mosque and prayer a reflection of Islamic beliefs?
- Should we pay a tax to help people in need?
- How does fasting help us think about others?
- What is pilgrimage and why is it so important?
Suffering
- What is suffering?
- Is there a purpose to suffering?
- Does money make us happy?
- What does the story of the Buddha teach us about the origin of suffering and how to deal with it?
- What does the story of Adam and Eve tell us about the cause of suffering?
- How does the story of Job teach us to respond to suffering?
- Why might the existence of suffering prove that God does not exist?
GCSE - Life and Morality
Starting in year 9, and continuing through years 10 and 11, all students take a full-course GCSE in Life and Morality. This GCSE looks at important moral and social issues that affect us all. In this GCSE, students study a number of topics, engage with the key facts, discuss their views and the views of others and consider how two world religions (Christianity and Islam) have responded to these issues.
Some of the questions we look at in this exciting course are:
- Should murderers be executed for their crimes?
- Is it wrong to eat meat?
- Should some drugs, such as cannabis, be legalised?
- What should we do to help the homeless? Should we do anything?
- Is it our responsibility to do something about global warming?
- Should people with serious illnesses be allowed to ask doctors to end their lives?
- Is abortion a form of murder?
- Is it right to create human embryos in a laboratory and experiment on them?
- How do we know when it is right and when it is wrong to get involved in a foreign war?
This GCSE follows the AQA Specification B and students will be doing topics 2 and 3. The full specification can be found here:
http://web.aqa.org.uk/qual/newgcses/his_rel/new/rel_studies_b_overview.php?id=10&prev=10
The Religious Education Staff
Mrs H Pickin
Head Of Department
Mr I. Grant
Teacher of Religious Studies
Miss U. Hussain
Teacher of Religious Studies
Miss H. Begum
Teacher of Religious Studies
Resources
Y7 Useful resources
Jesus of Nazareth - M.Keene
Jesus - Hunt
Christianity - A.Jordan.
Christians - G. Robson.
Worship. Rites of Passage - C Colinson.
Steps in Religious Education 1 - M.Keene.
Steps in Religious Education 3 - M Keene.
Prejudice and Discrimination - P.Moss.
Free at last - R. Owen.
Christian Aid - Roger Owen.
Contemporary Moral Issues - Jenkins.
Y7 Useful websites
Lourdes.com
Catholic.org
Sacred sites.com
Tearf und.org
Christian Aid.co.uk
Catholic net.com
Y8 Useful resources:
Looking for God - Robert Kirkwood
Steps in Religious Education 1 - M Keene
Meeting Hinduism -W.Owen Cole
Hinduism - Wayne & Everington.
Y8 Useful websites
Hindunet
Budhism
Adam and Eve
Passower
BBC - Schools/Religion
Baisakhi-birth of the Khalsa.
Indian festivals
Geetabhavan.co.uk
Hinduism
Y9 Useful resources:
Chad Varah and the Samaritans - Faith In Action
Contemporary Moral Issues - Jenkins
Bible - New International Version
Interpreting Religions Islam - Mercier
Islam in Words and Pictures - Thorley
Religious Buildings and Festivals - Bailey
Worship, Rites of Passage - Bailey
Islam - Ruqaiyyah, Waris, Maqsood
Steps In Religious Education 1 - Keene
Contemporary Moral Issues - Jenkins
Ethics and Religion - Rankin, Brown, Gateshill
One World Many Issues - Williams
Y9 Useful Websites
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