Key Stage 3 Religious Studies
Curriculum Overview
In Key stage 3 the foundations are laid for a thorough understanding of religion and philosophy, by examining Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism and Sikhism, as well as the work of non-religious philosophers. We learn about the some of the most important and influential figures in philosophy and religion, and how their ideas are still relevant today. Throughout the course, students are encouraged to formulate their own ideas about what they have learnt.
| |
Term 1 |
Term 2 |
Term 3 |
Term 4 |
Term 5 |
Term 6 |
| Year 7 |
Atheism to Extremism |
Forgiveness to Jesus |
Heaven to Meditation |
Prophets to Temples |
Saints to Zoroastrianism |
Independent Project |
| Year 8 |
Religious attitudes to the Environment |
Is Religion dangerous? |
World Religious Festivals |
Lent & Easter |
World Religious Pilgrimages |
Introduction to Buddhism |
| Year 9 |
Ancient Philosophy |
Medieval Philosophy |
The Renaissance and the Enlightenment |
Age of Revolutions |
Contemporary Philosophy |
Eastern Philosophy |
Year 7
Students study a course called “The A-Z of Religion and Belief”. This is a whistle-stop tour of religion in the modern world, which introduces students to key religious practices, beliefs, and figures. This is a “flipped” learning course: students complete a task after watching a video set as homework, and in the following lesson they complete a range of activities to consolidate and deepen their understanding.
Year 8
Students learn about religious beliefs and practices from the 6 major world religions whilst also learning about religious attitudes to philosophical and ethical issues such as the environment. There are also GCSE links to each subject to create foundational knowledge moving through the key stages.
Year 9
Students in year 9 study a course in the history of philosophy, from the Ancient world to the modern day. Students will learn about the great minds of the past, from Socrates to Simone de Beauvoir, and key philosophical issues such as truth, morality, and the existence of God. Students will be encourage to think about how their ideas might apply to the modern world.
Assessment
Assessment is via a mixture of short answer questions to consolidate key knowledge, and more extended writing tasks, to develop key writing skills.
Further Reading/Resources
– BBC A-Z Religion and Belief: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/3lKZp31jBVJ2v3C2h1V03kz/a-to-z-of-religion-and-beliefs
– BBC Bitesize: https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/zh3rkqt
– The Philosophy Foundation Key Stage 3 Philosophy: https://www.philosophy-foundation.org/enquiries/age:39
– Calendar of Religious Festivals: http://shapcalendar.org.uk//calendar.html
