Welcome to Religious Studies

At Ark Alexandra Academy, every pupil is a student of religion and worldviews. We want children to think about their values and worldview and not just do this in Religious Studies.

Why do we learn Religious Education?
Christian Distinctiveness
Head of Department
Our approach
Secondary
Year 7
Year 8
Year 9
Studying Religious Education at GCSE
Year 10
Sixth Form
Year 12
Year 13

Why do we learn Religious Studies?

 Students become religiously literate and engage in the Big Questions. Students will know how and why religious beliefs, practices, texts and customs inform a believer’s actions and responses to the world.   

 Students consider their own values and how this is or is not influenced by societal values, religious beliefs. They demonstrate respect of living in a multicultural society and worldviews. This is done through learning about all the 6 main religions and the perspective of non-religious world views.   

Thinking religiously means:    

  • Understanding how beliefs, cultures and customs affects actions, ideas and behaviours. 
  • Explore difference of ethical norms within societies either influenced by belief or none.  
  • Engage with the Big questions and philosophically explore these while respecting one another’s views may differ to others.   
  • Recognise that attitudes and values vary towards ethical, philosophical approaches.   
  • Develop a rich understanding of the diversity within society and how this is influenced by attitudes and values.   
  • Students develop a knowledge of scripture and tradition within practices. 

Christian Distinctiveness

Religious studies play an integral part in supporting the Christian distinctiveness of the school.  

It supports students in exploring ‘life in all its fullness’. John 10:10. 

Throughout the curriculum there are many opportunities for students to develop Christian values for example students will consider Jesus and his teachings when exploring their unit of forgiveness, considering how they can reconcile with others. 

Students learn about different sources of wisdom when learning about sources of authority in the unit Bible, the Big Story, where they consider different commands for living. Students will further explore this when looking at prophets in the wisdom unit. They identify the importance of community by exploring different beliefs and practices within religious groups. The curriculum enables students to critically analyse Christian responses to social and ethical issues.

Head of Department

Leader of Religious Studies and Christian Distinctiveness (Church Schools)

Collette Iglinski

Our approach

At Ark Alexandra Academy students are asked to consider their own views of the world, their values and how these are influenced by external factors. Students will be asked to explore the key beliefs, teachings and values of the Abrahamic faiths, Buddhism and explore Philosophical and Moral reasoning with respect to how these impact a persons worldview and personal values. 

Secondary

In Key Stage 3, students follow the Ark aligned RS curriculum in mixed attainment classes, ensuring that all students continue to be exposed to the full higher tier curriculum until the end of Year 8. This gives every student, regardless of prior attainment, the opportunity to achieve grade 5+ at GCSE.  The Ark aligned RS curriculum also identifies key criteria required of the East Sussex agreed syllabus and the Diocese of Chichester. 

In Key Stage 4, we are following the AQA 8062MA specification. Paper 1 Christian beliefs and Practices, Islam beliefs and practices; Paper 2 Theme A Relationships and Families, Theme B Religion and Life, Theme D Religion, conflict and peace and Theme F Religion and social justice. Units are designed to build on content learnt in KS3, allowing students to apply their knowledge and skills to solve a range of new problems and increasingly complex and abstract topics, preparing them for A-Level study. Students currently sit their GCSE at the end of Year 10. 

Year 7

Autumn 1 Autumn 2
Old Testament - Genesis Old Testament: Exodus to Exile / New Testament

  • Intro to RS/ What is the Bible? 

  • Creation – Genesis 1 and 2 

  • The Fall – origin of sin 

  • Cain and Abel 

  • Noah and Flood 

  • Abraham and Isaac 

  • The early life of Moses and the burning bush/ The Ten Plagues 

  • The Ten Commandments 

  • The Judges 

  • David and Goliath 

  • Elijah and the Exile 
Spring 1 Spring 2
New Testament: The Life and Teachings of Jesus New Testament: Jesus in Jerusalem 

  • Birth of Jesus 

  • The miracles of Jesus 

  • The parables of Jesus – The Good Samaritan 

  • The parables of Jesus – The Prodigal Son 

  • Holy Week 

  • Why did Jesus die? 

  • Holy Week – key events 

  • Jesus clashes with the authorities 

  • The Last Supper 

  • The Trial 

  • Death 

  • Resurrection 
Summer 1 Summer 2
Judaism: History and Belief Judaism in the Modern World

  • What is Judaism? 

  • How did Judaism begin? 

  • The Temple 

  • The Messiah 

  • What are the Tenakh and the Talmud? 

  • What are the Mitzvot? 

  • What is Shabbat? 

  • Jewish Festivals 

  • Rites of Passage 

  • Marriage, Funerals and mourning 

  • A persecuted people 

  • Jewish response to the Holocaust 

All Year 7 subjects Next Year 7 Subject - Music

Year 8

Autumn 1 Autumn 2
Christianity: History and Belief Christianity in the Modern World

  • What do Christians believe about God 

  • How did Christianity begin? 

  • What was life like for the Early Church? 

  • Constantine and the council of Nicea 

  • The Great Schism and the Catholic Church 

  • The Reformation and Salvation Army 

  • Quakers and Amish 

  • What is the Bible? 

  • Is Britain a Christian country? 

  • Prayer and publicity 

  • Should women lead the Church 

  • Slavery and the Crusades 

  • What is Charismatic Christianity 

  • The persecution of Christians 
Spring 1 Spring 2
Islam: History and Belief Islam in the Modern World

  • What is Islam? 

  • How did Islam begin 

  • How did Islam rise to influence? 

  • Why did Islam split? 

  • What is the Qur’an? 

  • What do Muslims believe about God? 

  • Who are the prophets? 

  • The Five Pillars – intro 

  • The Shahadah and Tawhid 

  • Prayer and the Mosque 

  • Ramadan and Eid ul- Fitr 

  • What happens on Hajj? 

  • Sunni and Shia Islam 

  • Islam in Britain 
Summer 1 Summer 2
Hindu dharma, Santana dharma –beliefs and customs  Hindu dharma, Santana dharma –living the religion 
  • Origins of Hindu dharma
  • Vedic tradition
  • Supreme being – ideas about Brahman
  • The Tri murti
  • Key beliefs – karma, dharma and samsara
  • The sacred texts

  • The Great stories 

  • Worship – Mandir/ Home 

  • Practice of yoga and meditation 

  • Hindu rites - Samskaras 

  • Festivals 

  • Diversity and change. 

All Year 8 subjects Next Year 8 Subject - Music

Year 9

Autumn 1 Autumn 2
Buddha dharma beliefs and custom Buddha dharma practices

  • What do we call the religion? 

  • Who was Siddhartha Gautama 

  • The Four Sights 

  • Enlightenment 

  • Four Noble Truths 

  • Eightfold Path 

  • Buddhist’s beliefs about Samsara 

  • Five Precepts – moral codes 

  • The two main schools of practices 

  • The Buddha in art 

  • Festivals 

  • Pilgrimage 

  • Influential people - change 
Spring 1 Spring 2
Philosophy Moral Philosophy

  • How did Plato think we can know the truth? 

  • Why Descartes doubt everything? 

  • Was God the first cause of everything? 

  • Is God involved in the world? MCQ  

  • Can you believe in God and evolution? 

  • Freud and Marx 

  • Assessment 

  • What is Ethics? 

  • How should we live if God is dead? 

  • Are goodness and pleasure the same? 

  • What should we do with the runaway train? 

  • What is the banality of evil? 

  • Are we more than mere matter? 
Summer 1 Summer 2
Sikhi beliefs and customs Sikhi – living the religion

  • What do we call the religion? 

  • God – Waheguru – key beliefs? 

  • Who was Guru Nanak? 

  • The Four Journeys 

  • The Khalsa and the importance of Guru Hargobind 

  • The Ten Gurus 

  • The Khalsa in modern practice 

  • The sacred scriptures – The Guru Granth Sahib 

  • Worship in the Gurdwara 

  • The importance of Sewa – service – specific reference to the Langar 

  • The Harminder Sahib – The Golden Temple

All Year 9 subjects Next Year 9 Subject - Music

Studying Religious Education at GCSE

Year 10

Autumn 1 Autumn 2
Theme A Relationships and Families Theme B Religion and Life

  • Human sexuality 

  • Sexual relationships before and outside marriage 

  • Contraception and Family Planning 

  • Marriage 

  • Divorce and Remarriage 

  • The nature of families 

  • The purpose of families 

  • Religious attitudes to Gender equality 

  • The origins of the universe 

  • The value of the world 

  • The use and abuse of the environment and pollution. 

  • The use and abuse of animals 

  • The origins of human life 

  • Abortion 

  • Euthanasia 

  • Death and the Afterlife 
Spring 1 Spring 2
Theme D Religion, Conflict and Peace Theme F Religion, human rights and social justice

  • Introduction to religion, peace and conflict 

  • Violence, violent protest and terrorism 

  • Reasons for war 

  • Nuclear war and weapons of mass destruction 

  • The Just war 

  • Holy war and religion as a cause of violence 

  • Pacifism and peace-making 

  • Religious responses to victims of war 

  • Social justice and human rights 

  • Prejudice and discrimination 

  • Religious freedom 

  • Prejudice and discrimination- Race 

  • The status and roles of women 

  • Teachings about wealth 

  • Exploitations of the poor 

  • Giving money to the poor 
Summer 1 Summer 2
Revision and Exam Theme C Belief in God
  • Revision will focus on Question Level analysis and closing the gaps based on Pre-public examinations
  • Plans and elevations.
  • Upper and lower bounds.
  • Surface area of basic and complex 3D shapes

All Year 10 subjects Next Year 10 Subject - Music

Sixth Form

In Key Stage 5, we have a growing A-Level cohort each year who follow the AQA A-Level RS course which provides them with highly transferable skills and knowledge in the fields of Philosophy, Ethics and Christianity.

Year 12

Autumn 1 Autumn 2

2 units

  • Ethics
  • Christianity

2 units

  • Ethics
  • Christianity
  • Source of Wisdom and Authority
  • Normative Ethics – Natural Moral Law
  • God
  • Normative Ethics – Situation Ethics
  • Source of Wisdom and Authority
  • Normative Ethics – Natural Moral Law
  • God
  • Normative Ethics – Situation Ethics
Spring 1 Spring 2

2 units

  • Ethics
  • Christianity

2 units

  • Philosophy
  • Christianity
  • Self, death and the afterlife
  • Normative ethics -Virtue Ethics
  • Good conduct and key moral principles
  • Self, death and the afterlife
  • Normative ethics -Virtue Ethics
  • Good conduct and key moral principles
Summer 1 Summer 2

2 units

  • Philosophy
  • Christianity

2 units

  • Philosophy
  • Christianity
  • Expressions of religious identity
  • Application of ethical theories
  • Expressions of religious identity
  • Application of ethical theories

All Year 12 subjects Next Year 12 Subject - Music

Year 13

Autumn 1 Autumn 2

2 units

  • Ethics
  • Christianity/ Dialogues

2 units

  • Ethics
  • Christianity/ Dialogues
  • Meta Ethics
  • Christianity – gender and society
  • Religious language
  • Free will and moral philosophy
  • Christianity and science
  • Miracles
Spring 1 Spring 2

2 units

  • Ethics / Philosophy
  • Christianity / Dialogues

2 units

  • Philosophy
  • Christianity / Dialogues
  • Conscience
  • Christianity and the challenge of secularisation
  • Miracles
  • Bentham and Kant
  • Self, death and the afterlife
  • Christianity, migration and religious pluralism
Summer 1 Summer 2
External exams External exams
Revision Revision

All Year 13 subjects Next Year 13 Subject - Music